Western Air Command hosts Joint Operations Conclave to strengthen all-domain warfighting
New Delhi, February 6. Headquarters Western Air Command on February 5 and 6 conducted a high-level Joint Operations Conclave under the framework of the All Domain Joint Operations (ADJO) Exercise 2026, aimed at strengthening integrated warfighting capabilities of the Indian armed forces in an increasingly complex security environment.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Defence, The conclave focused on enhancing both intra-service and inter-service coordination at the operational level, with senior officers from the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, Indian Army, Indian Navy, Defence Space Agency and Defence Intelligence Agency participating alongside top leadership from the Indian Air Force.
In his inaugural address, Air Marshal JS Mann, Senior Air Staff Officer, Western Air Command, underlined the growing importance of jointness and integrated operations in contemporary and future conflicts. He stressed the need for a seamless all-domain approach that brings together air, land, maritime, space and cyber capabilities to achieve decisive outcomes in contested operational environments. Emphasising interoperability, he called for domain-agnostic decision-making, stronger sensor-to-shooter integration and refined operational processes to enhance effectiveness.
Addressing the conclave, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit highlighted the need to institutionalise joint mechanisms for integrated planning, intelligence sharing and capability prioritisation. He underscored the importance of identifying capability gaps in a structured manner and ensuring coherent inter-service responses to strengthen preparedness for future contingencies. Air Marshal Dixit also advocated faster doctrinal evolution and closer tri-service resource alignment to build sustained unified operational capability.
Concluding the discussions, Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command, drew key lessons from Operation Sindoor and examined their implications for future warfare. He highlighted the decisive role of air power, the necessity of synchronising surface manoeuvres with offensive air operations, and the strategic advantages of stand-off weapon employment.
Calling for a departure from legacy attrition-based approaches and traditional effects-based models, Air Marshal Mishra stressed the need for a more agile, adaptive and fully integrated joint warfighting paradigm. He emphasised bridging capability gaps and strengthening convergence across domains to enable coordinated, effects-driven operations in an all-domain battlespace.
The ADJO Exercise 2026 conclave marks an important step towards building a truly interoperable and future-ready joint force, reaffirming the Indian armed forces’ commitment to jointness, operational synergy and continuous adaptation to meet evolving national security challenges.
