It was never a plan to attack a Pakistan.
This was purely an exercise that happened in 4 stages. Only the last exercise/stage manoeuvring strike formations were asked to move from east to west axis.
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When I requested posters to explain the formations I should have been more clear even though I asked what suggests the attack on Pakistan was imminent.
The answer given by good poster
@Mikesingh is available on wikipedia but no where the chronology of events is explained neither the proof that he was ought to divide Pakistan.
1.
There was no evacuation of population.
2.
Central Government was not aware of any such plans, Only at a party organised to celebrate Military day in New Delhi Western Command General inadvertently told Rajiv Gandhi that his troops soon will be passing the Battle stations.
And it was all to validate operation doctrine in real war like scenario.
Before this reception western command General was told off by Sunderji that it is not his job to ask him (the COAS) if he has made GOI aware of this exercise or not. So he played safe by telling Rajiv Gandhi that it is due to Pakistani build up as they have started moving their troops from north to south towards their battle stations.
This is a big give away that there was no element of surprise left and Gen Sunderji was aware of it as he categorically told Western Command General that Pakistani reaction is on expected lines.
3. The Pakistani build up to counter Indian build up triggered a chain reaction that India started to respond by more build up. This is where talk of actual war became frantic as more confusion piled up where every stake holder became active; to deescalate.
# Gen. Sunderji was no fool not to evacuate population as Pakistan would have attacked whole IB especially the fronts they are strongest.
# General would have attacked before Pakistani build up and kept the element of surprise to his advantage but he waited. He would have knew that eventually everyone will become alarmed so had acted before Pakistan. But it was never his intention.
# Ammunition dumps kept coming by trains with building up troops along whole western front even after the so called plan to attack Pakistan was disclosed, foreign countries started putting pressure and media like BBC reached western fronts to find out what has been happening there.
This suggests we were not ready till later stages; before deescalation. Pivoting Bikaner to slice Sindh we would have been too short legged and too short of fire power.
What would had that invading force achieved if we were thinking of freeing Sindh as a new political entity ?
Diddly-squat.
Cause-Effect..... eh ??
There was no political backing, no diplomatic efforts, last but not least no
"Casus Belli"