New Delhi, June 9
The Defence Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, today told the Lok Sabha that even though the NDA government had taken 17 days to use air power during Operation Vijay in Kargil, the time taken was not the reason for high number of casualties suffered by the Army.
Making a suo motu statement on reports in a section of media that delay in air strikes had cost more casualties, the Defence Minister said: “The time taken for giving clearance to deploy air power was not the reason for higher casualties”.
The statement sought to clear the air over the Army’s stated impression that delay in using the air power had cost the lives of 474 soldiers.
The minister clarified that in the period between the Army seeking the use of air power and the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) taking the decision to allow air operations the number of casualties were 35. The government took almost 17 days to assess the situation for the use of air power with expertise from the Indian Air Force.
While the Army put in the request on May 8, 1999, the CCS gave its clearance for the use of air power on May 25. The minister added that in the period after government’s clearance for the use of air power, that is between May 26 and till the end of the war on July 26, the number of casualties was 439, including six IAF officers. This completed the number to 474.
Talking of the in-house report prepared by the Army, the minister said in the period between the Army seeking the employment of air power and the CCS giving its approval, the then Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A.Y. Tipnis, “ was taking the view that air power in those heights could not be properly utilised as helicopters would be extremely vulnerable and there would be danger of escalation of the conflict”.
“His view was that before committing air power political clearance should be obtained which was finally done on May 25”, Mr Mukherjee said.
“The Army had on May 8 projected the requirement of attack helicopters for use against the enemy and also helicopters for transport troops. This was considered between May 12 and May 17 and it was decided not to use this option as it may lead to escalation”, the minister said in his statement.
A “fuller and in-depth appreciation” of the emerging situation was taken on May 25 by the CCS and took the decision to deploy the IAF.
“Finally on May 25 the CCS gave the go ahead for use of air power”, the Defence Minister said.
The media report had, quoting an “in-house report”, suggested that for lack of decisive action by the then political leadership there was a loss of 474 men to the Army and this also allowed Pakistan to wrest the initial advantage.
As with every war, so too with Kargil, the Army prepared a six volume classified report in September, 2000, to record the events and “analyse the success and failures, shortcomings and strengths of the warlike situation in Kargil”. The preparation of an abridged version of this report was taken up in July, 2003, and completed in January, 2004.
This report is prepared for the purpose of campaign study in promotion examinations, the minister said: “As these documents prepared for internal use for training purposes, the Ministry of Defence has not been involved in any way with the preparation of this report”.
Mr Mukherjee also backed the armed forces in all the steps they took in evacuating the Kargil heights.
The minister said: “After all it was a difficult war fought from a position of disadvantage. The members of our armed forces demonstrated indomitable courage, fighting capabilities, evicted the enemy and won the war.”
Regarding the implementation of the recommendation of the Kargil Review Committee, also known as the Subramanyam Committee, Mr Mukherjee said the earlier government had constituted a Group of Ministers to examine the recommendations of the committee as well as four other task forces.
“The recommendations of the Group of Ministers were approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security in May, 2001, and most of the measures have already been implemented by the previous government”, he said.
Mr Mukherjee said the first information about intrusion having taken place in Kargil came to the knowledge of the Army on May 3, 1999. “Between May 25 and July 26 the CCS was briefed on the various developments that were taking place. On July 26 the Kargil operations were formally declared as over”, he said.
