Western Air Command Hosts Joint Operations Conclave Under ADJO Exercise 2026

The conclave was focused on enhancing intra-service and inter-service operational coordination, with the objective of building stronger joint capabilities across the Indian Defence Forces.

Headquarters Western Air Command successfully conducted a high-level Joint Operations Conclave on 05 and 06 February 2026 under the framework of the All Domain Joint Operations (ADJO) Exercise 2026.

The conclave marked a major milestone in India’s efforts to deepen tri-service integration and strengthen joint operational preparedness in an increasingly complex, multi-domain security environment.

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Strengthening Joint Warfighting Across Domains

The conclave was focused on enhancing intra-service and inter-service operational coordination, with the objective of building stronger joint capabilities across the Indian Defence Forces.

Senior officers attended from:

• Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (IDS)

• Indian Army

• Indian Navy

• Defence Space Agency (DSA)

• Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA)

• Indian Air Force leadership

The deliberations reflected the growing importance of seamless cooperation across the domains of:

• Air

• Land

• Sea

• Space

• Cyber

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Air Marshal JS Mann Highlights Need for All-Domain Integration

In his inaugural address, Air Marshal JS Mann, Senior Air Staff Officer, Western Air Command, emphasised that jointness and integrated warfighting are paramount in contemporary and future conflicts.

He underscored the urgent requirement for an all-domain operational approach that enables decisive outcomes in contested environments.

Key priorities highlighted included:

• Enhancing interoperability among the services

• Promoting domain-agnostic decision-making

• Strengthening sensor-to-shooter linkages

• Refining operational procedures for efficiency and effectiveness

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CISC Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit Calls for Institutionalised Joint Mechanisms

Addressing the conclave, the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, stressed the need to institutionalise joint mechanisms for:

• Integrated operational planning

• Intelligence sharing

• Capability prioritisation

• Identification of capability gaps

He highlighted that coherent inter-service responses are essential for comprehensive preparedness against future contingencies.

Air Marshal Dixit advocated:

• Accelerated doctrinal evolution

• Tri-service resource alignment

• Advancing all-domain integration to achieve unified operational outcomes

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Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra Draws Lessons from Operation Sindoor

Concluding the conclave, Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command, delivered a detailed address highlighting critical lessons from Operation Sindoor and their implications for future warfare.

He underscored:

• The decisive strategic role of air power

• The need to synchronise surface manoeuvre with offensive air operations

• The strategic advantage of stand-off weapons

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Shift Away from Legacy Attrition Models Toward Adaptive Joint Warfare

Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra advocated a resolute transition away from:

• Legacy attrition-based warfare models of the 1971 era

• Conventional Effects-Based Operations frameworks

toward a more agile, adaptive and fully integrated joint warfighting paradigm.

He stressed the imperative of:

• Bridging capability gaps

• Reinforcing convergence across all domains

• Building coordinated, effects-driven responses in the all-domain battlespace

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ADJO Exercise 2026: Building a Future-Ready Joint Force

The All Domain Joint Operations Exercise 2026 represents an important milestone expected to play a decisive role in building a truly interoperable and future-ready joint force capable of prevailing across the full spectrum of modern security challenges.

The initiative reaffirms the Indian Defence Forces’ commitment to:

• Jointness

• Operational synergy

• Continuous adaptation

• National security readiness