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When insurgents fire from dominating positions, aircrafts can be
used to hit them with rockets or bombs. The time needed for
troops to reach insurgents’ positions can be reduced if
helicopters are used to transport them. The Air Force can also
carry out reconnaissance and surveillance over much larger
areas. And this will reduce the number and frequency of foot
patrols in difficult terrain.
It is a pity that
we have not used our Air Force resources to help the Army even
on our side of the LoC. I would have thought that senior Army
officers, particularly those serving in J&K, would press
hard for effective air support and the Army Chief would strongly
support their case in the Ministry of Defence, to save the Army
unnecessary casualties. After all safeguarding of the lives of
soldiers and looking after their welfare is the duty of the
senior officers. Perhaps it would be ideal to hold seminars to
discuss whether our Army and paramilitary forces can counter the
Pakistan-backed insurgency in J&K without the help and
active support of the Air Force under the existing
circumstances.
Meanwhile, our
country is raising more Rashtriya Rifle Units, infantry
battalions and paramilitary forces to fight insurgency in
J&K. The manpower-intensive measures which are being
introduced suit the insurgents, while the use of the Air Force
in a combat role will certainly pay much more dividends and
inflict more casualties on the insurgents. The author has met
many serving Army officers who have previously served in J&K
in anti-insurgency operations. They have all expressed their
strong support for an active Air Force role in curbing
insurgency.
The truth is that
India has been following a reactive policy instead of a
proactive strategy. The book describes incidents of successful
application of air power to combat insurgency in various
countries of Africa and Asia. The Europeans had devised new
roles for their air force, whenever they had to deal with in
insurgents. Our senior officers, both Army and Air Force, may
study these campaigns to learn useful lessons.
The author
recommends the use of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) helicopters
and slow-flying aircraft to carry out reconnaissance and to
support the Army by targeting insurgents. This would certainly
affect the morale of the insurgents adversely and help our Army,
which would suffer lesser casualties.
The author has
recommended changes in the existing system of Air Force-Army
cooperation in order to obtain better results and coordination
between the two services. Incidentally the existing system of
Army-Air Force cooperation is almost 50 years old and could do
with some change. This book deals with a live and serious
problem and comes up with new ideas and thoughtful suggestions,
which should be studied by our Air Force and Army officers.
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INDIA
is involved in a campaign against Pakistan trained and equipped
insurgents in J&K where the Indian Army and paramilitary are
suffering constant losses. So far only the Army and paramilitary
forces have been used against the insurgents. Why has the Air Force
not been used to deal with the growing number of insurgents is not
known. That the use of our well-equipped Air Force in curbing the
insurgency is a must, is the well-reasoned contention of the author,
Air Commodore Tiwari. The author is serving as Head of the Training
Team (Air) at Defence Services Staff College Wellington. He is
probably the first senior Air Force, or for that matter Defence
officer, who has strongly recommended the use of Air Force to
support the army in its fight against insurgency.
