SOURCE: AFI
Twenty-five years after Operation Vijay, the discourse around the Kargil War remains vibrant, marked by introspections on the lack of coordination among security agencies and the delayed response to the Pakistan Army’s incursion. Air Marshal Narayan Menon (Retd), who was the Air Officer Commanding, Jammu & Kashmir during the conflict, asserts, “If everyone had been on the ball, the Kargil war would not have happened.”
Menon, a seasoned veteran who also served as a pilot in the 1965 war and as a flight lieutenant in the 1971 war, played a pivotal role in ‘Operation Safed Sagar,’ the aerial aspect of Operation Vijay. For his service, he was awarded the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal. He candidly reflects on the initial missteps, acknowledging that the early stages of the Kargil conflict were marred by poor communication between the Army and Air Force, which hampered operational planning.
The first signs of intrusion by Pakistani soldiers were detected on May 8, 1999. However, it wasn’t until May 25 that the Indian Air Force received orders to launch an offensive, initiating air strikes the next day. The air campaign continued until July 12, and a ceasefire was announced on July 26. Menon highlights the unprecedented challenges faced by the IAF, as they conducted operations at altitudes around 20,000 feet. “No air force in the world has fought wars at such heights,” he remarked.
While the Air Force played a critical role in softening enemy targets, Menon emphasizes that reclaiming the lost territory ultimately depended on the Indian Army’s ground operations. The enemy had occupied posts vacated by the Indian Army in the winter of 1998, fortifying them with ‘sangars’—robust stone and earth structures. These posts were located in some of the most inhospitable and icy terrains of the Himalayas, making the battles exceedingly tough and fierce.
One of the significant lessons from the Kargil War was the innovative use of technology. Menon recalls a brainstorming session where a young flight lieutenant proposed using GPS for high-level bombing. This idea led to the procurement and installation of handheld GPS devices in fighter aircraft and helicopters. The aircraft, flying at an altitude of 9 km to stay out of missile range, released bombs at GPS-coordinated points, taking into account the bomb’s forward trajectory and wind patterns. This innovative approach was first trialed on May 29, with successful high-altitude bombing missions commencing the following day.