Bengaluru : , Dec 14, 1971 – What India and the World learned from the 1971 war is the importance of air power in conventional conflicts, according to Kapil Kak, a retired Air Vice Marshal who was part in the Indian war to liberate Bangladesh.He was a Canberra deep strike pilot and participated in night bombing missions against Pakistan Air Force radars and airfields.
Kak shared his war experiences with pride and honor, and gave some advice for the present leadership on how to build a formidable Indian Army.He said this.
It was evident by the fact that the Indian Air Force (IAF), under the direction of an extremely cerebral Air Chief Marshall Pratap Lal executed a strategy that allowed the Army to hold the ground in west and ran an air campaign to the east.This effectively decimated Pakistani Air Force combat force from the area.
This was achieved by creating air dominance within 72 hours after the outbreak of conflict.This air dominance enabled both the Army and Navy to operate in the eastern sector without being hampered by Pakistani air force, which was virtually wiped out by the Indian Air Force.
The second is the fact that Army operations were limited by East Pakistan’s topography, which is an area of rivers.You know that there are many rivers running up and down from east to south.These are the attacks nightmare.
The IAF solved this first, opening up a line to Dhaka over Meghna River.A few MI-4 helicopters enabled a larger division of forces.MI-4, a tiny helicopter, was used to lift an Air Division of fully-ground Army personnel over the Meghna River.They could then march on to Dhaka once the helicopter was cleared.
The second line of advancement, which was possible thanks to air power and the use of almost 50 odd transport planes, what we could fit in there, allowed a Para brigade, across the Brahmaputra, to be dropped at Tangail.
The brigade couldn’t cross Brahmaputra so it was flown to Dhaka to drop almost a thousand paratroopers.
The IAF played a key role in Dhaka’s capture.
Dhaka wasn’t envisaged when the conflict started, but the IAF performed these daring operations and helped the Army pick Dhaka to be its objective.They also developed their thrust along Meghna, across the Brahmaputra, and finally converging in Dhaka.
MIG 21 also used coercive and very dangerous intimidatory attacks on Governor Dhaka’s home.MIG 21s carried out the rocket attack on December 14th.
The Governor was forced to get underneath the desk, fearing his own death.
They fled to the Intercontinental Hotel, and surrendered to Dhaka 48 hours later.
This was the third operation that helped the eastern sector.Because it enabled Dhaka to fall, the Indian Air Force’s air offensive in the eastern sector can be considered the “finest hour” of its operations.
The ‘Mukhi Bahini was also assisted by the IAF with a lightweight aircraft, called the ‘kilo’ flight.It was operated and maintained in the hands of pilots and technicians from Pakistan Air Force who were defectioned.The pilots and technicians undertook various missions.This is a very small “baby flight” type of mission, but it was a significant part of the core of the later Bangladesh Air Force.
Strategic air offensives in the west sector were made, including deep strikes on air bases and radars.These included logistic supply chains, Karachi Oil Refinery, and Mangala Hydro Electric Power Plant.
This unhinged Pakistani Armed Forces.The IAF strike on Karachi’s petroleum storage caused severe, debilitating effects on Pakistani forces.This was an extremely demoralizing attack.The army was also involved in joint operations, including search, strike, attack, and closure support.
They were allowed to remain unaffected by any intervention from the Pakistani Air Force or the enemy.
Everyone knows the story of the Battle of Longewala.
It was made popular by the Hindi movie ‘Border.Four hunters battled an approaching armour column heading towards Jaisalmer through the Army Post of Longewala.They were facing a forceful Indian Army unit.40 tanks were decimated and the armour thrust from Pakistan was defeated.
“At that time, we had a very serious situation in the Chamb sector where Pakistan was developing an armour offensive into the line of communications to Jammu and Kashmir.
“Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw told Pratap Lal that every available aircraft should be dispatched to Chamb else Jammu and Kashmir will go.And, these were attacks on large scale tank formations.
“In an innovative experiment, transport aircraft were extensively deployed in bombing against the wide range of targets, be it communication, tank confrontations, artillery.This was done 24×7 throughout the war.
“The IAF played a key role in establishing total air dominance in the east and the surrender of the Pak Army in Dhaka and also the strategic strikes and joint operations with the Army and the Navy in the western sector, again contributed to winning the war.
“It was the linchpin of all joint operations in that conflict under the able leadership of Pratap Lal and of course two leaders — admiral Nanda and General Sam Manekshaw from the Army under the overarching, fearless, bold and I dare say, grand strategic orientation of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
“She moved the pieces on the chess board whether it was intelligence agencies, Army, Navy, Air Force, science and technology establishment and ministries involved to show we were able to liberate an independent country called Bangladesh,” Kak said.
“Looking back on the victory, I would have been happier if we were able to do a little more defence modernization to be in the kind of position we were in 1971 against Pakistan.We also have an additional factor now of having armed forces which are modernized and strong enough to withstand a combined Pakistan-China two front conflict situation.”
“Whether it happens or doesn’t happen, is not for us to judge.But, you see the intention of our adversaries.
We have seen very strong capabilities developed by China and Pakistan.
So, firstly we should sufficiently modernize our armed forces.Even now it is not too late.We should be indigenously oriented and capabilities have caught up with the requirements of the defence and they are in a far better position now in the indigenization than 15-20 years ago.My point is, we were ahead of the situation in 1971, because that was the trend of warfare at that time.
“We know that warfare has undergone a huge change, we have a fourth generation warfare, cyber conflicts, employment of cyber attack to target adversaries’ critical infrastructure, space, which has been added as great force multiplier in today’s conflict.
“Last but not the least, I think in 1971, a united India rallied behind armed forces which did a valiant job.In recent years, I have noticed that on a-day-today basis, the introduction of factors like apprehensions in the minds of some elements of the society, some assertiveness on other elements, and a kind of polarization of society and nation along communal lines, these trends are extremely worrisome.
“Because no nation is strong until it is internally coherent.A country fighting a war is hugely dependent on its ability to take everyone along, whatever be the affiliation.
Community, religious, cultural groups all have to be together as per the dictates of the Constitution of India, which was the case in 1971.Unless we address the situation, we will remain weakened to face another conflict of this kind.”
Retired Air Vice Marshal Kapil Kak, is also a distinguished fellow at the Centre for Air Power Study.He was awarded Vishisht Seva Medal in 1981.
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