Statement 1: The Shekatkar committee has recommended the creation of three integrated theatre commands.

The Shekatkar committee was a high-level committee appointed by the Government of India to suggest measures to enhance the combat potential of the armed forces and rebalance defense expenditure. The committee submitted its report in December 2016, which included several recommendations for military reforms.

One of the key recommendations made by the Shekatkar committee was the establishment of integrated theatre commands. Currently, the Indian armed forces are organized into individual service commands - the Army, Navy, and Air Force - which operate independently of each other. This fragmented structure often leads to coordination issues and hampers joint operations.

The committee proposed the creation of three integrated theatre commands, one each for the western, northern, and eastern borders of India. These theatre commands would bring together the Army, Navy, and Air Force under a single command structure, with a theater commander responsible for the overall operational planning and execution in the designated area.

The establishment of integrated theatre commands is aimed at enhancing jointness and synergy among the armed forces, enabling better coordination and quicker decision-making during operations. It is expected to improve the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the military.

Therefore, statement 1 is correct.

Statement 2: The integrated theatre commander will not be answerable to individual Services.

As per the recommendations of the Shekatkar committee, the integrated theatre commander will have operational control over all the forces under the theatre command, including the Army, Navy, and Air Force. This means that the theatre commander will have the authority to plan, coordinate, and execute joint operations within the designated theater.

However, it is important to note that the integrated theatre commander will still be accountable to the individual services. While the operational control lies with the theatre commander, the administrative and functional control of the respective services will continue to be exercised by the Chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

In other words, the theatre commander will have the authority to direct the forces under his command during operations, but he will still be answerable to the Chiefs of the respective services for administrative and functional matters.

Therefore, statement 2 is incorrect.

In conclusion, the correct answer is option C - Both statement 1 and 2 are correct. The Shekatkar committee has indeed recommended the creation of three integrated theatre commands, but the integrated theatre commander will still be answerable to individual services for administrative and functional matters.