It was an operational necessity: Defence experts
Top defence experts on Thursday termed the 'surgical strikes' on terror launch pads across the Line of Control in PoK as an "operational necessity" and said those were necessitated as the "levels of tolerance" were crossed. Former top guns of the military lauded the bravery and calibrated approach of the Indian security forces as also the government for allowing the military to carry out the task and said "a long pending debt has been paid back today".
They justified the strikes, saying the forces had entered into Indian territory occupied by Pakistan.
"I am very pleased that the government is letting the Army do what it needs to do. Let Pakistani military know that this is what we have done and we will continue to do it (if) they do not behave themselves. We need a big heart for doing this. "We have to congratulate the intelligence sources for providing accurate information on whereabouts of militants. We need to compliment the government for giving a free hand to the military. So, obviously, government had given a clean action chit to the military who launched a surgical strike with good dividend," former DG Infantry Lt Gen S Prasad told PTI.
Noting that the forces adopted a "very calibrated approach" in their strikes, he said this is how the Indian government should react by leaving the military to do the job. Former RAW chief C D Sahay said the strikes had to happen and were "inescapable", contending these should not be related to the Pathankot or Uri attacks as there has been a long history of trans-border infiltration. He lauded India for dealing with such matters with a mature approach while maintaining calm. "The red lines have (been) crossed. The levels of tolerance have (been) crossed and this had to happen. I would congratulate them, but I would still urge (India) not to go gung-ho about it. It was an operational necessity. It was a security necessity. It had to be done. I would urge everyone to move on from here and not escalate (tensions) further," he said.
Maj Gen G D Bakshi, who was involved in counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir and has been a former DGMO, said it is a "long-pending debt" that has been paid back by the special forces in a precise operation. He said the forces kept these people under surveillance over the last week and identified and destroyed five launch pads used by terrorists for infiltration into the Indian side. "It is a long pending debt that has been paid back today. They were kept under surveillance and when these launch pads were filled with terrorists for a crossover, our special forces were inserted very neatly, precisely and created mayhem there. They destroyed those camps and launch pads, causing substantial casualties," Bakshi said.
Air Marshal P S Ahluwalia, former C-in-C of Western Command said India first carried out a diplomatic offensive, then economic and finally the military one "to show that we have the tactical strength at least in carrying out these kinds of surgical military operations".