Shoot Don’t Talk

“Shoot, Dont Talk”

“So Commander Saab… where is that Mountain Strike korps (Corps) you told us about a few years ago? Asked my civilian friend. “Aren’t they going to strike…and Sir have they ever struck anything. Aur woh multirole Sukhoi fighter”? Where is that.. the one that roles to either side, every time on Republic Day... woh Kahan hai ? Sirji…that statement you made about Hollywood picture.. THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY..When you want to shoot..shoot..don’t talk!!  

You said that after the surgery in Balakot. But the next day, they came with 27 aircraft and and performed open heart surgery sir....once it was over ... all we wanted was our pilot back with all our hearts. Somewhere we lost the plot. Array stop, I said! You idiot” what are you saying? That was Pakistan and LOC. This is China and LAC. You don’t know your geography ..you bloody rascal.  But he continued.. Sirji, but why are the two Light Combat Aircraft squadrons stationed in Sulur. Is it because they are lightly armed and spares are less, so we can only use them for Limited Combat like against Sri Lanka,...but that conflict has ended. Sirji...you said the aircraft is good and we celebrated its birthday, IOC, FOC, induction, flypast. If all this is true and it’s a formidable fighter, then why is it in our backsides and not guarding are front!!!. Why are we talking about boycotting Chinese fireworks and lights during Deepawali, but burning our hands the rest of the 12 months”. “We are a peaceful nation, we are going to protest and the Defence Minister will do Kadi Ninda”, I replied.

 

I got up from bed with a jolt. It was six in the morning. The previous evenings news was still fresh in my head and I was hurting. I like many others, was angry. The morning headlines in the Times, informed me that the Col had spoken to his father the day before… Is this headlines?? Why this weak emotional meaningless headline. You guys…please write on how he fought valiantly and was martyred doing his duty for ‘izzat’, ‘namak and ‘nishan’. Then the reporters had reached the grieving families and then they played out the funerals and the works. The twitterati had been busy through the night. The eggs had hatched and the “Experts” had been born. Initially no news and only conjecture, then tit-bits and comical discussions, up until the free loaders joined in, and the evening fish fest rapidly graduated to a street side scuffle with the choicest of abuses. Sadly, this is the usual level most of our intellectual discussions reach, till it’s time to sleep. The social part of Social Media, is a misnomer... we usually aren’t. 

I turned to my father, a veteran himself, and some one who has written a book on China way back in 2005. The front cover on the hard back, has this written.... “Coercion, and if that fails, resorting to use of military force have been the logical and natural steps in China’s strategy.” The skirmish at Galwan has shown that we lack the resolve to do anything meaningful, either tactically or strategically. He keeps taking two steps forward... one step back and we keep agreeing to his disagreements. That “Fist” in the unit “Nishaan”(emblem) is just that ... where all it goes... who knows. The moment is right, the iron is hot and we all dive in to cool it or tell the others Chill maar yaar. Don’t be emotional, don’t be senti... 

I am not a war monger, but once in a while the local gunda needs to be taught a lesson and given a bloody nose. I am sure 16 Bihar, must have given them that initial bloody nose… Proud of you chaps..Now what ? The brave CO must have been on the red line, because Delhi must have been asking for the latest updates, only from him, not his operator or adjutant or officer. But what do they do with all this information. I am reminded of many peacetime exercises and mock battles in Staff College, where theatre commanders are given updates in a war room scenario. Then the plan, enact their parts and takes decisions to achieve clear objectives within limited resources. The two sides blue and red fight the war in sand model rooms with neutral umpires ... well mostly neutral, deciding and giving  results on the paper offensive. After a week of fighting with presentations and plans, both sides debrief and lessons are learnt. The air element and naval bouys also flypast or surface on the last ten minutes of the discussion if the tea is yet to arrive. 

So while we wait for tea, and while we learn lessons and investigate to find someone to blame, let us also do something else. 

So what are we doing right now ..? 

Are we priming the Tactical weapons, Arming our Triad, passing codes for a launch or are we wondering what to show the country at the next fire power demonstration at Pokhran/Balasore. Has going “Nuclear” prevented our adversaries from playing their usual games on the borders. Has it acted as a deterrent. 

Come on guys .. Wake Up ... Are we moving forward with a collective resolve to sort out our issues or relying on PCK, previous course knowledge (a key military term) in defence colleges. This one acronym and it’s voluminous collection, gets one through the hallowed portals of higher learning these days. Every new commander quickly reads and learns the narrative ...and then tows the line. So no one, well ok ... almost no one, wants to upset the apple cart. So a tenure is basically to beautify the cantonments, add artifacts from yester-years like old tanks, aircraft and submersibles, have garden competitions, redo the VIP rooms for the upteenth time in the Officers’ Mess, wine and dine the “whos-who from the local administration, quickly get your name written on the honour board behind your desk with no end date, act like a territorial doggy, raising one leg and letting go to mark your temporary province, grab from here and there and be self reliant, self sufficient. Sad ... this is what it has come to. 

“Wake up Chaps” ...Let us not look or worry about the pecking order, the ranks, kabhi haan kabhi na... let’s start by doing the job the right way. Let’s put in practice what we have been taught by the likes of ... well ehh...our predecessors. Let’s do justice to the rank on our shoulder. Let us plain speak and if required, dissent. Let the grand finale of the annual manoeuvres/Exercises/War Games not align with past results. Let us be asymmetric. Let us work for the  Effect, (yes remember EBO!!!) and not suffer the consequences of procrastination. Let us work on Jugaad, and teach them a lesson. Let us synergise, be “aatmanirbhar” not because we finally have a Chief of Defence Staff, but because we can do well... inspite of it. Let the Army have a free hand and let them establish their footprint across their respective areas of responsibility, and that means the entire strech.... for victory is still measured on foot… and so let’s not shoot our foot off.

 

…And finally Commander Saab, if you don’t know Air Power and know nothing about the employment of maritime Power, have never bothered to see the Blue Water Navy in action... and find yourself at C... (Sea)

...then don’t learn, don’t adapt and don’t employ. 

Just let the “chaps..FLY PAST and zap” the enemy instead of Rajpath, let the “whites.. LIGHT UP the nights” in the South China Sea and not at the Gateway... and let the Army “Bajao some one’s Band in hand to hand” but for COVID sake, do something. 

 

Akshay Airborne (Retreaded)