Why India cannot be lax about securing its borders
As China does in Ladakh what Pakistan did in Kargil 21 years ago, India needs to improve its security apparatus
On Sunday, India marked the anniversary of Vijay Diwas, when it won a war in one of the most inhospitable terrains in the world, the heights of Kargil, 21 years ago. The valour displayed by soldiers was matchless. Every victory or defeat holds definite lessons. Did the establishment in New Delhi use the lessons of this war to its advantage?
Let’s take a look at the genesis of Kargil. After their setback in Siachen in the 1980s, the then director-general of military operations presented a plan to General Zia-ul Haq, the four-star general who was the president of Pakistan. As a part of this strategy, the army had to climb the peaks of Kargil in winter and cut off the Srinagar-leh highway. But Zia did not want to do this as he was then engaged in Afghanistan at the behest of the United States (US) against the Soviets occupation.
When General Pervez Musharraf became army chief a decade-and-a-half later, he saw possibilities in this plan. The gang of four, General Musharraf, General Aziz Khan, General Mahmood Ahmad and General Shahid Aziz, revived the old plan. Musharraf was so sure of going ahead with this that, without informing former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, he ordered the Northern Light Infantry to proceed. The operation was kept so wellguarded that even top officers of the airforce and the army were kept in the dark. When India launched its operations, much of the Pakistani establishment was shocked.
Until this time, Pakistan maintained that people occupying Indian posts were not regular soldiers. Musharraf grew anxious and Sharif was frustrated. On July 4, 1999, Sharif decided to approach the US. The then president Bill Clinton’s response was harsh. Sharif spoke of withdrawal with some conditions but Clinton refused to agree to any such thing. As a result, Pakistan’s troops had to return. Musharraf achieved nothing from this operation.
Even at that time, it was felt by those in authority that lessons must be learnt from such events. We have not been able to protect all of the borders adequately. We must also remember the 1962 war with China. From July 1999 to July 2020, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) both ruled for 10 years, but neither has been able to ensure that border security is foolproof.
The recent encroachment by China has opened old wounds, including those as a result of the aggression in Kargil and the terrorist attack in Mumbai. We can only successfully fend off incursions by both China and Pakistan if the borders are secure. China did to India in Ladakh what Pakistan did in Kargil. Pakistan’s soldiers had already reached the peaks of Kargil when then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee was on the bus to Lahore with a message of friendship. Chinese President Xi Jinping was in India in October 2019. But it was only a few months later that Beijing appears to have given the green signal for aggression.
However, Beijing’s devious intentions were visible. Earlier the armies had a face-off at Doklam, and, before that, at other points in Ladakh. We should also have been more cautious because, for many years, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been building posts and infrastructure along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Their battalions have been exercising in these terrains. They are far ahead of us in terms of preparedness.
This time around, when PLA encroached, it was more difficult to send them back than it was with Pakistan in Kargil. Despite the assurance given by PM Narendra Modi, Opposition parties and many retired military and diplomatic service officials are unwilling to believe that China is in the process of vacating the area. But one thing is clear, Xi and his army did not expect such a strong response from India. On June 15, a number of our soldiers were killed in the Galwan Valley, but it is also evident that PLA suffered a large number of casualties. Since then, military and diplomatic talks have been ongoing.
At the time of Kargil, Pakistan had to bear the brunt of its misadventure. It lost the sympathy of the US and other world powers. China too is now facing stiff opposition for its lack of transparency on Covid-19 and its aggression in Ladakh and the South China Sea. Like in India, Chinese companies are now facing a backlash in many countries. It is being felt in many capitals of the world that the best way to stop China’s expansionist policies is to attack its business interests.
This is what much of the world community is doing. In an unprecedented move, the US has even asked China to close its consulate in Houston. Whatever Xi’s game plan, we have to take care to avoid our historical mistakes. India cannot be lax about securing its borders. The costs are far too high as we have seen from the past.
Shashi Shekhar is the editor-in-chief, Hindustan
The views expressed are personal