CHANDIGARH: General VP Malik, former Army Chief who led India to victory in the 1999 Kargil War, spoke to Harpreet Bajwa of on Operation Sindoor. He said the use of terrorists has long been an integral part of Pakistan’s DNA, ethos, and military doctrine.Regarding its nuclear threats, he added that Pakistan now understands any misadventure could lead to its complete destruction. Excerpts from the conversation:The Indian armed forces successfully executed Operation Sindoor. How do you view it?See, it had become necessary to take action against Pakistan because they have been continuing the proxy war for a long time and they crossed a red line in Pahalgam.I call it a red line — after that, we had to take action. So, we took very strong action, and this time the approach was a whole-of-nation effort. It wasn’t just the armed forces; we began with political and diplomatic steps. We initiated action on the Indus Water Treaty, which is both an economic and political tool. Then we launched Operation Sindoor, a kinetic action.We had already taken earlier steps like the surgical strikes in 2016 and Operation Balakot, yet they continued. This time, a much stronger response was necessary to send a clear message. I see Operation Sindoor as very successful — a firm and emphatic message demonstrating both our political will and our military confidence and capability.When you were the Army chief, the Kargil War took place. What is the difference now and then?There was a significant difference at that time—not just politically, but militarily as well. They had come under the garb of jihadis. Initially, they claimed to be jihadis, and it took us some time to realise that they were actually Pakistani army personnel. So, we were reacting to a situation that had already landed in our lap.The conflict took place in high-altitude mountainous terrain, making the operation extremely difficult. We had to operate with shortages of weapons and absolutely no intelligence. The conditions were entirely different in terms of terrain and the equipment we had. What truly stood out in the Kargil War was the courage—shaurya, veerta—the sheer bravery of our Army.Another key point is that during Kargil, we were still cautious. Although we were capable of going across the Line of Control, we were restrained. The Cabinet at that time had imposed a clear condition: do not cross the Line of Control. It was a defensive restriction, not a proactive stance.But this time, politically, the armed forces were given full freedom—and that freedom has been effectively utilised. We must also not forget that today we are much better off as far as our technology is concerned. The capability we have built over the last 25 years is important.What is the difference at the western front then and now?That time we kept it as a limited war and this time also it is a limited war. That time the limited war meant we remained in J&K and we were fighting over a front of 160 kilometres. It was a defensive war, the objective and mandate given to us was throw them out but without crossing the Line of Control. But the mandate given this time was to go and hit all the terrorist camps and their headquarters.The way innocent tourists were selectively massacred in Pahalgam, it appears that it was a complete intelligence failure. What are your comments?This matter needs to be investigated. I am sure some inquires must be going on and it has not been made public. To some extent you can consider it a lack of intelligence. I do not want to point figures at anybody until the inquiry report is out.
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