By Vishwas Dabar
Rahul Gandhi’s questions regarding the Kailash Range on the LAC, which accuse the government of failing to respond appropriately, are based on naïve knowledge and assumptions regarding military actions in situations arising from the actions of the Chinese Army on the LAC Kailash Range. The handling of the situation by Prime minister was very prompt, ordering the Army Chief to act in a manner he deemed fit in response to Chinese aggression.
I believe the Indian Army Generals responded in a very strong and intelligent manner to a tricky situation arising from Chinese action. The Prime Minister’s decision to leave the course of action to the Army Generals was very wise; he set no restrictions on army action to contain the Chinese aggression. As those on the spot (the battlefield) are the best judges to decide the type of orders needed to contain and repulse Chinese aggression without escalating the situation unnecessarily, the PM was right to leave the decision to the professionals within the Army.
There are many instances in history where political leadership interfering in military affairs has resulted in disaster, as the ground realities of the battlefield are different and far more complex than political decision-making. For example, Hitler’s offensive against Russia and his subsequent refusal to listen to the expert advice of his Generals—who warned him not to go deep into Russian territory—resulted in the total annihilation of the German Army on the Russian front. Hitler made the same mistake on the Middle Eastern front, where he rejected the suggestions of General Rommel (commonly known as the ‘Desert Fox’), leading to heavy German losses due to political interference.
There are many more examples of unprofessional interference in wars resulting in the loss of conflicts, such as Waterloo, the battle between Hemu and Akbar, the Second Balkan War of 1913 (Bulgaria), and the Vietnam War. In view of what history has taught us, the political class should not dictate how decisions are made on the battlefront. They should only decide whether to go to war after consulting military personnel regarding troop readiness, rather than forcing a conflict without preparedness.
We saw the consequences of such a lack of preparedness in 1962. When Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru ordered the Indian Army to evict the Chinese Army from Indian Territory, he did so in haste. The forces were sent to the front without proper equipment, adequate clothing, or sufficient rations. Although our soldiers fought with extreme bravery, the loss of life and territory was significant because we were unprepared compared to the Chinese Army. However, in 1967, 1987, and thereafter—even in Galwan—we gave befitting replies because we were prepared to face them. India has now taken the Chinese threat very seriously and has built strong infrastructure along our eastern border with China by building connecting tunnels, bridges, roads, and airstrips. By connecting the entire Chinese border with the rest of India, the movement of troops, goods, and materials has improved immensely.
“The success of Operation Sindoor and the devastation it caused to the enemy’s air defence systems and airfields was made possible by the bravery and perfect planning of our military officials across all three branches: the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Everything was achieved through seamless coordination and planning, conducted without political interference. The forces were given a free hand to punish the enemy, enabling us to destroy terrorist infrastructure and their air defences. Defeating the Pakistanis in a short four-day war is a clear indication of the preparedness of our forces in every sphere and branch of the military. This victory reflects the political will and the resolve of our forces to act decisively and punish any such misadventures, preventing tragedies like the one in Pahalgam.
The Prime minister and his team in the Cabinet have given immense confidence to forces to act against enemy strongly as political leadership is backing action without bending against any pressure from inside or outside.
Modern war machines and equipment have been deployed on the eastern border to repulse and contain any type of misadventure by adversaries. The way the Indian military leadership and commandos responded to the Chinese was the best way to tell the enemy that we are there for peace, but we can deal with any misadventure strongly and decisively. That is the core idea of India: to exist in peace while being ready to punish and teach a lesson to anyone attempting a misadventure on Indian borders.
