Kashmir: a simmering, sometimes brutal small war

[Bill Moore]

Posted by Gurkha

The area was also extensively dominated by patrols & ambushes to restrict freedom of movement. A very, very important reason for our success is that we were just not road or track bound. The hardiness of the average Indian soldier & the immense strength of the regimental system were critical factors in achieving tactical success. Also all that we would carry would be ammunition, no bullet-proof jackets, no helmets, little food & water. It helped very much to move light. In those days we didnt even have NVDs. A comparison with road bound , conscript & primarily mechanised armies like the Russians in Afghanistan will always see light infantry do better. In this light, please read the Bear Went over the Mountain: Soviet Combat Tactics in Afghanistan. I was quite taken aback when I read it : road bound operations, basic drills flouted & huge unwieldy columns detected from miles away. Apart from the SPETZNAZ, Airborne troops & to an extent their Naval Infantry, they appeared to have abysmal infantry skills & a very poor man management system of conscripts all of which lead to their military defeat. I wonder how you guys are doing it in Afghanistan.

Thank you, this is the best post I have on SWJ in weeks! Highlights, font changes, etc. are all mine to emphasize what used to be common sense in our infantry and special ops ranks. I wonder if we can ever get back to the basics?

Of course we would need blue force trackers for every individual so staff and commanders in the rear could manage tactical operations based on their keen insights, and the rear echelon would also have to have the means to monitor water and caloric intake for each troop because the troops/conscripts couldn't be trusted to do it on their own, body armor would remain mandatory, otherwise someone could get hurt, and we wouldn't be allowed to move without ISR support. Other than that I think we could get back to the basics and actually take the initiative.

[davidbfpo]

Gurkha,

I also recall a BBC documentary a few years ago, perhaps by Mark Tully, which found that locally recruited light infantry battalions had also contributed to Indian success. Given the numbers involved - from the main Indian Army - I assume these local units were only a small proportion of the total.

As Bill Moore commented your comparison with the Soviet experience in Afghanistan is noteworthy. Given the once strong Indo-Soviet/Russian relationship, including with the military, did that assist in observing and learning? For example by attendance at staff colleges.

[Gurkha]

Gurkha,

I also recall a BBC documentary a few years ago, perhaps by Mark Tully, which found that locally recruited light infantry battalions had also contributed to Indian success. Given the numbers involved - from the main Indian Army - I assume these local units were only a small proportion of the total.

As Bill Moore commented your comparison with the Soviet experience in Afghanistan is noteworthy. Given the once strong Indo-Soviet/Russian relationship, including with the military, did that assist in observing and learning? For example by attendance at staff colleges.

1. Locally recruited light infantry, the JAMMU & KASHMIR LIGHT INFANTRY, recruiting Hindus & Muslims from J & K , is a standard regiment of the line. It tends to do well as the Kashmiri (Muslim) soldiers are able to generate excellent intelligence.

2. There is very limited Army inetrafce with the Russians notwithstanding the IA equipment profile, so no exchange of tactics or docrtine. In fact the joke is that given our finances we are constantly trying to implement operations as per western doctrine with Russian equipment on Indian scales !!http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ons/icon12.gif

[Ray]

Gurkha,

I also recall a BBC documentary a few years ago, perhaps by Mark Tully, which found that locally recruited light infantry battalions had also contributed to Indian success. Given the numbers involved - from the main Indian Army - I assume these local units were only a small proportion of the total.

As Bill Moore commented your comparison with the Soviet experience in Afghanistan is noteworthy. Given the once strong Indo-Soviet/Russian relationship, including with the military, did that assist in observing and learning? For example by attendance at staff colleges.

The Scouts were the first who were raised from locals and they were to operate in their own native area. However, they got amalgamated. Only the Ladakh Scouts remain in such a role.

JAK Light Infantry were initially the JAK Militia funded by the J&K Govt, but under op control of the Indian Army, staffed by IA officers and they operated in J&K.

As far as I remember, one unit was of J&K Sikhs and Hindus and the remainder of the Regiment was composed of Jammu and Kashmir Muslims. I am not aware of the composition now. They have been amalgamated in the Indian Army and are posted all over India as any regular unit.

[Ray]

Do you have a link for "Doctrine for sub-Conventional Operations"?

Try this:

Doctrine for Sub Conventional Operations, Ist issue Dec 2006, 45 Pg, 16.5 MB
http://ids.nic.in/doctrine.htm

[Ken White]

Of course we would need blue force trackers for every individual ...body armor would remain mandatory, otherwise someone could get hurt, and we wouldn't be allowed to move without ISR support. Other than that I think we could get back to the basics and actually take the initiative.

Got to have Mobile Cocoons to protect the roadbound and inculcate reticence...

What Gurkha describes is what we were doing 46 years or so ago. It really worked -- until about 45 years ago we quit doing it and got road and hide bound. That mostly due to the pernicious influence of the one year tour (practically for too many/Officers and more than a few NCOs, two six month tours doing two different things in different places) and excessive politicization.

It is noteworthy that politically driven efforts to reduce own casualties almost certainly produced far more casualties all sorts including our own and resulted in a failure to achieve the objectives...

Now, we're worse. We've lost our minds...

[Ray]

Gurkha has raised valid operational issues that has contributed to why the IA has been successful.

The IA does not take it that they are operating in a foreign land. Yes, there are cultural differences (as in every part of the country), but that fact does not niggle since we are all Indians.

Body armour is important, but the Indian body armour is so heavy that very few wear it and hence quite some casualties occur.

The IA infantry has never been road bound or supplies bound. It is capable of being self contained for more than a week. Been there, done that!

And what is most important that make it a win win is that we do not fire first and ask questions later. We draw fire and then we take action and this is seen by all who are there on the spot to include civilians.

There is no gung ho attitude and instead as if it is in the routine of a day's work, even though unpleasant.

I am looking forward to more posts of Gurkha.

[Madhu]

There is no gung ho attitude and instead as if it is in the routine of a day's work, even though unpleasant.

A touch of reflexive antipathy, or perhaps I am mistaken?



@ Gurkha: At any rate, interesting about day versus night. I thought the opposite was true during the Punjab insurgency, that night time meetings were important and used for a time to suggest more troops and police? But it seems that different approaches were tried at different times and in different ways in different places, because of multiple insurgencies in different parts of the country. Makes sense, I guess.

Interesting comments. To quote carl, this forever civilian looks forward to hearing more

Did WHAM didn't have as much of a place in that insurgency, or was it approached differently? I admit, it's difficult stateside to get good information, because there are so many parties to various conflicts that prepare a kind of mental space within American media and academia. I'm not saying that a particular claim is true or false, just that it's hard to know who is downplaying human rights violations and who is exaggerating said incidents. Also, Western human rights groups and academics have a tendency to inadvertently side with one group versus another, often due to the concerns of a particular diaspora. Some members of a diaspora are more concerned with overseas events and are persistent and interested in getting a message across. Just tough to know, to get an honest assessment from a distance. It really is quite a difficult environment, in terms of truth-getting. At least, that's what it feels like.

[Ray]

When I read about nightime raids and the way the US forces operated in Iraq & Afghanistan I feel that cultural alienation plays a major part in generation of hatred & the accompanying military failure.

An important issue that must not be lost sight of.

But then, it is not easy for those who have a totally different psychology and lifestyle to understand.

When I stated that we do not have that 'gung ho' attitude, what I meant was that we do not have that 'win at all cost without a loss to own lives'. In fact, it is a good philosophy that whatever be the task not a single own lives should be lost.

However, the mindset is not that in the Indian Army. Win, and of that there is no doubt, but in a more 'peaceable' way, with minimal damage to those not involved in the battle and being ready to explain each action as to why it had to be taken and could not be avoided.

There are many reasons for it, cultural, religious, and the dread of harassment through inquiries if an operation is botched up. The command style is Befehlstaktik, based on a 'no error' syndrome. And worse, is that any trumped up complaint is nightmare to the Army personnel, with all organisations including the State and Central Govt and the pinkos of the Human Rights, to include the bleeding heart one sided international conscience keepers, swooping down like vultures!

India is not the US to shrug off complaints and tell all to take a walk.

Therefore, the scope to be 'gung ho' is highly limited and even non existent!

On the issue of Search. One has to search by day so that no innocent is killed. If a person attempts to escape the search, it is obvious that that person is not clean. At night, even innocents may feel that the cover of darkness is good enough to leave the scene and avoid the questioning. And that can lead to innocents being killed. None would appreciate that.

Civic action what the Indian Army has launched under Op Sadbhavna where the IA on its own and with its own funds are opening up schools in all areas including remote areas. electrifying villages, improving sanitation, building bridges, taking children to mainland India to see for themselves what is India, is helping the effort in reducing insurgency.

What people want is a better life.

Religion alone cannot give one a better life and all understand that.

And as Gurkha has said, Pakistan is in a shamble economically and there is total chaos even religion wise, where sects are ruthlessly killing each other.

They realise that such things are not happening in Kashmir, where the economy is way higher and there is no ruthless killing of Shias by Sunnis and vice versa.

And the Hurriyat is slowly becoming redundant!

[delhidjinn]

A little of tangent but the Kashmir's militancy decline has revved up the tourism and movie making industry. The endangered deer Hangul has been spotted outside its protected zone. http://uniqueindiatour.com/blog/78-k...s-a-boost.html