Pakistani Soldiers Behead Indian Soldiers at Line Of Control

For 60-years now, India and Pakistan have been trying to gain a better position at nearly 200 points on the LoC. What can India do now?

he India-Pakistan Line-of-Control (LoC) in Kashmir, has seen some military actions from both sides in recent weeks.

Media goes to war

The defining output from Indian media on the military action at LoC has been the following two stories.

DNA EXCLUSIVE: Uri commander’s forceful retaliation led to beheadings? @saikatd's story: dnai.in/bbn6—
  (@DNA) January 10, 2013

My article, on how a runaway grandmother set off events leading to the recent clashes on the Line of Control | thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/…—
Praveen Swami (@praveenswami) January 11, 2013

It is a sign of India’s maturing media, that global media has used these two stories to figure out the ‘real’ reasons for this bout of border escalations.

@pierrefitter Right now most people feel that Praveen & me have committed treason for doing the story @canarytrap—
Saikat Datta (@saikatd) January 10, 2013

While it may fit the Government of India objectives if passive sections of Indian media blames Pakistan, equally it would be aimless if the liberal-media blames India for the latest escalation.

@praveenswami of @thehindu claims all India's fault thne.ws/ZsYT8Y Ind. Army rejects claims of Runway Grandmother bit.ly/11mstSX—
St. PT Barnum (@StPTBarnum) January 12, 2013

India needs to indulge in show-piece talks for international diplomacy reasons. Who in Pakistan will India talk to? Is anyone in-charge of Pakistan? | Ajit Ninan in Pune Mirror on January 15, 2013

War and Peace

Yes, as of now it is only an escalation – and not a war. War with Pakistan is the most unlikely outcome.

Like it has been pointed out in previous posts, Pakistan does not have the financial capability, the war matériel, leave alone India, to fight a war with anyone.

Except maybe Maldives.

Above all, it is highly doubtful, if Pakistan has enough soldiers, who have the stomach to fight a war against India. Remember, Pakistan could muster no more than one thousand soldiers to take on India in Kargil.

Over the last 35 years, Pakistan’s capacity to meaningfully wage war against India has degraded.

Phoren Maal

If there is a rape in Delhi, we need Saudi justice.

If we lose two soldiers at the India-Pakistan border, we need to learn from Israel.

Our so-called experts in mainstream media and dominant voices in social media display their rank ineptitude, when they can only respond with such empty statements.

'Emulate Israel While Dealing With Pakistan', screams this Page 1 editorial in Jammu's State Times newspaper. | twitpic.com/bu70td—
Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) January 11, 2013

@ShivAroor Please tell that newspaper that Israel is in a mess. And we don't serve the strategic interests of the US like Israel does.—
Saikat Datta (@saikatd) January 11, 2013

Western war narratives have little relevance to India, as we live in a different context. It is received Western wisdom that nuclear powers do not fight wars with each other. Yet, India has fought five wars (1948, 1962, 1965, 1971, Kargil) and shares borders with two de facto nuclear powers – China and Pakistan.

No other country in the world shares a border with two nuclear powers.

So, What’s Going on?

@PawanDurani Ah. Retaliation doesn't have to be at the same place. In the Mendhar sector, Pakistan has tactical advantage @GargiRawat—
Saikat Datta (@saikatd) January 10, 2013

Across the nearly 800-kilometres border in Kashmir, in some places Indian and Pakistani soldiers are less than 50 metres apart.

For more than 60-years now, each side has tried to gain a better position at more than 200 strategic points on the LoC. The most famous such position is the Siachen glacier – which India regained and now controls at tremendous costs. It is unlikely that either side will stop jockeying for better positions on the LoC.

So, low-level conflict will continue.

India must now be prepared for small petty escalations by Pakistans | Kirtish Bhatt on September 23, 2010

Indian Options

War with Pakistan is not needed – or an answer. Any war with Pakistan will quickly mean:

1. International intervention
2. Achievement of Indian military objectives, if limited
3. Nuclear response from Pakistan, if India threatens Pakistan’s existence.

Aggressive actions at LoC will be enough. Since, Pakistan’s airforce is practically non-operational, a precision air-strafing exercise by Indian airforce will be ideal.

There will be a Pakistani response.

With a tit-for-tat bombing raid by Pakistan Airforce. Pakistan may also decide to use some of their HATF missiles. If an Indian missile defence can stage a shoot down of Pakistani fighter or a missile, it will be an ideal military response that will test Indian missile systems in real war conditions.

India’s development of air-response during the Kargil war, a first  in air-warfare, is going to be very useful to India.

Kargil strategy behind IAF chief's tough talk bit.ly/11rSwbc—
Bharat Rakshak (@bharatrakshak) January 14, 2013

Pakistan-Afghanistan Border Region | Image source & courtesy – longwarjournal.org

What does this mean?

With Obama on course to pull out troops from Afghanistan, there has been renewed threats being muttered from Pakistan.

Is this the time for India to make some points with Pakistan?

With Taliban making mayhem on the Pakistan’s North-Western Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA), any actions by India on the Pakistan LoC, will keep Pakistan in check from meddling in Afghanistan – or in Kashmir.

This is also good time for India to rattle Pakistan, while China is preoccupied with Japan. While US is warm towards India, as it seeks to check China – and disillusioned with Pakistan.

Did anyone notice that this Pakistani provocation happened after the India-Pakistan cricket series – and after the Pakistan team reached home.

Related Articles

• India Ink: India Could Retaliate Against Pakistan for Beheading, Army Chief Says (india.blogs.nytimes.com)
• Killing of Indian soldiers unpardonable: Army chief (vancouverdesi.com)
• If provoked we will retaliate, says Army Chief General Bikram Singh (ndtv.com)
• India-Pakistan ping-pong (dawn.com)
• India army chief blames Pakistan of Kashmir attack, warns retaliation (vancouverdesi.com)
• Nuclear-armed India warns Pakistan of retaliation (worldnews.nbcnews.com)
• We will retaliate if provoked further, says Army Chief (thehindu.com)
• We didn’t violate border truce: Pakistan Army (vancouverdesi.com)
• India-Pak flag meeting fails to ease border tension (thehindu.com)

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