Government Notifies Rules Under Inter-Services Organisations Act to Strengthen Armed Forces Coordination [Download Gazette PDF]

The Government of India has notified new rules under Inter-Services Organisations Act to Strengthen Armed Forces Coordination. The Government of India has released a gazette regarding this. You can download gazette via link given below. The Act aims to enhance command and control within Inter-Services Organisations (ISOs)—units where personnel from multiple military services work together, such as joint commands and training institutions. With these new rules, the functioning of such organisations will become more streamlined and effective.

What Gazette says?

S.R.O. 10(E).—In exercise of the powers conferred by section 11 of the Inter-services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Act, 2023 (28 of 2023), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules, namely:—

1. Short title and commencement.—(1) These rules may be called the Inter-services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Rules, 2025.

(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

2. Definitions.—In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires:—

(a) “Act” means the Inter-services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Act, 2023 (28 of 2023);

(b) “Inter-services establishment” means an establishment consisting of persons, subject to the Army Act, 1950 (45 of 1950), the Air Force Act, 1950 (46 of 1950) and the Navy Act, 1957 (62 of 1957) or any two of the said Acts, and commanded by an Officer-in-Command, of the rank of Major General or Air Vice Marshal or Rear Admiral or above;

(c) “Inter-services Organisation” shall have the meaning as assigned to it in clause (e) of sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Act;

(d) “Inter-services unit” means a unit or ship or establishment, comprising of persons, subject to the Army Act, 1950 (45 of 1950), the Air Force Act, 1950 (46 of 1950) and the Navy Act, 1957 (62 of 1957) or any two of the said Acts, and commanded by an Officer subject to any of the said Acts, empowered in terms of section 8 of the Act;

(e) “Joint Services Command” means a Command consisting of persons, subject to the Army Act, 1950 (45 of 1950), the Air Force Act, 1950 (46 of 1950) and the Navy Act, 1957 (62 of 1957) or any two of the said Acts, and commanded by a Commander-in-Chief, of the rank of Lieutenant General or Air Marshal or Vice Admiral;

(f) Words and expressions used herein and not defined in the Act or in these rules, but defined either in the Army Act, 1950 (45 of 1950), the Air Force Act, 1950 (46 of 1950) and the Navy Act, 1957 (62 of 1957) or in the rules or regulations made thereunder, shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them under the said Acts, rules or statutory regulations, as the case may be;

3. Command.—(1) When the Commander-in-Chief, the Officer-in-Command or the Commanding Officer is absent, on leave or otherwise, the officer to officiate as the Commander-in-Chief, Officer-in-Command or the Commanding Officer shall be notified in the Inter-services Organisation, Establishment or Unit Orders, as the case may be and in case of emergency where such Orders have not been notified, by such officer as deputed to officiate by the next higher formation, until the appointment is notified.

(2) The officer officiating under sub-rule (1) as the Commander-in-Chief, the Officer-in-Command or the Commanding Officer, shall subject to such restrictions as contained in the respective Service Acts, rules or regulations, exercise any power conferred on the Commander-in-Chief, the Officer-in-Command or the Commanding Officer, as the case may be.

4. Disciplinary and administrative power. The Commander-in-Chief of a Joint Services Command, Officer-in-Command of an Inter-services establishment and Commanding Officer of Inter-services unit shall exercise all disciplinary and administrative power over a person subject to any of the Service Acts, posted or attached to that Inter-services Organisation, in accordance with the Service Acts, rules or regulations applicable to such person.
5. Residuary provision.—Matter relating to command, control and disciplinary and administrative powers of the Commander-in-Chief or, as the case may be, Officer-in-Command of the Inter-services Organisation or the Commanding Officer of an Inter-services unit with respect to which no express provision has been made in these rules or in the Service Acts or in the rules or regulations made thereunder, shall be referred to the Central Government for its decision.

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