Remembering Kargil The Excelsior 26 Jul 17
May to Jul 1999, the Indian army fought its last major conflict with Pakistan, thrust down by Parvez Musharraf as its army chief. There is no doubt that we had let our guard down enabling Pak to infiltrate and establish positions at heights which most armies would think twice about recapturing. That was exactly Pak’s thoughts too and they were convinced that India would neither attempt and even if they did, not succeed. However, India showed to the world the grit and determination of its soldiers, as one by one, they recaptured the heights, irrespective of cost.
A nation which cares for its soldiers never hides its casualty details and respects its fallen comrades, which India never hesitated to do. The Pak army on the other hand, never informed the nation about its casualties, nor accepted its fallen comrades. Most were buried with military honours by the Indian army. It continues to hide details of casualties along the LoC even today, this time officially refusing to share, claiming it would benefit India.
The Kargil war opened Indian eyes on what could happen if there is any laxity in matters concerning national security. This wake-up call has changed Indian response for ever. The standoffs in Ladakh and now in the Doklam plateau are the result of an ever-alert army. Indian deployment at the heights of Kargil, earlier vacated in winters, is now all year round. What was once considered as logistically unsustainable is now being managed, albeit with some difficulty.
Indian shortfall in equipment came to the fore. Not much had changed till a change in government. The UPA, with Anthony as the defence minister, refused to sign new contracts for weapons, fearing kickbacks behind every deal. It took a change of government at the centre to push through enhancement of capabilities, which would prevent any future misadventures by Pakistan. For a nation to be secure, it requires deterrence, which in a conventional sense would flow when the nation creates capabilities to punish its adversary for misadventures, an action India is resorting to across the LoC.
For the battalions which participated in the Kargil war and succeeded, this week would be a period of reliving the operations and remembering the sacrifices of its personnel. The participating units have been recognized with the battle honour Kargil, which they display with immense pride. For the families of those who sacrificed their lives in Kargil, this is a period of recollecting fond memories.
The nation would celebrate Kargil Diwas as it has done over the years, with serenity and military honour. Wreaths would be laid in memorials across the country to honour its martyrs, candles lit in war memorials and family members of those who sacrificed their lives, honoured in military stations. This is also the occasion when the participants of the war would share their experiences and interact with their colleagues, who have now retired. It would always be a day of remembrance and joy.
While India celebrates, Pakistan stays quiet. Its public is largely unaware of true casualty figures and their history is twisted to hide the reality of the war. It is possibly the only country, where an army chief whose forces were defeated and compelled to withdraw, solely to save face, became president of the country. Logically, he should have been forced to tender in his resignation as he led his army into defeat, but such is the power of the deep state. The Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, neither had the power nor the guts to demand his resignation. Had he demanded it, the nation would have known the truth and the army shamed. It was an opportunity for re-establishing political control over the army, which was lost forever.
For Indians, it was a war brought into dining rooms as newscasters broadcast it live, interviewing those returning from successful operations, while covering the last rites of those who sacrificed their lives. Some TV commentators became household names, covering the war. The nation stood together and large crowds attended final rites of valiant soldiers who sacrificed their lives. Quotes such as ‘Yeh Dil maange more’, ‘Either I will come back after hoisting the tiranga or wrapped in it, but I will be back for sure’ and ‘If death strikes before I prove my blood, I will kill death itself’ are today well-known.
The Indian army showed its mettle once again. Irrespective of odds and difficulties, it had to succeed. Shortfall of equipment was never a stumbling block. The officer-men casualty figures proved once again, that the young officer lot will always produce results, despite odds. The nation realized that it can always bank on its army to succeed, irrespective of cost.
The Kargil war was fought by an organization created for the fifties and sixties. It succeeded solely because of the grit and determination of the soldier on the ground and the fact that it was limited in content. The organization at the apex lacked cohesion, coordination and integration. There were disagreements between the army and the air force on the manner of engaging targets. It led to the government forming a Kargil review committee to recommend sweeping changes at the apex level to resolve problems and enhance integration.
It has been eighteen years since the conflict and the submission of the report, yet the government hesitates to implement major reforms, while clearing the minor ones. It has still to integrate the military into a cohesive whole, capable of fighting a war in the twenty first century. A Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) has still to be appointed, the armed forces integrated and theatre commands, unifying all resources under one commander, created.
This is solely because of unfounded fears and lack of trust by the government machinery, on a military, known to be apolitical and trusted by the nation. Unless the government acts swiftly, the next war would again be fought with an outdated organization, employing resources piecemeal and enhancing casualties. We need to create structures for the twenty first century and make the military into a cohesive force, fighting together, rather than bickering over power and control. Lessons of Kargil need to be implemented before another localized war is thrust upon us.
About the Author
Maj Gen Harsha Kakkar
Retired Major General Indian Army