It was a usual Valentine’s day of the year 2019, but the whole country woke up to a heart wrenching news of a civil vehicle used by a suicide bomber who attacked CRPF convoy on Srinagar to Jammu highway leading to death of 40 CRPF soldiers. Pakistan pivoted terrorist organisation, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) took the responsibility of the heinous crime. The incident came out as a shockwave spreading across the whole country. This incident got all the citizens together, flaming Nationalism among them. Whole country was in grief with the armed forces and was expecting an iron fist response from the government to be executed by the defence forces.
Defence forces across LOC/ IB/ LAC were kept on high alert. Limited mobilisation of Indian Army was ordered under the code name OP ZAFRAN. Whole world was glued to the brewing face-off between two Nuclear powered countries. The entire country was expecting response from the government similar to that of surgical strike post Uri terrorist attack on the Brigade Headquarters by JeM in 2016. On 26 Feb 2019, IAF targeted JeM terror camp locations based in Balakot of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan. IAF launched 12 Mirage 2000 fighter aircrafts to attack the JeM camps at Balakot under code name ‘Operation BANDAR’. The Operation was carried out at 0330 AM, wherein fighters returned post dropping 5 Israeli made Spice 2000 bombs on targets. However, 4 Mirage fighters were kept fully armed and on standby to cater for countering any aggression from the adversaries. The entire operation lasted for 21 mins. The operation was supported by Airborne Early Warning and Control system (AEW&C). The Indian Air Force kept a team of Garud Commandos on standby for any unprecedented situation.
The Pakistani Air Force executed an attack against Indian military targets but failed. The Pakistani fighters had taken off from bases on February 27 and started gathering in Pakistan occupied Kashmir before they manoeuvred to launch attacks on Indian military targets. The F-16 Pakistani fighters were used to launch air to air missiles against Indian fighter planes defending air space. During this aggression Wing Commander Abhinandan V shot down an F-16 plane by his second generation MiG-21 BISON. Indian Su-30 MKIs used Chaff to dodge missiles and carried flying manoeuvres to dodge the AIM-20 AMRAAMs fired by the F-16s. Balakot air strike saw an increasing isolation of Pakistan, specifically in matters of terror funding. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has become strict on Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack and India’s response to it. Pakistan came under grey list of the FATF in 2018, it is expected that Pakistan will continue to be in grey list until some visible steps are taken against terror outfits and personalities thriving inside Pakistan. China, a close ally of Pakistan became FATF’s chairman in 2019. Despite China’s backing, Pakistan has flunked to get required votes at FATF for making its way back to the white list. FATF retained Pakistan for 4 more months under grey list with a strict warning that it is required to complete the 27-point action plan its been given by June 2020 or face the consequences of being put on the black list. Till date Pakistan is trying to get itself out of the grey list but member countries are expecting more and better response for the same. The international community’s response to the Pulwama attack and its aftermath is pertinent. The U.S. and the international community backed India’s right of self-defense. Except China, no other country condemned India’s violation of Pakistan’s territorial integrity.
Post-independence both India and Pakistan has fought four wars apart from countless Cease Fire Violations and many terrorist operations in Kashmir. It was quite obvious that Pakistan will be getting an iron fist reply post Pulwama incident. The nationalism among Indians is quite high in 21st century in comparison to nineties owing to many factors and Indian media has played an important role in the same. In today’s scenario be it any blunder in governance, any corruption in the system, tyranny in middle east or civil war in western world; Indian citizens are aware about it. Media pivoted with booming technology has utilised the same in governing quite a huge extent the emotions and thoughts of the Nation as a whole. Pulwama attack was out in media within few hours which got the entire nation’s eyes glued to the media. Nationalism was boiling in the entire country, and expecting a befitting action on Pakistan.
NDA government was always in offensive mode regarding any of the issues concerning territorial dispute with the neighboring adversaries. Pulwama was an incident which catapulted the government to take stiff action to calm the citizens and to avenge the martyrs in the incident. Air strike post Pulwama acted as a strong message to Pakistan that India wants peace be it through diplomatic channel or through defence operations if the need arises. Indian defence forces could have responded to Pulwama via land but restrained from the same, reason being surgical strike via Uri carried in 2016 may have made Pakistan to prepare for an attack via land. In order to amplify the surprise factor, attack via air was filtered out to be the best option available; with all the forces across the border on standby. Balakot camp was on a hilltop and no civilians were appreciated nearby hence resulting in zero collateral damage. It was not a madrasa, hence negating the presence of any children in target area. Large number of terrorists were being trained there and hence was a favorable target.
There is growing concern of infiltration in the valley by ISI supported militant organisations to create unrest in India. Two way unrest i.e Pakistan and China border in future are options which can’t be left out. Nepal which acted like a buffer state between India and China is more inclined towards the latter. Unrest in Mayanmar and deteriorating conditions at border of Bangladesh is also a matter of concern. Indian concern with respect to its borders has increased with passing time. The government and the forces must plan for strategies which are foresighted. Pakistan being a nuclear state should be a concern for India but one should always be ready for a befitting reply whenever instigated by the adversary. If a neighbor being aware that India is also a nuclear state doesn’t stop them from carrying an attack, then India should reciprocate in the same manner as to deter them. There are many anti-national elements in the valley and across the country who are supporting our adversaries time in and out. Pulwama attack was never possible without the support of OGWs. It is the need of the hour that our defence forces tighten their control in the hinterland as well as the same can be done via close collaboration with civil administration and police. Our defence forces should be more conscious and vigilant post Balakot. Enemy may try to carry out attacks via air but with more level of surprise. Leaders at all the levels must keep on brainstorming and plan various contingencies. Improving on relationship with neighbours via diplomatic channels is respectable and welcomed, till the points inked down are followed in letter and spirit. It should never happen that our keenness for diplomatic talks is misunderstood by our enemies as our weakness.
The Balakot strike has posed a doctrinal challenge to Pakistan, as it relied on nuclear weapons. For decades, Pakistan has been arguing that if India uses punitive force against the former, such action would set in motion a dangerous escalation between the two nuclear-armed countries. Pakistan had diligently pushed that viewpoint to the international community, whose stand has been to prevent such escalation between two nuclear countries. This myth has been broken by Indian defence forces and Indian doctrinal shift in the strategic arena making India capable enough of carrying a limited op under the nuclear threshold.
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