Sir,
Plans are being made as quickly as possible, but it is taking longer than expected.
It is no fun dealing with the equipment and the formations presently available; far from being fun planning for them, it is clear that nothing can be accomplished given the difficulties of the terrain involved. Even if an MBT is geared to run at 60 kmph on level ground, no MBT in the IA inventory can traverse the terrain, by itself, at a speed of more than 10 to 20 kmph. By the time an offensive is mounted either from Jaisalmer towards Pano Aqil, or from Barmer towards Malir, it will take over 10 hours running without opposition for forces to reach Pano Aqil, and over 20, possibly closer to 40 hours to reach Malir. It is unlikely that the PAF will pass up the opportunity to pay homage to the memory of Wg. Cdr. Suresh, in paying their compliments to the formations involved.
It is proposed to put a formation on the doorstep of Pano Aqil in 6 hours' time, with sufficient firepower to keep
@PanzerKiel 's rather nerve-wracking ATGMs at bay, and to put a formation in or around Malir in 12 hours' time.
I hope that will be exciting enough for the gentlemen concerned with dealing with such unexpected arrivals.
We are naturally talking of a first phase, and of a formal war objective of causing significant attrition to the opposing forces (regrettably, only two infantry divisions and a mechanised infantry division; how nice it would have been to deal with three armoured divisions instead). Subsequent phases, if any, will continue to have this objective.