Forgotten Lessons & Heroes Of ‘India’S Greatest Victory’

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[size=4][color=#000000][font=Arial][left]After being subjected to foreign conquests and humiliation for 1000 years, India tasted its first[url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/military"]military[/url] victory, that too against Pakistan in 1971, negating its two-nation theory and claim that the defence of its eastern wing lay in the west. The[url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/liberation"]liberation[/url] of [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/East-Pakistan"]East Pakistan[/url] was truly the first synergized politico-military diplomatic campaign coupled with excellent stage-management facilitated by the local Mukti Bahini.

There were other historic firsts: first integrated tri-service campaign; first heliborne capture of Sylhet and heli-lift across Meghna river; first paradrop at Tangail; first amphibious assault near Cox's Bazaar; first naval blockade; first deception and psywar that converted a ceasefire into abject surrender masterminded by Gen Sam Manekshaw.

The 13-day lightening campaign was catalyzed by the strategic, political and legal cover provided by the treaty of friendship and cooperation signed with the USSR four months before the war. India fought its last and shortest conventional war, correcting the geo-strategic incongruity of a Pakistan separated from its eastern wing by 1000 miles of India.

Maj Gen Nazir Husain Shah, GOC 16 Pakistan infantry division at Bogra, told me after the surrender that India won because it had a 'just cause' and Pakistan lost since 'humne khuda ka khauf nahin kiya' (we did not fear God). The Pakistan military had alienated the Bengalis with a brutal crackdown for which some of their local conspirators are being currently tried by an international tribunal for war crimes. Gen Shah also forecast, not entirely inaccurately, that Bangladesh would be a 'disturbed desh'. His officers, invited for lunch, wrote in the Officers' Mess Visitors' Book: "One day we will take revenge for [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/1971"]1971[/url] and the creation of Mukti Bahini." Last week, JuD's firebrand Hafeez Saeed urged the Pakistan Army to avenge Bangladesh.

The Kashmir insurgency and Kargil were Pakistani reprisals for its dismemberment. With strategic locations in Kashmir, 5000 sq km of territory in the west and 93,000 prisoners of war in our hand, India failed to convert the military [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/victory"]victory[/url] into a full and final settlement of Kashmir. Due to lack of strategic foresight, India not only squandered a rare opportunity in Shimla but also missed out on securing guarantees from Bangladesh.

The war of liberation was a classic operation, the fastest advance since the North Africa campaign in World War II. The grand strategy entailed fighting a defensive war in the west while seeking a decision in the east. The Soviet Union ensured that neither China nor the US intervened and vetoed several UN resolutions calling for ceasefire, enabling the Indian military and Mukti Bahini to force the surrender.

The drivers of the successful outcome were mastery of the skies, naval blockade, critical intelligence and local support of Mukti Bahini and the decisive tactics of bypassing fortress defences that facilitated the race to Dhaka. In 1971, there was no National Security Council, National Security Advisor, Chief of Defence Staff or actionable strategic intelligence. Yet, excellent civil-military relations and impeccable planning and stage management scripted victory. The military was reasonably well-equipped after the 1962 debacle in the high Himalayas.

Forty years on, despite the creation of NSC and NSA, there is little value addition to intelligence, defence and deterrence. We have lost our operational edge against Pakistan now that its military assets are not divided. Without a CDS and for reasons that have made the military completely subservient to the political and civilian class, civil- military relations are at a new low; and triservice jointness exists only in name.

Military modernization is pathetically slow and operational infrastructure-creation on the border moving at a crawl. Defence minister AK Antony, who puts probity above defence acquisitions, has admitted that modernization is lagging behind. Key steps recommended by the Defence Planning Staff in 1988 are being addressed in 2011. Similarly, major recommendations of the Group of Ministers report after Kargil are hanging fire. The Naresh Chandra Task Force established this year to streamline decision-making in national security is in reality meant to quash queries on the GoM report.

None of the geo-strategic advantages India created in 1971 are easily replicable. The luxury of stage-management and long planning is unavailable. The next conventional war, whenever and if ever, will be at short notice. We are in the era of low intensity conflict and terrorism. With the spirit of 1971 gone, strategic restraint has become the alibi for military unpreparedness.

Bullying by China can be parried only by deterrence and a credible strategic capability. China is much ahead of India on the military scale. PM Manmohan Singh telling Parliament that China will not attack India is no substitute for operational readiness. Worse, with successive governments allowing the victory spirit to sap, it seems that it is mainly the Army that celebrates Vijay Diwas, instead of the country. Finally, before the country honours Dhyan Chand and Sachin Tendulkar, let us not forget Manekshaw, the architect of India's greatest victory.

[i]The writer, a retired Major General, is founder member of Defence Planning Staff[/i][/left][/font][/color][/size][/size][/font][/color]
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