Winning India's Next War

Two recent experiences clearly highlight the core issues involved highlight the core issues involved in our wars and the role of aerospace power in our national defence: the war in the Kargil sector during the summer of 1999, and the 10-month military mobilization to initiate military action against Pakistan as a consequence of the terrorist attack on our Parliament on December 13, 2001 – our 13/12. The former was the first war since India and Pakistan formally declared their nuclear weapon status after the test in May 1998. And the latter was clearly the first serious attempt at coercing Pakistan with the potential threat of launching a war. But before we examine these, it would be useful to look at some basic factors and principles affecting modern wars and aerospace power.  

Fighting a war on land and at sea without aerospace power on one’s side is inviting disaster. The reason is very simple. Aerospace power can control and influence the medium in which it operates by itself with its own capabilities; and it has the ability to exercise substantive control and influence on military forces operating on the surface of the earth and at sea with its enormous destructive capability…

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