Not 1965: India’s march to military might
From dodging enemy air raids in the Sialkot sector in 1965 to watching Indian drones dominate the skies in Operation Sindoor, Major General JDS Bedi (retd) has witnessed first-hand the transformation of the Indian Army into a modern, confident and self-reliant military power.
Reflecting on India’s journey through the major wars and beyond, the veteran officer, who served in both the 1965 and 1971 conflicts, said the contrast between “then and now” could not be starker.
In 1965, Maj Gen Bedi says he was a young officer undergoing a weapons course in Mhow when Pakistan launched attacks in Jammu & Kashmir and Kutch. “India was still reeling from the Chinese aggression of 1962. Pakistan believed we were militarily weak and low on morale,” he said.
He said Pakistan’s then President Field Marshal Ayub Khan, buoyed by American military aid, was confident of a swift victory. “He told his commanders that they would have breakfast in Amritsar, lunch in Ambala and dinner in Delhi. That was the kind of overconfidence they had,” he recalled.
Unlike India, which chose to remain non-aligned and declined American-led military pacts, Pakistan became part of the Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO) and the Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO), gaining direct access to surplus US weaponry left over from World War II. “They had F-104 Starfighters, F-86 Sabres and modern tanks. We were still training with World War II-era rifles,” Maj Gen Bedi said.
After returning to his unit in Ferozepur, he was deployed to the Sialkot sector, where he and his team carried out combat engineering tasks under heavy enemy fire. “A fellow officer and jawan were killed in a Pakistani air strike. I was promoted to the rank of Captain at 21 and led the company in crossing over a ford on the Degh Nadi for an attack on Zafarwal. By the time the ceasefire came, we were in the Pakistani territory,” he recalled.
By 1971, he was commanding a field company and the Indian Army had undergone a major transformation. “We had Russian equipment, trained in night operations and morale was high. General Sam Manekshaw’s clear directive to prepare thoroughly gave us the confidence we needed,” he said.
He was again posted in Ferozepur, where battles on the western front mirrored the intensity of the eastern campaign. At the strategically vital Hussainiwala barrage, India lost an enclave after key bridge spans were destroyed. “But we retaliated by capturing Mamdot and Sehjra. I led my company in assaults on three posts in the Mamdot bulge,” Maj Gen Bedi said.
In one of the war’s boldest operations, Maj Gen Bedi led a 19-member team to open sluice gates at the barrage to flood Pakistani territory — just metres from enemy machine gun posts. “We opened seven gates in pitch darkness without making a sound. It was a high-risk mission,” he said.
While India emerged stronger after 1971, he noted that complacency crept in after the 1999 Kargil conflict. “Gen VP Malik’s remark, ‘We’ll fight with what we have,’ reflected the neglect the armed forces faced in the years that followed. Procurement slowed and China surged ahead, arming both itself and Pakistan,” he said.
He sees a major shift now. “Operation Sindoor has showcased the new face of Indian military power — with advanced drones, missiles and indigenously developed systems. DRDO, defence PSUs and private industries are finally delivering.”
Still, he warned that human resources remain a concern. “The freeze on recruitment during COVID and the slow pace of induction through the Agniveer scheme have left us short of personnel. With threats on multiple fronts — from China, Pakistan and even signs from Bangladesh — this could become a serious issue.”
With over 39 years in uniform and decades of observation beyond, Maj Gen Bedi says India’s military posture today inspires confidence. “We are no longer defending blindly. We are prepared to strike. This is not the India of 1965 or 1971. This is a nation that can hit back — and hit hard.
“We have come a long way from the days of obsolete rifles and empty ammunition boxes. Today, we’re prepared, we’re modern, and we can strike back with power. But let’s not forget — wars are not won by machines alone. It’s the men who pull the trigger, who storm the bunkers, who bleed for the flag. No drone can occupy territory. We need boots on the ground, and we need them now,” he added.
