Surgical strikes an operational necessity: Defence experts

New Delhi: While Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and the Uri attack have left India with no choice but to assert its military might and send a strong message to its western neighbour, there is always a possibility that any retaliation by Pakistan may result in a full-fledged war with India.

Experts unanimously agree that the effects of a full-blown war will be devastating for both the nuclear-armed neighbours. Pakistan has been flaunting its nuclear arsenal and warning India that it will not hesitate to use it in case its security is threatened. India has a no-first use nuclear weapons policy.

“Pakistan feels its policy of nuclear blackmail will work but India has shown it is ready for any scenario forced upon it by Pakistan. It is time to call Pakistan’s nuclear bluff,” sources said.

But the effects of even a conventional war, not to mention a scenario of nuclear strikes will leave the economies of both countries shattered. The Kargil conflict of 1999 was a localised conflict and fortunately did not escalate to a full-fledged war across all sectors.

Defence experts termed the ‘surgical strikes’ 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. They justified the strikes, saying the forces had entered into Indian territory occupied by Pakistan.

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.

“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. Former Air Marshal P.K. Barbora congratulated the forces for carrying out the operation at an “appropriate time”.