Kargil: Conflict Between Two Nuclear States
by About the Kargil war that took place between India and Pakistan in 1999; its outcome and impact on the two countries and the world.
All this time the Pakistani government mislead its citizens by giving statements that they were winning the war and that great advancements were being made on that front. But the truth was far from the claims that the government was making. The Pakistan government even declined to accept the dead bodies of the soldiers which died during the war. All this changed the moral of the Pakistanis. They were feeling betrayed by their own government. By the end of the conflict the families of the fallen Pakistani soldiers were the ones who felt the pain most. The exact number of casualties from the Pakistan side was never confirmed, but according to a statement by Mr. Sharif over 4000 Pakistani troops were killed in the operation. Later, Benazir Bhutto, an opposition leader and former prime minister, called the Kargil War “Pakistan’s greatest blunder”. A retired Pakistani Army General, Lt Gen Ali Kuli Khan, lambasted the war as “a disaster bigger than the East Pakistan tragedy”,
Whereas on the Indian side the media had full coverage of the war. This was in fact India’s first televised war. A sense of patriotism, pride, and respect for the soldiers was felt. The Kargil news stories and war footage were often telecast live on TV. This not only boosted the moral of the Indians but also helped shape international opinion about the war. For the first time there was ample proof of the Pakistani army getting directly involved with the Kashmiri terrorists.
There were important lessons to be learnt form this war for both sides. For Pakistan it is simple. It should understand that a Kargil like situation is in no way a solution to the issues that it has with India. It should mend its ways and if possible try and dismantle the terrorist networks within its country.
India must be prepared for Pakistani recklessness, which could occur in different areas and take different forms: terrorism throughout India, conventional operations and incursions, increased LIC in Kashmir, and a variety of nontraditional threats. India must more aggressively counter Pakistani threats along the LOC by investing in more technologically advanced military and intelligence equipment. India recognizes the utility of the media in contemporary conflicts and will continue its offensive in the information war. India understands that international support cannot be taken for granted. To ensure this support, India must both maintain a posture of responsibility and be seen as seeking peace.
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