The year ends on a tragic note for the Indian Army. One officer and three soldiers were killed by Pakistan’s Border Action Team (BAT) well inside the Line of Control (LC), despite the September 2016 surgical strikes; a grim reminder of Modi government’s failed muscular diplomacy against Pakistan. Yet, instead of course correction, India continues with perception management by pretending to be on top of the situation.

A professional assessment of the recent Pakistan’s BAT shows that the Pakistan Army, having assessed Indian military capabilities, had concluded that they were nothing to worry about. Ironically, it was opposite with the Indian surgical strikes, which were no more than ‘low-level counter-terror operations,’ as the foreign secretary S. Jaishankar had told the Parliament committee on external affairs.

Planned at the national level, with the Prime Minister, defence minister, National Security Advisor, and the entire top brass of the army deeply involved in it, the September 2016 surgical strikes were meant to kill terrorists, and not Pakistani soldiers, at launch pads. Instead of denial, which is the norm in such operations since the enemy should be kept guessing, India, fearing escalation, immediately told the Pakistan Army that the operation was over and more were not planned. This was an admission that India lacked counter-offensive or war-winning capabilities. The then defence minister, Manohar Parrikar, recently admitted this at the Goa Lit Fest. He told the media, “We had to send officers with authority to carry out on the spot purchase. When you work out something, your preparation has to be perfect to ensure that everything is taken care (of).” Since India does not have requisite ammunitions, weapon systems including artillery, air defence, aircraft, ships, submarines and so on, the enemy does not get impressed by bluster.