Brasstacks to Gaganshakti, a test of military’s mettle

NEWDELHI: The Indian Air Force (IAF) concluded the biggest exercise in its history — Gaganshakti-2018 — last week, involving more than 1,100 aircraft testing its readiness to fight a twofront war. HT looks back at Operation Brasstacks which took place in 1987. In some quarters, Operation Brasstacks was seen as a full dress rehearsal for a war with Pakistan. “Our mechanised forces had come of age and we wanted to see how they would behave in a real war. It was about mobilising forces with speed and precision in a no-holds-barred exercise,” said Oberoi, who was then a brigadier looking after combat training at army headquarters.

The big takeaway from Operation Brasstacks was the capability of Indian forces to launch a swift offensive campaign. The exercise took place during a “particularly sensitive period” when tensions between India and Pakistan were high, and tested Indian’s readiness to meet any eventuality on the western front.pakistan found itself on edge. It is no secret that Islamabad feared an Indian invasion. The exercise made the Pakistan army’s hackles rise, said Kak. “They saw it as a means to virtually break up Pakistan. The exercise had a shock effect,” he added. Like Brasstacks, Gaganshakti2018 too was closely tracked by Pakistan. In a recent interview to HT, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa suggested that the western neighbour was rattled by the sheer scale and complexity of Gaganshakti-2018.