Bang Galore
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Interview:
Two days after attacking Pakistan for killing and mutilating two Indian soldiers, Army chief General Bikram Singh, who took over in May 2012, spoke to Editor-in-Chief Aroon Purie and Deputy Editor Sandeep Unnithan. The smartly-turned-out former commando instructor wrapped in a diplomat explained why he believed the Pakistani raid had been pre-planned. He accused the Pakistan Army not only of violating the Line of Control and the 2003 ceasefire but of creating a trust deficit.
Q. Was the beheading of the two Indian soldiers part of a larger Pakistan Army game plan?
A: It was definitely a pre-meditated and pre-planned operation. I had explained this during the media interaction, they alleged that the Indian Army had launched a raid on one of their posts in Uri Sector on night of 5/6 January, which was absolutely wrong. They asked for the DGMO (Director General Military Operations) level talks that took place on 7th January. On the same day, they gave a demarche to our Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad and also went on an information campaign. On 8th of January, they launched the BAT (Border Action Team) operation in Mendhar sector, wherein they killed two of our soldiers, beheaded one and took away the head and badly mutilated the body of the second soldier. This kind of operation requires detailed planning. I've been a commando instructor and let me tell you it cannot be done in 48 to 50 hours. The stance of the Pakistan Army was that their operation was in retaliation to our operation, which as I said earlier was absolutely wrong and apparently these were planted to justify the launching of their premeditated operation on the 8th of January.
Q. Why do you think this incident blew up more than they had anticipated?
A: While it was an operation at the tactical level, it had strategic ramifications. It was a gruesome act and against all rules of war fighting, rules of engagement and ethics of soldiering. It had to be taken up very strongly with the Pakistan Government and their Army as they had not only violated the CF (Cease Fire) agreement by crossing over to our side for this operation but also seriously violated the Geneva Convention. They cannot be allowed to get away with such despicable and unpardonable conduct.
Q. Pakistan must have anticipated the reaction to this? Do you think the raid was deliberate?
A. Yes, it was a deliberate raid and I suppose the aim was to up the ante by increasing violence levels along the Line of Control.
Q. There are allegations that the Indian Army has done similar things to Pakistanis?
A. No. We haven't done any of this. We respect the CF Agreement, the sanctity of Line of Control and the Geneva Convention. We are a professional Army and I trust my subordinates and our Army to always fight clean while scrupulously upholding the traditions and principles of war fighting.
Q. You also said that you would retaliate at a time and place of your choosing. Is that a sensible option given Pakistan has nuclear weapons?
A. This is an operation at the tactical level and my directions clearly stipulate that the retaliation too will be at that level. The spectrum of war fighting starts from a 'duel' and then rises to an 'engagement, 'battle, 'campaign' and then 'war'. Remember, I mentioned earlier that while this was a tactical operation, it had strategic nuances and those have been conveyed at the political and diplomatic levels. In addition, these have also been taken up through the DGMO level talks and the flag meetings. Such activities at the Line of Control remain in the tactical domain. However, we do cater for all possible contingencies in war fighting.
Q. How is it that you can retaliate without hoping this will escalate?
A. I have commanded a company, battalion and Corps on the Line of Control. These kinds of things go on the Line of Control but what is of concern, as I said earlier, is beheading, and taking away the head along with mutilation of the other soldier's body. Exchanges of fire have taken place on a number of occasions earlier but one doesn't indulge in heinous acts. If we are fired at, we will retaliate. So, all actions and reactions are going to be at the tactical levels.
Q. As chief you would be concerned about retaliation. Won't that lead to escalation?
A. We will handle it and there are Standard Operating Procedures to deal with such situations.
Q. But escalation is inevitable.
A. It is confined to a particular area. The entire Line of Control has not been activated. That notwithstanding, we are prepared for any contingency. You can't allow fire from across to keep hitting us and we do nothing. We have to hit back but with a measured and an effective response at the time and place of our choosing.
Q. What kind of action would you want from Pakistan on the beheading?
A. There are international laws in that regard and it should be handled at the appropriate political and diplomatic levels. Accountability has to be elicited from the Pakistan Army.
Q. What would satisfy you?
A. Accountability of Pakistan Army to this heinous act. There are sentiments of the family that must be respected. Pakistan Army must make all efforts to return the severed mortal remains of our soldier and respect the CF Agreement. They must also stop assisting the terrorists to infiltrate into J&K.
Q. Will it be business as usual?
A. The statement in this regard has been made by the Hon'ble Prime Minister.
Q. How do we de-escalate?
A. It's up to Pakistan to understand that and give commitment regarding honouring the CF, rules of engagement and return the severed mortal remains of our soldier.
.......
Q. On Siachen, is there now a trust deficit with the Pakistan Army?
A. It's our area, it is strategically important and we should continue to hold it. If you vacate that area, the time differential between our and their response is three times. They will take one day to reach there, while we will take three. This is on account of terrain configuration and terrain resistance. What if they occupy it? They also had a ceasefire agreement with us, they've been violating it. They beheaded our soldier and have taken away his head. The trust has to be built first before we even think of this option. A lot of sacrifice has been made to get this advantage, let us not lose it.
Q. Is it a good idea to have a hotline between India and Pakistan army chiefs?
A. DGMO level is good enough. He's my principal staff officer. Hotline between CsOAS of India and Pakistan is not required at this juncture.
Q. Have you met General Kayani?
A. I've never met him abroad in any course and my knowledge about him is as much as yours.
Q. Pakistan Army has a vested interest in not maintaining peace.
A. Let's wait and watch.
Q. Is there ever a possibility we could have peace with our neighbour?
A. Everything is related to intent. If their intentions are good and genuine and, if the Pakistan Army becomes an accountable and reliable instrument of Pakistan, everything will fall into place.
Q. How do you get the Pakistan Army to behave?
A. That is for the Pakistan Government to ensure. We are doing our job in a professional manner on the LC. They must start respecting the CF and the sanctity of LoC and stop pushing terrorists into our territory.
......
Read more at: Pakistan has been violating the ceasefire: Army chief General Bikram Singh : India, News - India Today
Two days after attacking Pakistan for killing and mutilating two Indian soldiers, Army chief General Bikram Singh, who took over in May 2012, spoke to Editor-in-Chief Aroon Purie and Deputy Editor Sandeep Unnithan. The smartly-turned-out former commando instructor wrapped in a diplomat explained why he believed the Pakistani raid had been pre-planned. He accused the Pakistan Army not only of violating the Line of Control and the 2003 ceasefire but of creating a trust deficit.
Q. Was the beheading of the two Indian soldiers part of a larger Pakistan Army game plan?
A: It was definitely a pre-meditated and pre-planned operation. I had explained this during the media interaction, they alleged that the Indian Army had launched a raid on one of their posts in Uri Sector on night of 5/6 January, which was absolutely wrong. They asked for the DGMO (Director General Military Operations) level talks that took place on 7th January. On the same day, they gave a demarche to our Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad and also went on an information campaign. On 8th of January, they launched the BAT (Border Action Team) operation in Mendhar sector, wherein they killed two of our soldiers, beheaded one and took away the head and badly mutilated the body of the second soldier. This kind of operation requires detailed planning. I've been a commando instructor and let me tell you it cannot be done in 48 to 50 hours. The stance of the Pakistan Army was that their operation was in retaliation to our operation, which as I said earlier was absolutely wrong and apparently these were planted to justify the launching of their premeditated operation on the 8th of January.
Q. Why do you think this incident blew up more than they had anticipated?
A: While it was an operation at the tactical level, it had strategic ramifications. It was a gruesome act and against all rules of war fighting, rules of engagement and ethics of soldiering. It had to be taken up very strongly with the Pakistan Government and their Army as they had not only violated the CF (Cease Fire) agreement by crossing over to our side for this operation but also seriously violated the Geneva Convention. They cannot be allowed to get away with such despicable and unpardonable conduct.
Q. Pakistan must have anticipated the reaction to this? Do you think the raid was deliberate?
A. Yes, it was a deliberate raid and I suppose the aim was to up the ante by increasing violence levels along the Line of Control.
Q. There are allegations that the Indian Army has done similar things to Pakistanis?
A. No. We haven't done any of this. We respect the CF Agreement, the sanctity of Line of Control and the Geneva Convention. We are a professional Army and I trust my subordinates and our Army to always fight clean while scrupulously upholding the traditions and principles of war fighting.
Q. You also said that you would retaliate at a time and place of your choosing. Is that a sensible option given Pakistan has nuclear weapons?
A. This is an operation at the tactical level and my directions clearly stipulate that the retaliation too will be at that level. The spectrum of war fighting starts from a 'duel' and then rises to an 'engagement, 'battle, 'campaign' and then 'war'. Remember, I mentioned earlier that while this was a tactical operation, it had strategic nuances and those have been conveyed at the political and diplomatic levels. In addition, these have also been taken up through the DGMO level talks and the flag meetings. Such activities at the Line of Control remain in the tactical domain. However, we do cater for all possible contingencies in war fighting.
Q. How is it that you can retaliate without hoping this will escalate?
A. I have commanded a company, battalion and Corps on the Line of Control. These kinds of things go on the Line of Control but what is of concern, as I said earlier, is beheading, and taking away the head along with mutilation of the other soldier's body. Exchanges of fire have taken place on a number of occasions earlier but one doesn't indulge in heinous acts. If we are fired at, we will retaliate. So, all actions and reactions are going to be at the tactical levels.
Q. As chief you would be concerned about retaliation. Won't that lead to escalation?
A. We will handle it and there are Standard Operating Procedures to deal with such situations.
Q. But escalation is inevitable.
A. It is confined to a particular area. The entire Line of Control has not been activated. That notwithstanding, we are prepared for any contingency. You can't allow fire from across to keep hitting us and we do nothing. We have to hit back but with a measured and an effective response at the time and place of our choosing.
Q. What kind of action would you want from Pakistan on the beheading?
A. There are international laws in that regard and it should be handled at the appropriate political and diplomatic levels. Accountability has to be elicited from the Pakistan Army.
Q. What would satisfy you?
A. Accountability of Pakistan Army to this heinous act. There are sentiments of the family that must be respected. Pakistan Army must make all efforts to return the severed mortal remains of our soldier and respect the CF Agreement. They must also stop assisting the terrorists to infiltrate into J&K.
Q. Will it be business as usual?
A. The statement in this regard has been made by the Hon'ble Prime Minister.
Q. How do we de-escalate?
A. It's up to Pakistan to understand that and give commitment regarding honouring the CF, rules of engagement and return the severed mortal remains of our soldier.
.......
Q. On Siachen, is there now a trust deficit with the Pakistan Army?
A. It's our area, it is strategically important and we should continue to hold it. If you vacate that area, the time differential between our and their response is three times. They will take one day to reach there, while we will take three. This is on account of terrain configuration and terrain resistance. What if they occupy it? They also had a ceasefire agreement with us, they've been violating it. They beheaded our soldier and have taken away his head. The trust has to be built first before we even think of this option. A lot of sacrifice has been made to get this advantage, let us not lose it.
Q. Is it a good idea to have a hotline between India and Pakistan army chiefs?
A. DGMO level is good enough. He's my principal staff officer. Hotline between CsOAS of India and Pakistan is not required at this juncture.
Q. Have you met General Kayani?
A. I've never met him abroad in any course and my knowledge about him is as much as yours.
Q. Pakistan Army has a vested interest in not maintaining peace.
A. Let's wait and watch.
Q. Is there ever a possibility we could have peace with our neighbour?
A. Everything is related to intent. If their intentions are good and genuine and, if the Pakistan Army becomes an accountable and reliable instrument of Pakistan, everything will fall into place.
Q. How do you get the Pakistan Army to behave?
A. That is for the Pakistan Government to ensure. We are doing our job in a professional manner on the LC. They must start respecting the CF and the sanctity of LoC and stop pushing terrorists into our territory.
......
Read more at: Pakistan has been violating the ceasefire: Army chief General Bikram Singh : India, News - India Today
