Centre Notifies Rules Giving Tri-Service Commanders Full Disciplinary Powers

New Delhi: The Centre has issued the implementation rules for the Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control & Discipline) Act 2023, granting commanders of joint military formations full disciplinary authority over all Army, Navy and Air Force personnel under their command.

The rules, published in the Gazette and effective May 27, 2025, remove a long-standing anomaly that required soldiers, sailors or airmen posted to tri-service units to be disciplined only under their parent Service Acts. Until now, a commander of a joint outfit such as the Andaman & Nicobar Command, Strategic Forces Command or National Defence Academy could not directly punish an offender from another service, often delaying or diluting action.

“This step will strengthen command and control and accelerate disciplinary proceedings, avoiding duplication,” the defence ministry said, adding that the move “bolsters jointness ahead of theatre-command restructuring.”

The Act, cleared by Parliament in the 2023 Monsoon Session and assented to by the President on August 15, 2023, formally entered force on May 10, 2024. Section 11 empowers the framing of subordinate rules; Wednesday’s notification completes that process and makes the legislation fully operational.

Under the new regime, Commanders-in-Chief and Officers-in-Command of any Inter-Services Organisation (ISO) may initiate and dispose of disciplinary and administrative cases regardless of an individual’s parent service — while leaving underlying service conditions unchanged.

The change is also seen as a key enabler for India’s planned theatre commands, now under design by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Anil Chauhan, which will combine assets from all three services under single geographic or functional commands.