What flowed post Kargil The Excelsior 21 Jul 2024
It needs a war to shake a nation from slumber. In the case of India, it was the Kargil war. The system was in lethargic mode, everyone satisfied with status quo, including the service chiefs, MoD and intelligence agencies. The defence budget was low, there were gaps in capabilities and modernization was moving at a snail’s pace. Post the nuclear blasts, of both India and Pakistan, a year before, there was a feeling that there would be no war under a nuclear overhang. For the US, which had till then backed Pakistan against India, Kashmir was the foremost global nuclear flashpoint.
Pakistan exploited Indian military and intelligence laxity and pushed its troops into Kargil heights, hoping to dominate the highway moving towards Leh and Siachen, cutting it off and ultimately claiming the region. Pakistan was certain India would not respond based on its nuclear threat. It also banked on global pressures on India. Further the battle would be fought at heights where the defender possesses the advantage.
It was an audacious plan, however Musharaff and his planners never factored in Indian resolve. The planning was based entirely on how Pakistan and he (Musharaff) would have reacted to such a threat. That was an error. India does not think like Pakistan. If it had, then Bana post and large parts of Siachen would have remained in Pakistan’s hand. India’s response was firm and strong.
After a few setbacks and initial miscalculation on the strength of infiltrators, the army began a planned and determined operation to evict them, ably assisted by airpower. The US attempted to diplomatically intervene, seeking to prevent the conflict becoming nuclear, which India resisted. The government restricted Indian forces from crossing the LoC, but largely they were given a free hand.
At the end of the day, as we celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the Kargil war, India proved to the world that it will defend its territory at all costs. India had no time to upgrade its military capabilities and as General Malik had stated, ‘We will fight with what we have.’ The loss of 527 Indian soldiers and over 1300 injured was the price the nation paid for throwing those who had infiltrated into our territory, out in disgrace.
In Pakistan, what followed was ironic, to state the least. Musharaff, who should have been sacked for his failed operation, overthrew Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and became dictator. This is possibly the only genuine case of converting ‘defeat into victory.’ It once again highlighted that every time Pakistan attempted a misadventure, it suffered defeat.
The fallout of the war is being felt even today. The Kargil Review Committee, formed by the government, headed by Mr K Subrahmanyam, submitted a detailed report and took the government to task for its lethargic approach to national security as also coordination of multiple intelligence agencies. It recommended a slew of measures to improve intelligence and management of national security.
The report taunted the archaic system which continued to be adopted by the government in dealing with the armed forces. It also highlighted lack of integration between the services as also between the armed forces and the government, which needed to be addressed.
This was followed by the Group of Ministers report, headed by Arun Singh, and comprising representatives of the three services. This report recommended the creation of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). The Andaman and Nicobar command and the raising of the Integrated Defence Staff flowed from this report. However, what was lacking was the CDS. This came about almost 20 years later when the PM announced his government’s decision on the subject from the Red Fort on 15th Aug 2019.
Since Late General Bipin Rawat took over as the first CDS on 01 Jan 2020, the armed forces are moving forward in reforms, which first saw mention post the Kargil conflict. Theatre commands, essential for integrated warfighting, are now around the corner. Integrated military stations and joint logistic nodes are being created. Had there been no Kargil, possibly the national security architecture would have remained in limbo.
Even international relations were impacted. The US, which had been pro Pakistan began to change its perceptions. Bill Clinton, then the US president had initially sought to pressure India to avoid conflict and adopt negotiations. The firmness of the Vajpayee government on its military intent left the US with limited choices.
Nawaz was summoned to Washington and told in no uncertain terms that Pakistan has to withdraw, if it desires to save face, as it was by then losing the conflict. Bill Clinton visited India a year later, twenty years after the visit of the last President, changing Indo-US relations. Since then, Indo-US ties have grown at the cost of Pak-US ties. Pakistan continues to suffer democratically with the army controlling the country from the backseat, while India flourishes.
The most important lesson which emerged from the conflict, took years before being implemented. That was developing India’s domestic defence industry. During the period of the Kargil war, India’s defence was largely dependent on imports. This implied that developing additional capabilities or making up shortfalls in current holdings, especially with an ongoing conflict, would have been time consuming as procedures had to be followed. Defence equipment, except in very limited quantities, can rarely be obtained off the shelf.
It took almost two decades for India to establish its domestic defence industry to levels where large parts of its needs are being met inhouse. Today the nation is moving forward, demanding that any large global contract would only be considered if it is ‘manufactured in India with transfer of technology.’
Kargil was an eye-opener for the armed forces and the nation. The restructuring of the national security architecture as also enhancing jointness and integration amongst the forces would never have happened if the nation had not been jolted from its slumber. Pakistan also understood that India possesses immense determination and will power. It will never back down if challenged. However, all this came at a very high cost of lives. Ultimately, we as a nation salute those who fought and laid down their lives defending national honour on the icy heights of Kargil.
About the Author
Maj Gen Harsha Kakkar
Retired Major General Indian Army