Sitrep: The ebb and flow of counter-insurgency
Did the nation seriously think that a single night of multiple cross-LOC raids was enough to deter Pakistan from its war of a thousand cuts? Our adversary has a well-honed machinery for launching terror strikes led by an experienced leadership. The apparatus includes recruitment, training, motivation, equipping, arming, planning, intelligence, infiltration, communications and financing through non-state proxies. Most of all, they have an inexhaustible supply of willing recruits for suicide attacks backed by a campaign of religious fervour programmed in proxy warriors.
“We must be prepared for a long, costly war against Pakistan and not be deterred by minor, tactical setbacks”What are our options in this war? Defending our civilians, security forces personnel, territory, installations and assets must count as most important. Remember, the enemy will always strike wherever we’re weakest or show any vulnerability. The history of warfare shows that a purely defensive strategy rarely works. Therefore, we must do unto the enemy what he’s doing unto us – in short, take the offensive. Hitting at the enemy’s leaders, personnel, installations and collateral assets through overt and covert means must get increasing priority from now on. The frequency of such strikes must be often enough to act as a deterrent. Lastly, we need to be prepared for the long haul and not get demotivated by casualties.
Force levels in the Himalayas
After the 1962 War, a new raising, 33 Brigade Ex-4 Mountain Division was deployed to defend the difficult terrain bordering Tibet in Himachal Pradesh. While the rest of the division moved out to take the offensive against Pakistan in September 1965, the brigade remained in situ because of the threat perceived from a belligerent China. In the late 1960s, the formation moved to the Kangra hills to join the newly raised 39 Division. Its replacement was 51 Parachute Brigade. When the Paras were deployed to defend Ganganagar in 1971, decreased threat perception meant that their replacement was the ad hoc 36 Sector. This consisted of just a battalion each of infantry and scouts supported by a 120mm mortar regiment.
“Increased threat perception from China on the Himachal Pradesh border has been countered with an increased force level”
Current assessments indicate a growing Chinese threat revealed by growing force levels and increased logistic support. In response, Indian defences are now manned by a full-fledged infantry brigade properly complemented by supporting arms and services. Additional forces from the plains are also dual-tasked to this sector.
Encounter with a sky marshal
On a recent visit to 3 Jat, my buddy was a smart young Lance Naik called Dharmendra Dhaka (name changed). Tough, fit and resourceful, he carried himself with an athletic grace. It turned out that he was on deputation with the National Security Guard and had just returned for a promotion cadre. He serves with the NSG’s crack 51 Special Action Group and is deployed as a sky marshal on board civilian airliners. Having completed all the relevant courses and undergone arduous training, he eminently meets the exacting standards of his force. You might think a sky marshal’s job merely involves travelling by air and enjoying the best food and drink. It’s no cushy billet but means being alert for long periods of time involving a high degree of mental and physical robustness. So if, by chance, your co-passenger on a flight is a ruggedly handsome and sturdy Rajasthani, it could very well be the Jat Regiment’s very own ‘Garam Dharam’.
(Please write in with your narratives of war and soldiering to msbajwa@gmail.com or call/WhatsApp on 09316135343)
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