Major General (retd) Ashok K Mehta
More bark than bite
Can India teach Pakistan a lesson? Can it make Pakistan stop cross-border terrorism? Even after 9/11 and 12/13, the answer to these questions is, by itself: no, it cannot.
The talk by our leaders of a decisive war and at the same time a purely defensive deployment is both churlish and confusing for the soldiers who require clear orders. India does not have the military capability to defeat Pakistan – not because of the nuclear overhang, but because to its failure to build a conventional deterrent in the hills of J&K and a decisive military superiority in the plains of Punjab and Rajasthan.
Over the years, India’s defence spending has stagnated at an unacceptably low level at 2 per cent of the GDP. The 1965 and 1971 wars (except in East Pakistan) have shown that Indian mechanised and infantry thrusts have penetrated no more than 10 to 15km in key sectors of Pakistan. Similarly, recapturing Pakistan-occupied Kashmir – a parliamentary military objective – is a pipe dream, least of all when the two armies are fully deployed in battle locations and any tactical surprise is ruled out.
So if India does not possess the military capacity to make decisive gains either in J&K or across the international border, why this unprecedented mobilisation of armed forces ? Why Operation Sangram?
It can be argued that 9/11 presented a window of opportunity to engage Pakistan militarily overtly and covertly, especially while it had to counter hostile forces on the western front along the Durand Line. Two of its nine corps are still deployed there. Further, by the end of next year, Pakistan is likely to bolster its artillery with additional 155mm and 130mm guns, augment its tank fleet and acquire new fighter aircraft and ships.
Yet, India does not have the political will and military capacity to achieve its unstated politico-military objectives. Operation Sangram, therefore, has more bark than bite.
Now you are getting funny!!! This is not the first time they have been arrested. Besides earlier when few were arrested India called is cosmetics and now its step in the right direction. Hmmmm I wonder who is wetting dhoti here. Or is the reality setting in
What do Indians want? They want us to arrest those men, and as a good sign of gesture we arrest them... Now they think we acted on fear... They ought to know that Diplomatic moves such as these are not based on fear...
If this stupid arrogant attitude on the part of India does not stop, the arrested figures will be out soon, and will add more fuel to the Free-Kashmir bandwagon! And this time no one in Pakistan will oppose them.
[This message has been edited by Spock (edited January 01, 2002).]