Brig Anil Gupta
This refers to the statement made by Defense Minister of India recently at Panaji. “It was said that soldier is ready to lay down his life for the country: I am against it. Why get killed? Don’t get killed, Kill the enemy.”
Every soldier desires to kill the enemy and in the process is even willing to laydown his life. The Army is trained to win wars. We are trained to seize the initiative from the enemy and then annihilate him. Winning a war involves capture of real estate by physical assault and holding it firmly thereafter to thwart enemy’s attempt to recapture it. In military parlance it is called ‘Attack’. No attack is successful without killing that “damn, dumb, bastard enemy” to quote legendary American Gen Patton. The most critical part of any attack is ‘fighting through the last 200 meters’. This ends with hand to hand fight and bayoneting. Here the soldier pounces on the enemy like a hungry lion unmindful of his personal safety. The side which kills the maximum wins the day. Please compare the enemy and own “dead” in all the wars fought by the Indian Army since independence and you will get the answer. Indian soldier is a master at killing the enemy. Kargil should be fresh in your mind and every Indian who had the opportunity of seeing it in his drawing room.
Sir, the only war in which Indian Army was humiliated, the soldier can not be blamed for that nor the Army as a force. The causes must be well known to you but I wouldn’t hesitate to say that It was the political leadership of the day and babudom that was solely responsible for the outcome. A poorly armed, equipped and trained Army was pushed to fight at indomitable snowy heights without winter clothing and shoes, .303 bolt-action rifles and no infra-structure for administrative support. The beauty is that even fighting with odds the soldier was never found wanting. The indomitable spirits of the martyrs still rebound at Rezang La, Sela and Bomdilla. Here they had to lay down their lives because their political masters failed to provide them the wherewithal to kill the enemy.
Possibly, you may be referring to Counter Terrorist Operations. Here the initiative rests with the terrorists and fear of co-lateral damage always haunts the soldier. Here also he would love to only kill if he is provided the proper wherewithal to seize the initiative from the terrorists. Once again the soldier is poorly equipped and clothed for these type of operations. 5.56 Rif, 9mm SMC are not the weapons for these type of operations. Babus of your ministry have not been able to decide for last three decades the proper Bullet Proof Jacket to be provided to the soldier. His protective gear is so bulky that it is more of a hindrance. Navigation system is out dated. Communication equipment and transport have outlived their life. Soldiers battle field combat load needs to be made lighter to successfully fight the heavily armed terrorists. Still he fights and lays down his life when needed. The Indian soldier is made of a very different stuff, for him the nation is always first and foremost. He trusts the nation to take care of all his needs while in service, retired or after martyrdom.
What does he get in return- shockers galore from the 7th CPC. A lowered status, denial of service privileges promised to him at the time of enrolment/commissioning , lower financial benefits compared to civilian counterparts, hardship allowance much lower than the Babus. While his civilian counter-parts rejoice he curses his fate for having donned the uniform. Yet, I can assure you that he would jump to kill the enemy when the time comes. A soldier lays down his life, when fighting with deficiencies, for ‘Namak and Nishan’, for ‘izzat’ of his unit, regiment and the nation.
Sir, the morale of the soldier is in his boots today. The issue is serious and needs your personal intervention at the earliest. No nation can become a super power without a strong military. Strength of a nation = nation’s capability x morale of nation’s armed forces.
(The author is former Brigadier)
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