Indian Service Chiefs, General Sunderarajan Padmanabhan (far left), Air Chief Marshal Srinivasapuram Krishnaswamy (right) and Admiral Madhvendra Singh (centre) salute during the Army Day celebrations in New Delhi on 15 January 2002. The three Service Chiefs also laid a wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti, at India Gate to mark the day. [Image © India Times]

Covert operations can make visible impact
(Hindustan Times, 15 January 2002)

Though forming only a small part of the armed forces, the special forces arm of the two countries - called Special Services Group (SSG) in Pakistan - could play a silent yet significant role in shaping the turn of battle. Major elements of Pakistan's three Special Services Groups totalling 17 companies and India's five SF battalions would be primed for a probable role along the border, should the two sides go to war. Though not exactly equipped and tasked like the Green Berets of the US, they could operate from behind enemy lines, direct fire from their hideouts and conduct other forms of unconventional warfare. They have been used previously by both sides with mixed success. During the 1965 war, Pakistan had experimented with the SSG in a number of daring kamikaze-type operations. One such company operated under the command of a Corps in the Sialkot sector, but could inflict little damage. The SSG had also planned raids on airfields in Pathankot, Adampur and Halwara in small teams of 45 to 50 men, which were led by young officers. But most of them were discovered by local villagers soon after they were para-dropped near the airfields. Most were either killed or captured and only a handful could ex-filtrate successfully.

During the 1971 war, India had only two SF battalions but they made their presence felt. In Poonch, 9 Para was used where it successfully raided a battery of mortars. Also, 10 Para managed to strike deep inside Pakistan territory opposite Barmer and managed to spring a surprise on Sind Rangers. During Kargil operations, 9 Para and 10 Para, which were deployed at short notice, had mixed success and suffered some casualties. While 10 Para was deployed in Batalik, 9 Para was deployed in Drass-Mashkoh. Since then two more para-battalions have converted to SF (2 Para and 21 Para). Each battalion has three assault teams (companies). Though initially, the Indian para-commando battalions were trained for specific roles (including 10 Para for desert operations), of late they have increasingly been used in multiple roles. For example, 1 Para which was battling ULFA insurgents from 1994 to 1999 was later deployed in J&K. And 2 Para, which trained in Goa (with the Indian Navy) and later in Pokhran before conversion to SF, has a varied experience. While, one of its assault teams was a part of the rescue mission of peacekeepers in Sierra Leone in Africa 1½ years ago, another assault team was deployed in J&K. Both 9 Para and 10 Para have had tenures in Rajasthan and J&K. 21 Para too has been deployed for operations both in the North-East and the Valley in recent months.

Though Pakistan's SSG is headquartered at Kohat near Peshawar, each company reportedly has a fixed area of operations. Accordingly, they are trained for a variety of ground and heli-borne roles, including sabotage and reconnaissance. Brigadier S.S. Mann (retd.), who headed the SF earlier, hopes that SF assault teams won't be used as beefed-up light infantry which has been the tendency. "They should be used in independent strategic roles and to act as force multipliers. SF is conceptually different from infantry: while the SF's aim is to raid, rescue and destroy using hit-and-run tactics or to covertly direct fire, the infantry's primary role is to capture and hold territory," says Brigadier (retd.) Mann. Of course, the Special Forces operate in close coordination with other troops. In Afghanistan, for the US Green Berets to perform a variety of roles, they got the help of Special Operations Aviation Regiment to 'deliver and retrieve' them in their missions. Sources say that it is for this reason that the plan to give our SF a separate entity has been dropped and they operate under the command and control of field commanders in whose area they are tasked.

Anti-militancy operations to be stepped up
(Hindustan Times, 15 January 2002)

Chief of Army Staff, General S. Padmanabhan has given a clear signal that anti-militancy operations will be stepped-up in Jammu & Kashmir. Simultaneously, the political establishment is conveying the message that India's patience with terrorism has run out. "The counter-infiltration posture is being strengthened," he said in an interview to Sainik Samachar, an official publication of the Ministry of Defence, in its Army Day (January 15th) special number. He dropped sufficient hints that the Army will now go in for the kill. In his earlier press conference on January 11th, General Padmanabhan had observed that 70% of terrorists killed in Jammu & Kashmir last year were Pakistanis. "That's why we've stopped calling it counter-insurgency but a proxy war," he had said. Meanwhile, Defence Minister George Fernandes declared on January 14th that India couldn't accept terrorism any more.

"The prospect of 20 bodies (of security personnel) coming back from Jammu & Kashmir every week, and the December 13th attack on Parliament which was intended to liquidate our entire political leadership has steeled our resolve to end terrorism," he said at a press conference. "Enough is enough. India cannot have any more of this," he said. The new anti-terrorism posture is aimed at denying terrorists the winter respite. Due to snowfall in the upper reaches of Jammu & Kashmir, terrorists tend to gravitate towards the bigger population centres and the lower reaches of the state. "We intend to deny them this avenue of escape from the rigours of winter," General Padmanabhan, promising relentless counter-terrorism operations. Besides, force multipliers like electronic devices are being deployed, and fencing along the International Border (IB) is also expected to help.

DG of NSG repatriated to Tamil Nadu
(Hindustan Times, 15 January 2002)

The Centre has sent the Director General of the National Security Guard (NSG) R. Rajagopalan back to Tamil Nadu. Rajagopalan's repatriation to his parent cadre comes at a time when Union Home Minister L.K. Advani is yet to return from his US visit. But Home Ministry sources said the decision to send back Rajagopalan was taken before Minister Advani left for his six-day US visit on January 8th. The sources also said the officer had sought repatriation on personal grounds. Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Chief, S.C. Chaube will hold additional charge of NSG till a regular incumbent is appointed. Rajagopalan joined the NSG as its head in November last year.

Army Day Decorations
(MoD Press Release, 14 January 2002)

On the eve of Army Day, the Chief of the Army Staff has commended the services of 500 Officers, JCOs, ORs and civilian personnel in recognition of their devotion to duty, gallantry and distinguished services. The list of personnel awarded Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card includes 11 from the Armoured Corps, 35 from the Artillery, six from the Corps of Air Defence Artillery (CADA),  three from Army Aviation Corps (AAC), 196 from the Infantry, 52 from the Sappers, 32 from the Signals, 30 from the Army Service Corps (ASC), seven from the Army Ordnance Corps (AOC), 27 from the Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (EME), 30 from the Army Medical Corps (AMC), 15 from the Intelligence Corps, eight from the Remount & Veterinary Corps (RVC), three from the Corps of Military Police (CMP), two each from Pioneers, Judge Advocate General (JAG) and MES and one each from the Border Security Force (BSF), President's Body Guard (PBG), Army Physical Training Corps and Army Postal Services (APS). The list of awardees also includes six personnel of General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF), one officer from Indian Navy (IN), two policemen and 24 civilians working in Defence HQs and other defence establishments. Out of the 500 awardees, 300 are officers from the Army, Navy, Police, GREF and civil branches. The remaining 200 are JCOs and ORs including their equivalents in the para-military forces and civilian outfits.

Army combs Bikaner ammunition depot area
(Times of India, 14 January 2002)

Bomb disposal units of the Army are combing about 10 km area to locate and dispose unexploded ammunitions. Last week a fire had gutted an Army convoy of 70 trucks which were transporting ammunition to the border areas. Six bomb disposal units will be mopping up as many police station areas in two phases, official sources said in Bikaner. In the first phase, they would look for unexploded objects in 100 locations, where the shells are said to have fallen. In the second phase, a block-by-block sanitisation would be made, sources said. Shells of blasted ammunition have already been removed from most of the areas but the district administration is worried about the unexploded objects that might be still lying unnoticed in residential and other areas, they said. Meanwhile, life has returned to normal with residents of ten colonies, who were shifted to safer places following the mishap, returning. Power, water and telecom facilities have also been fully restored in all the affected areas, officials said. About 150 ammunition-laden trucks taken away from the fire site by army jawans have now been parked in vacant areas. The authorities have so far not given the exact number of trucks gutted in the fire.

COAS interview to Sainik Samachar
(MoD Press Release, 14 January 2002)

Q. Now that winter is at its height, how does the Army plan to use this period to eliminate the militants present in Jammu and Kashmir?

A. During winters, due to snowfall in the upper reaches of Pir Panjal, Samshabari and other mountain ranges in J&K, the terrorists tend to gravitate to population centers, the Jammu region and the lower reaches of J&K. We intend to deny them this avenue of escape from the rigours of winter. Further, the counter infiltration posture is being strengthened and force multipliers like electronic devices are being deployed. Border fencing along the IB should also help in counter infiltration. Relentless counter terrorist operations will continue. At the same time, concerted military civic action will also be undertaken to wean away the people from militancy.

Q. After the September 11th incident what changes have been noticed in the tactics being used by the militants in the Kashmir Valley? Army's plan to tackle it?

A. Initially there was some reduction in terrorist related violence, probably due to confusion amongst the terrorists. However, since about mid October there has been an escalation in violence. Our plan is to intensify our ongoing counter-terrorist operations and see that terrorists are put out of action wherever and whenever they may be encountered.

Q. How do you perceive the situation in the North East? How much of military involvement would you approve?

A. The Nagaland peace process has brightened the hope for restoration of peace in the State. A peace process is also progressing satisfactorily with some group in Assam. The Army has contributed significantly towards creating an environment conducive for peace initiatives. Insurgency in the North East, as elsewhere is to be viewed and tackled as a National problem, not just as a security issue. The Army for its part, will continue to play its role, whenever called upon to do so.

Q. The Short Service Commissioned Women Officers have been in the Army for last nine years. How do you rate their performance? Have you any plans to grant regular commission to the women officers and also induct them to the combat arms.

A. The performance of Women officers has been generally satisfactory. As of now of now there are no plans to grant regular commission to women officers or induct them into combat arms.

Q. The Army Sports Institute has been established to bring about significant improvement in the standard of sports. How is this proposed to be done?

A. Consequent to the establishment of the Army Sports Institute at Pune, we have undertaken creation of state-of-the-art infrastructure for sports. This includes modern firing ranges, synthetic athletic track and facilities/equipments for selected sports in which we are strong. Talent scouting has been instituted with the aim of identifying and selecting potential sportsmen for enrolment. We are also making arrangements for good Indian and foreign coaches for our sportsmen. The Sports Authority of India is also helping the Army in securing the services of good coaches.

Q. With the increase in operational commitments more and more Other Ranks are serving in operational areas. Many of them are opting for the separated family quarters in Army cantonments. Is there any scheme coming up to ease this problem in terms of accommodation?

A. At present the requirement is being managed out of the existing 8421 Dwelling Units (DU) (covering 68 Cantt/Mil Stns) constructed/re-appropriated as SF Accn for OR of the Indian Army. This is grossly inadequate. The Prime Minister's landmark decision of undertaking the construction of deficient married accommodation for All Ranks of the Defence Services in the next four years (commencing from FY 2002-2003) through a dedicated budgetary provision of Rs 4000 crore per year will greatly alleviate the problem and once implemented, will enable a quantum jump in the present satisfaction levels including of SF Accommodation.

Q. How do you plan to bring more IT in day to day working and various operations of Army?

A. The Army 'IT Road Map 2008' is a detailed guide to the assimilation of Information Technology into the Army's functioning. It covers various levels from training of soldiers to most advanced areas like Virtual Reality and Information Warfare. The projects currently underway focus on Establishment of the Army Intranet, IT Training & Development of Application Software. Similarly, IT training has been started at basic, middle and advanced levels at all training institutions. Select Officers are being trained at IITs, CDAC and with Industry as well. In addition, use of the Internet is being encouraged all over.

Q. Restructuring in higher defence management has been initiated. How will it help the Army planning in with other two Services?

A. The present and future battlefield environment requires substantially enhanced jointness, both in planning as well as in prosecution of operations. Major reforms, based on the report of the Task Force for 'Review of the Management of Defence', are underway. In addition, the process of integrating the Services Headquarters with the Ministry of Defence has commenced. Substantial delegation of administrative and financial powers to the Services is being done so as to speed up the decision making process.

Q. How do you foresee the Indianisation of equipment used by the Army in the next decade?

A. Self-reliance has been the corner stone of our equipment philosophy for a long time and in this regard a close working relationship between the Army and the DRDO has been established over the years. The long term plans of the Army envisage a progressive decrease in imported military equipment and we hope that by the end of the current decade our inventory of indigenous equipment would outnumber imported equipment. These equipment fall in the category of high technology end as well as in the commercial realm and we are confident that in our efforts to modernize the Army, our R&D organization as well as the production agencies will stand shoulder to shoulder with us. We are therefore developing close linkages with the industry, both public as well as the private sector.

Q. What will be the mission of the Indian Army in the future ?

A. The Army's mission is to preserve national interest and safeguard territorial integrity, sovereignty and unity of the country against external or internal threat, by deterrence or by waging war.

Indian scientists develop portable radar to nail LoC infiltrators
(13 January 2002 @ Bangalore)

NCC cadets to march in combat fatigues at R-Day parade
(Times of India, 13 January 2002)

For the first time in its history, cadets of the National Cadets Corps (NCC) will march in combat fatigues at the Republic Day parade in New Delhi on January 26th, NCC sources said. Three contingents of Army, Air Force and Navy divisions and two bands comprising a total of 148 cadets would participate in the parade, they said. Over 65 cadets from seven foreign countries including the United Kingdom and Singapore are taking part in this year's Republic Day camp being attended by 1,800 cadets including 600 girls. While Defence Minister George Fernandes had to postpone his visit to the camp on January 13th, Lt. Gen. P.S. Joshi, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, visited the camp in his absence. He also presented defence minister's medal and citation to the cadets. Director General of the NCC, Lt. Gen. B.K. Bopanna was also present at the occasion.

Chances of Indo-Pak war have grown considerably
(Indian Express, 12 January 2002)

Amidst reports of rising tension along border between India and Pakistan and growing chances of a military conflict, the United States has intensified surveillance in the region for evidence whether the two countries were deploying their nuclear arsenal. The US National Security staff is reviewing a stream of intelligence reports suggesting that tension along Indo-Pak border is rising and that chances of a military conflict have grown considerably. "We are significantly more worried today than were several days ago," a senior member of President George W. Bush's National Security staff was quoted as saying. Another unnamed official said the CIA and the National Security Agency (NSA) were intensifying their surveillance of the border area and looking for any evidence that the two sides were putting their nuclear arsenals on alert. "So far there is no evidence of that," he said. Officials said, noted that neither India nor Pakistan "seems to have a great grasp of the other's doctrines or limits." With the tensions rising, Secretary of State Colin Powell has scheduled a trip to the region next week. India had privately hinted to Washington that it would take no unprovoked military action against Pakistan as long as US-led diplomatic efforts to defuse the crisis were continuing, the official said.

Defence Minister suspects sabotage in Bikaner blasts
(Rediff, 12 January 2002)

Defence Minister George Fernandes, who visited the site of January 11th's explosions near an ammunition depot in Bikaner in Rajasthan, said a court of inquiry will look into all angles, including the possibility of sabotage, in the incident. Defence Minister Fernandes, who was accompanied by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, said Gehlot too suspected sabotage. A series of explosions in a convoy of trucks carrying tank ammunition to forward formations claimed two lives and destroyed 1000 tonnes of ammunition. Defence Minister Fernandes and Chief Minister Gehlot spent over two hours going round the site, accompanied by top ordnance experts. They also visited some villages nearby. According to initial reports, highly placed Army sources in Bikaner said an electric spark in one of the 250 civil trucks hired to move heavy ammunition from Bhatinda in Punjab to Ganganagar-Bikaner frontier in northern Rajasthan had triggered massive explosions in the parked convoy gutting as many as 80 ammunition trucks.

The convoy was part of the movement ordered in connection with Operation Parakrama, as the current army mobilisation is codenamed. The convoy was parked in an Army cantonment bay for a short rest when a truck caught fire and the exploding ammunition engulfed all the nearby trucks. Huge explosions echoed round the area with flames leaping as high as 60 to 70 feet sending hundreds of villagers living around the area fleeing in panic. Top Army and civil officials, who rushed to the spot, managed to get the 170 ammunition-laden trucks comprising the bulk of the convoy, to drive away to safety as fire tenders were pressed into service. The sabotage theory has come to surface as the pattern in the mishap is the same as what happened near the Suratgarh ammunition depot last year, army officials said.

At Suratgarh, an army ammunition convoy carrying tank ammunition after the joint Indian Air Force and Army exercise 'Operation Poorna Vijay' had caught fire gutting over 2000 rounds of ammunition. A court of inquiry into the incident is yet to submit its report. This incident incidentally is the third major fire near a forward ammunition depot in the Ganaganagar-Pathankot-Bikaner belt. A mysterious fire at Mamoon near Pathankot towards the end of 2000 had gutted large volumes of tank ammunition after conclusion of forward armoured exercises. Security officials said there had been reports of intrusion by Pakistani agents in these border belts and over the past 3 years a number of arrests have been made.

India's strategy: Attack across a wide front
(Hindustan Times, 11 January 2002)

The Indian Army will launch multiple attacks across a wide front to force Pakistan to thin out its defensive deployment and throw Pakistan's strike capabilities off-balance. The entire border with Pakistan has been beefed up with the deployment of its holding formations to give its strike formations (1 Corps, 2 Corps and 21 Corps) enough room for manoeuvre. While 14 Corps (Leh) covers the northern frontier including Kargil, 15 Corps (Srinagar) is deployed along western Kashmir. Nagrota-based 16 Corps is responsible for holding the areas further south, including Poonch and Rajouri. The Jalandhar-based 11 Corps, 10 Corps (Bathinda) and 12 Corps (Jodhpur) are responsible for the defence of Punjab and Rajasthan. With the mountain passes along the China border closed for a few more weeks, India has moved troops of 3 Corps (Dimapur) to the west. India could launch pre-emptive surgical air and ground strikes aimed at destroying Pakistan's ability to aid and abet cross-border terrorism. Among India's war aims could be the capture of sizeable areas of PoK. But, unlike in 1965 when the war was fought in September, this time deep penetration in upper Kashmir will be difficult for another six to eight weeks because of to heavy snow. However, sources indicate there is adequate equipment to fight a winter war should India go in for some tactical gains in snowbound Kashmir.

Even after the snow melts, a breakthrough in the Ladakh sector is difficult. It will require one whole division in Shyok Valley and another division in the Kargil and Batalik sectors to make gains. Similarly, to aim for Muzaffarabad (the capital of PoK), the Indian Army will need to launch a pincer movement in the area between Jhelum and Kishanganga (Tithwal sector). Offensive operations in the Naugam and Uri sectors will require a division each with heavy artillery support. Our past mistakes could prove to be costly for us in this sector. For instance, the strategically important post of Haji Pir which was taken by a single company in 1965 was returned to Pakistan following the Tashkent Agreement. This post is so well fortified now that the Indian Army will require two brigades backed by heavy artillery to capture it again. So, in the coming weeks, major action in J&K is possible only south of Poonch. The Chhamb sector (Jammu) could see heavy armour operations, and superior outflanking tactics will carry the day. It would be logical for Indian strategists to seize enough territory to cripple Pakistan's war machine and hit its morale. This was indicated during Operation Brasstacks conducted in 1986-87 by the late General Krishnaswamy Sundarji. The two options explored were:

1) To launch a massive strike and make gains in Pakistan's center of gravity - Punjab. In 1965, India had launched pincer attacks in the Sialkot and Lahore sectors to ease Pak pressure on J&K. However, large-scale armour manoeuvres across Pakistan's Punjab are hampered by a plethora of canals, and a network of defensive ditches constructed by the Pakistanis.

2) To attempt deep penetration attacks from Rajasthan in order to reach Rahim Yar Khan and head for the Indus river to severe Pakistan's north-south link. A strike corps could launch from Suratgarh area either north (towards Suleimanki) or south (towards Bahawalpur). Another could head straight from Jaisalmer-Pokhran towards Sukkur or south-west towards Hyderabad.

Besides launching its strike corps, India could also supplement its thrusts in the desert with troops of 10 Corps (Bathinda) and 12 Corps (Jodhpur). The supposition is that Pakistan will commit its major reserves down south. This, however, could go awry if Pakistan, instead of challenging Indian thrusts in the desert, momentarily mounts further pressure on the Amritsar-Pathankot-Chhamb axis. A section of the Indian Army brass is for an all-out offensive in J&K. It believes that the capture of nearly 5000 square miles of Pakistani desert territory during the 1971 war was of little value. "Now that Indian infantry and artillery superiority is unquestionable, we should strike where it hurts Pakistan most - in the hills of J&K," says Major General (retd) C.S. Panag, former Brigadier General Staff (BGS), 15 Corps, Srinagar.

But others argue that Indian operations in the desert in 1971 had thrown Pak off-balance. When the Indian Army took Islamgarh in south Punjab, Pakistan had to move an infantry division from the defence of Karachi to make an (abortive) advance towards Jaisalmer to ease Indian pressure. And, further south, when India took Chachro in Sind, Pakistan had to move to strategic reserve division all the way from its strike corps in Multan for the defence of Karachi. "India should exploit its superiority in conventional warfare by launching multi-pronged thrusts in the hills, plains and desert," says Lt. Gen. (retd.) Vijay Oberoi, former Vice-Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS). From the multiplicity of options available, what will be crucial is a decisive, clear-cut strategy. This is what made the difference in results of the 1965 and 1971 wars.

Troops ready, but tanks lack NVDs
(The Tribune, 11 January 2001)

Even as the process of troop mobilisation has been completed and that for battle preparedness undertaken, there is a big question mark over the equipment which is available with the Indian Army to fight a war. The Army is facing almost a similar situation as it did during the Kargil intrusion with the shortage of sophisticated equipment. Although in high spirits to take on any eventuality, the troops stationed along the borders in the Western sector would be short of some very essential equipment. According to reports, while a large number of tanks, mostly T-72M1s, have been deployed along the border in the western sector, but none has the now essential night vision equipment. The Army which has the largest inventory of the Russian-made and now indigenously produced T-72M1 tanks would be at a loss at acquiring targets at night as a result of this shortcoming.

Can Indian forces deliver the killer blow?
(Hindustan Times, 10 January 2002)

In conventional terms, the Indian military machine is clearly superior to Pakistan's. By way of spares and ammunition too, India is primed for war. But whether the superiority in force levels is good enough to score a decisive win over Pakistan remains a moot point. Though the total strength of the Indian Army is double that of the Pakistan Army, the crucial factor during conflict will be the ORder of BATtle (ORBAT) and the execution of tasks entrusted to different formations. While the Indian Army has 12 Corps, the Pakistan Army is divided into 9 Corps headquarters. For offensive thrusts both depend heavily on their armoured divisions. Against India's three, Pakistan has two such divisions. But Pakistan could quickly put together an additional armoured division by cobbling up its armour elements, as it did during the 1965 War. "If the aim is to teach Pakistan a lesson for abetting terrorism, we may not be able to do that with a flourish. Given the respective terrain and tasks, there is near parity in terms of strength of the two armies," says Lt. Gen. (retd.) Harwant Singh, former Deputy Chief of Army Staff (DCOAS).

Some armoured corps officers say that the numerical superiority notwithstanding, our tank fleet may be found wanting during deep thrusts into enemy territory. The delay in procurement of T-90S tanks from Russia could tell in armour duels. While the 400 pieces of the 155mm Bofors gun will give us a clear edge in artillery, Pakistan has invested heavily in night fighting and anti-tank capabilities. As the Pakistan Army is likely to fight a defensive battle, with an occasional foray here and there, its tanks may pass muster. The task of holding territory will be the infantry's responsibility. India has a total of 31 other divisions (18 infantry, 9 mountain and 4 RAPID). Against this, Pakistan has only 19 infantry divisions. One of the imponderables this time will be surface-to-surface missiles. India has two Prithvi groups of five to six batteries (with three launchers each). It is still uncertain if ballistic missiles with a much longer range (2000+ km) are ready for deployment. The precise command and control and nuclear capability of both countries is also uncertain.

The Indian Air Force is numerically superior to the Pakistan Air Force, but a lot will depend on integration of the air effort with the ground operations. The Indian Navy has the edge but Pakistan will go into a defensive mode while making occasional forays into Indian waters. Despite its limited area to protect (600 km of coastline), Pakistan has as many as 10 submarines (against India's 16), which would target our combatant vessels to prevent them from bottling up Karachi harbour. Pakistan's naval missile capability could spring some deadly surprises. Of course, India scores with its higher number of warships and also the aircraft carrier, which could be an asset - as well as a liability. "The real test would be to exploit our superiority in conventional weapons by striking so decisively in the first phase that the nuclear option itself is rendered futile. This would hinge on the bold execution of operational plans, hitherto unseen in earlier wars," says a retired Major General. Some senior officers feel that it is now or never. Says Lt. Gen. J.S. Dhillon (retd), former Master General Ordnance. "There was a quantum jump in acquisition of spares and ammunition after the Kargil war. We are not just ready, we never had it so good in recent years."

Troops may not be pulled back soon
(The Hindu, 10 January 2002)

India is unlikely to pull back its forces from the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC) soon. According to highly-placed Government sources, New Delhi, after the attack on Parliament is determined to deal with terrorism decisively. For that it aims to create a suitable political environment in the region that will eventually enable it to make a deal with Pakistan. The mobilisation of ground troops along the borders is central to the strategy that will strengthen India's hands during future negotiations, they observed. As of now, India has positioned its forces all along the borders in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir. All its three strike corps, that can spearhead a military campaign have been mobilised.

Early movement of the strike elements is highly significant. By positioning them in advance, India has ensured that Pakistan, in case hostilities break out, cannot take territory. This is a departure from the past, as India, in its earlier wars, allowed Pakistan to gain territory initially. Pakistan had made initial gains in some areas in the land corridor straddling the Jhelum and Chenab in Jammu and Kashmir in the past, and it took India considerable time to regain lost ground. But by foreclosing this option, India this time, has positioned itself for quick military gains even in a short war. Islamabad, the sources say, is well aware of the ground situation. Its military vulnerability, in turn, explains the urgency with which the Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has appealed to world leaders to reverse New Delhi's military build-up.

In a bid to mount international pressure on India for de-escalation, Pakistan had initially argued that on-going U.S. efforts to nab Al-Qaeda activists fleeing into Pakistan from the Afghan border would be undermined. According to the Pakistani leadership, the Indian build-up would force it to divert its troops from the Afghan to the Indo-Pak. border, compromising vigilance on the fleeing Al-Qaeda remnants. General Musharraf, according to media reports, has now asked the U.S. to ensure that Indian forces are restrained, in order to enable him to mount more pressure on extremists in his country. India is unlikely to pull back forces unless Pakistan takes some dramatic decisions that will make the military mobilisation redundant, the sources observed. They pointed out that the mobilisation has been central to the intense international pressure now being imposed on General Musharraf for a crackdown on terrorists of all hues. Given its success, New Delhi would like its coercive diplomacy vis-à-vis Pakistan to continue by ensuring that the military situation on the borders remains basically unaltered.

DRDO develops novel beverage for troops at high altitude
(Outlook India, 07 January 2002)

DRDO has set up an industry at the cold desert of Leh to exploit the wonder plant, Seabuckthorn, for manufacturing multi-vitamin herbal beverage for troops confronting extremely low temperatures, a top expert has said. "DRDO has set up an industry at Leh to make juice, sauce and jam out of the fruit of Seabuckthorn, also called the wonder plant, due to its wide range of useful properties," R.V. Swamy Chief Controller, R&D, DRDO said. Explaining the reason behind the name wonder plant, Swamy said the fruit of the plant had a high vitamin C content - 300 milligrams per 100 grams in contrast to 50 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams found in orange - besides containing Vitamin A, E and flavanoids (compounds which serve as anti-oxidants). The beverage, apart from being nourishing, had a freezing point of -22º centigrade which helps it to remain in liquid form even in sub-zero temperature of the Leh region, he said. Seabuckthorn, called 'Chharma' in the native language, has medicinal properties also. "It takes care of the high cholesterol level in the body, has wound-healing properties, and is useful in burns," Swamy said. The industry in Leh with a capacity of 200 tonnes of fruits per annum has provided indirect employment to 300 people through collection of fruits the previous year, Swamy said adding more villages in the region can avail the benefits. NAFED is marketing the products and is likely to supply them to Indian Airlines and Railways, he added.

India has enough petroleum if war erupts: Naik
(Rediff, 04 January 2002)

India has enough petroleum product stocks to last it more than a month in case a tense standoff with bitter foe Pakistan escalates into war, Petroleum Minister Ram Naik said on Friday. Nuclear rivals India and Pakistan have been locked in a bitter confrontation since an attack on the Parliament last month that New Delhi blamed on two Pakistan-based Kashmiri separatists groups. Many fear the dispute, which has led to the biggest military border buildup by the two South Asian neighbours since independence from Britain in 1947, could lead to war. "The country has sufficient supplies of petrol, diesel, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) and other products for more than a month if war breaks out with Pakistan," Naik told reporters in Guwahati. "No one should worry about logistics from the ministry of petroleum," said the minister, who laid the foundation stone of the country's first oil museum in Guwahati late on Thursday. India, which imports about 70 per cent of its crude needs, produced about 30 million tonnes of crude oil in 2000-01.

Afghans have arms but no Army so ask Indians for training
(Indian Express, 04 January 2002)

India's budding relationship with the new-look Afghanistan appears to be right on track. After medical and movie aid comes the real thing: the armed forces are drawing a blue print for training the United Front (formerly the Northern Alliance) troops and air force after receiving feelers from Kabul's interim administration. Defence Minister George Fernandes had disclosed that India was providing war materiel to the Northern Alliance. Though he did not go into details, he had said that ‘whatever they were asking', for including artillery pieces and ammunition, was being provided to them. Afghanistan did not have an organised armed force, in the normal sense of the term, during the six years of the Taliban regime. Apart from the Taliban militia, the forces under Ahmed Shah Massoud and General Abdul Rashid Dostum had their own armies; tanks, infantry combat vehicles, artillery and troops.

"Most of the equipment used by them is of Russian origin, like ours. While we have modern equipment and upgrades, they are still using the war material we had earlier," sources in Army HQ said. The Soviet pullout of Afghanistan in 1989 left a large quantity of equipment behind. The Northern Alliance army is using the same Russian infantry combat vehicle (BMPs) as India is, apart from radars, tanks (T-54, T-55s and T-62) and artillery (130mm) pieces, an official said. Defence Analyst Major General (retd.) Himmat Singh Gill, who served as Military Attaché at Kabul, said the Indian Army and Air Force played a crucial role in the training of the Afghan forces before the collapse of the Najibullah regime. The capsule envisaged for the new army in Afghanistan includes training at different levels; at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) Dehra Dun for cadets, squadron commander's course (middle-rung) at the Mechanised Infantry Regimental Centre and Armoured Corps school, Ahmednagar and even a stint at the National Defence College (NDC) for senior officers.

Indeed, the first task could be to revive training institutions in Afghanistan itself for the bulk of that country's forces. "We used to send our Army Education Corps (AEC) officers to Kabul to train the Afghan forces in map-reading and other activities. Even now it will not be possible to get a large number of their soldiers across to India and train them. So their own training academies will have to be revived," Gill said. "We have been training the Afghan air force pilots in the past. Afghanistan is one of our friendly countries. We should continue to train them," feels Air Chief Marshal (retd.) S.K. Sareen, former Chief of Air Staff. The collapse of the Najubullah government saw warlords grabbing the military's assets. Into Dostum's kitty went a large part of the air assets, though Massoud too got a sizable share. The air force training academy was in Mazar-i-Sharif, which became Dostum's base. West of Mazar lies Shibirgon, one of the largest air bases.

First T-90 batch here, training to begin soon
(Indian Express, 04 January 2002)

The first batch of 10 frontline Russian T-90 Main Battle Tanks (MBTS) arrived in India on January 4th, with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) asking Moscow to speed up the shipment of remaining tanks in view of the prevailing tension on the border. With the much-awaited T-90 tanks now in the country, they would be soon inducted for training of the troops, sources in the MoD said. The tanks, which have already undergone extensive field and user trials in the Thar desert, are to equip four to five armoured regiments to counter T-80UD tanks (approximately 300 in number) acquired by Pakistan from Ukraine. Armed with surface-to-surface missiles which can engage enemy tanks beyond visual range, the T-90 tanks are expected to give a punch to Army's armoured formations.

Sources said that the newly arrived tanks were equipped with night vision, impenetrable armour and navigation system that would give Army a decisive edge in a battle field. The T-90S tanks are capable of firing laser guided missiles, superior to Pakistan's T-80UD tanks, MoD sources said, adding that the tanks can also fire up to eight 125 mm rounds per minute at land based and low flying targets. The Russian tanks are also equipped with automatic fire control system in order to enable armoured commanders to fire even if the electronic suppression system jams. The Army, which presently has Vijayanta tanks, T-55 and T-72M1 tanks in its armoured fleet, for quite some time sought to modernise its tank fleet and decided to go in for the T-90S tanks after considering various options.

The tanks, received by India, are the first of 310 tanks for which a deal had been concluded between MoD and State Cooperation Rosvoorouzhenie of the Russian Federation last year. Under the deal the Russians have also agreed for transfer of technology for manufacture of the bulk of the 310 tanks within India. India was to receive 80 tanks in fully assembled condition in the first lot by November-end, 2001. The Government had asked Moscow for 140 tanks so that they were ready for immediate deployment.

Bands to make up for absence of troops in R-Day Parade
(Times of India, 04 January 2002)

To make up for the absence of marching contingents from the services, the Defence Ministry has decided, for the first time, to field as many as 15 bands during the annual Republic Day parade down the Rajpath. With most of the troops moved to forward locations in view of prevailing tension on the borders with Pakistan, a high level meeting of the Defence Ministry officials on January 4th decided that the absence of marching contingents would be made up by the bands. Defence Ministry officials said that as of now, the horse-mounted 61st Cavalry could be the sole Army presence among the marching contingents. They said that bands, including pipes and drums from almost all regimental centres, would be drafted for the parade for the first time. Asked about whether this year's parade would be a truncated affair being tapered either at India Gate or Connaught Circus, the officials said that this decision would be taken at a later date after going through police and security considerations.

India dwarfs Pakistan in nuclear, military power
(Times of India, 03 January 2002)

India vastly out powers Pakistan in both nuclear and conventional might. But the exact nuclear capability of South Asia's giants remains unclear. Alarmingly, both countries have failed to set up cross-border safety measures to cut down the risk of a dispute flaring into a nuclear catastrophe due to accidental firing or political miscalculation. Scientific and arms monitoring groups around the world estimate India has between 55 and 110 bombs. Most analysts believe the figure is towards the lower end. The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) said India was generally estimated to have about 60 nuclear weapons. Pakistan, on the other hand, could have between 15 and 40 bombs, again with estimates leaning towards the lower end.

Three years after India and Pakistan alarmed the world with a series of underground tests, little is known about the exact deployment, size, and delivery systems of their nuclear weapons. India's programme is in civilian hands, with the focus on its deterrence value, backed by a three-pronged delivery system using planes, land missiles and ships. This system is not yet complete and the most likely delivery in the short term is by plane. India has also adopted a 'no first use' policy but Pakistan has not. A study by the Rand Corporation for the US government argues India, rather than building a hair-trigger, first-strike capacity, is focusing on a 'force-in-being' to strike back.

"This term refers to a nuclear deterrent that consists of available, but dispersed components: unassembled nuclear warheads, with their components stored separately under strict civilian control, and dedicated delivery systems kept either in storage or in readiness away from their operational areas," it said. For its part, Pakistan says it has a 'minimum nuclear deterrent' that should suffice to face the threat it feels from much bigger India and its overwhelming conventional force superiority. Experts on both sides of the border and abroad have long argued India and Pakistan need, above all, to establish joint measures to boost nuclear safety. "The need for a common language to understand each other's signalling, such as sounding different states of alert in an emergency, is of supreme importance to defuse future crises and avoid conflict," said P.R. Chari, a nuclear expert at the Institute of Peace & Conflict Studies.

Pakistan says its nuclear facilities are under the tight control of the military or subject to international inspection. The military government set up a Nuclear Command Authority in 2000 responsible for "policy formulation and (which) will exercise employment and development control over all strategic nuclear forces and strategic organisations." But India has yet to establish a clear command and control structure. The only thing known about its secretive nuclear system is that the button lies in the hands of the Prime Minister. There is also the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) which would presumably be consulted before any deployment. But beyond that nothing is known about the chain of command which will carry out the government's orders. The role of the military, kept out of the program from the start, is unclear. India's nuclear superiority mirrors the conventional balance of power. It has about 1.2 million active troops to Pakistan's 520,000 and that 2:1 advantage also extends to combat planes, tanks and artillery.

BSF troops lay mines, IEDs along border
(Times of India, 03 January 2002)

In a bid to check infiltration of Pakistan-based militants, BSF troops have laid mines and improvised explosive devices along the LoC and International Border in Jammu & Kashmir. "Apart from stepping up defence preparations, work on laying of mines and IEDs has been taken up by Army and BSF troops in nearly 300-500 meters area from zero line on LoC and IB to stop infiltration of armed militants, fidayeen squads, Taliban and al-Qaeda terrorists," official sources said. Almost 60% of mine laying work has been completed in Hiranagar, Ramgarh, Samba, R.S. Pura and Akhnoor areas along the IB in Jammu-Kathua sector, the sources said. Nearly 30 to 40% work has been completed in Poonch and Rajouri sector, they said. "Not even a single militant should be able to cross over to this side in safe mode from this mined strip along the LoC and IB in J&K," the sources said adding, "we want to stop this exercise of infiltration." The mine laying exercise is continuing in areas falling in Pallanwala-chicken neck belt, Noushera, Laam, Sunderbani, Bhawani, Kalal, Jangarh, Chingus, Kerni, Balakote, Krishnagati, Bhimbergali, Gambhir Mighla, Mendhar and Poonch areas in J&K, the sources said.

Besides laying anti-personnel mines, troops have set up IED-traps along different infiltration routes, border outposts, listening and warning posts besides some un-guarded and difficult terrains with the sole aim of stopping entry of war-hardened militants from Afghanistan, the sources said. IEDs have also been laid in and around routes of listening posts and warning posts, bops and other posts for safeguarding them from attacks by Pakistan's Sabotage Group, Special Service Group (SSG) and Border Action Teams (BATs) along LoC and IB, the sources said. As part of the Total Elimination for Militancy (TEM) programme Phase one, a total of 87 routes of infiltration and Mountain Crossing Points (MCPs) have been laid with IED traps and mines besides installation of some sensitive sensors. The sources said that mines are being laid in such a manner as to narrow the corridor of routes taken by the ultras.

A truncated R-Day parade on the cards
(The Hindu, 03 January 2002)

Various permutations and combinations are being explored for this year's Republic Day Parade in New Delhi as authorities try to tailor the annual show of the country's military might to the ongoing diplomatic manoeuvres and troops build-up along the border. As of now, indications are that the parade's duration will be reduced from about 105 minutes to 45 minutes. On ground, this could mean that the parade will not last longer than an hour. Much of this, officials said, was due to the absence of troops following the Government decision to mobilise them after the December 13th attack on Parliament. The Army is also unlikely to field its armoured tanks and artillery guns.

Though there has been no official communiqué enumerating this, sources said proposals to this effect had been passed on to the Defence Ministry. It is understood that the Army's plea on its inability to spare the needed resources for the parade is still under Government consideration. The buzz doing the rounds is that the Air Force and the Navy have agreed to synchronise the display of their prowess with that of the Army. While availability of resources may not be a problem for these two services, officials do not want a mismatch on the cards. There are other factors which are weighing heavily on the Government's final decision. According to officials, the Government wants the parade to reflect what the country has been trying to project through its diplomatic efforts since December 13.

With January 26th still some time away, officials have not issued any written orders. But those in charge of organising the parade are working on the assumption that it will be a truncated one. For instance, the National Cadet Corps (NCC) has been asked to remain prepared with an extra contingent. As for Army participation, there is confirmation that a contingent of mounted soldiers from 61st Cavalry will participate. The various Army bands will also be present. There is also talk of including two infantry contingents, but no orders have been passed. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have sent in a proposal to the authorities concerned that the parade should terminate in Connaught Place this year due to security compulsions. Police officials said it would become difficult for them to provide security in the Walled City area, where threat perceptions were high this year.

Ex-soldiers, farmers offer second front in Kashmir
(Times of India, 03 January 2002)

Hundreds of former Indian troopers and landless farmers who fled their homes under the threat of shelling by Pakistan are now offering a second line of defence in case a frontier war erupts in Kashmir. Jobless and with no money, these men and their families say they will work as mercenaries for the Indian Army that occupies their villages along the Line of Control (LoC), which divides the Indian and Pakistan zones of Kashmir. Some 1,200 such families, 65% of them headed by retired or serving soldiers, have been sheltering in tents beyond the range of Pakistani guns since 1999, when India and Pakistan engaged in their last major military conflict. Another 5,000 others from a dozen Indian villages, such as Palanwalan along the LoC, fled their homes last month when the two South Asian rivals began massing troops along the de facto border. State administration officials said the offer by the locals stemmed from an appeal of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee calling for vigilance against military espionage activities and militant attacks.

Palanwalan, 65 km north of Jammu, is now a ghost town with soldiers holding the sector, which also saw massive tank battles when India and Pakistan fought their second war 36 years ago. Journalists have been stopped from reaching the LoC in Palanwalan near a signboard which states that any defiance of military regulations would result in the shooting of the offender. "Beyond that signboard lies our homes and today because of this tension we cannot travel freely and for that we blame Pakistan and so we want to fight to our last man if needed," said retired Indian infantry sergeant Jai Singh. Tensions spiralled between Pakistan and India, after the December 13th armed attack on the Parliament which New Delhi says was carried out by two Pakistan-based militant groups at the behest of Pakistani military intelligence.

Jai Singh and a clutch of former soldiers huddled in tents 8 km from Palanwalan said their villages had been a target of Pakistani gunners since 1999, when Indian troops fought a 10-week conflict with Pakistan-backed forces in Kashmir's Kargil sector. Ex-corporal Mohan Lal said they have presented a unique offer to the Army. "In case Pakistan crosses the LoC then our able-bodied men will fight, women extend logistics support and the elderly like me will act as saboteurs," said Lal, a former demolition expert. Lal said the offer was made to the Army's Northern Command, which has deployed tens of thousands of combat soldiers, tanks and artillery along the 440-km LoC. During the 1965 Pakistan-India war, the Pakistan Army almost reached Devipur but after a ceasefire was enforced, it withdrew to its original position.

The offer to join in any fighting appeared serious as some private munitions stores in Akhnoor, the last major Kashmir city near the LoC, reported higher sales of cartridges and civilian firearms in the past few weeks, gun store keepers said. "If we get AK-47s, grenades and flame-throwers then we will fight to the last man and give Pakistanis a battle they will remember for a lifetime," said Dyan Singh, a farmer from the village of Hamirpur. A senior Northern Command official in Jammu said the villagers were spoiling for a fight because perennial cross-border clashes had ruined their livelihoods. He said, "Each of these poor displaced men and women get a monthly dole of 2 kg (4.4 pounds) of rice, 7 kg of flour and Rs 200 which is a pittance and hence they want to exact some revenge. Of course we have not taken their offer seriously. But, yes. It is nice to know that our civilians are ready for any behind-the-line tricks by them (Pakistan)."

Ex-servicemen in Jammu raring to pick up arms
(Indian Express, 03 January 2002)

With war-like situation in border areas forcing people back, there is no dearth of people willing to lend the Army a hand, be it in laying a land mine or helping locals relocate. Youth and ex-servicemen of the villages are staying back. The former satisfying the urge to be in the thick of action and the latter putting expertise and knowledge to good use. Except these brave hearts, most of the people have moved to other places. Indiscriminate Pak firing has made no difference to their spirits. "We cannot fight on the border but can at least help the Army carry luggage," said Kulwant, who aspires to join the Army. For these volunteers to help the Army men in a war is as good as being in the Army. "Shauk poora ho jaata hai. Unkee (Army) madad karke santushti milti hai," said another. Though all civilian movement has been stopped, a few young men and ex-servicemen have been allowed to help. Most volunteers are in favour of war. They say if government takes a step back now it won't be good. "If Pakistan does not understand the language of peace we don't have any other recourse. If they were honest, they wouldn't support militants," said an ex-serviceman

Dress rehearsal for nuclear war
(The Telegraph, 01 January 2002)