Henderson Brooks on 1962 war still has `operational value': Antony

[nandu]

Henderson Brooks on 1962 war still has `operational value': Antony

NEW DELHI: Can a war fought close to half a century ago still have "operational value'' which must not be disclosed? Yes, the government certainly thinks so.

Defence minister A K Antony on Monday said the Henderson Brooks report, which was the result of an operational investigation into the failures of the Indian Army during the 1962 conflict with China, remained "a top secret document''.

"Based on an internal study by the Indian Army, the contents (of the report) are not only extremely sensitive but are of current operational value,'' Antony told Lok Sabha in a written reply.

Though much has changed in the two countries across the Himalayas, the government still remains extremely reluctant to make the Henderson Brooks report public since it is widely believed to be quite critical of the then political (led by Nehru) and military establishments of India.

The defence ministry has so far only released the official history of the 1948 Jammu and Kashmir operations. Even after the expiry of the mandatory 30-year confidential clause, it has suppressed the official histories of the 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars till now.

This even after a review committee had strongly recommended a few years ago that the official war histories of the different conflicts fought by the nation should be made public and "published for open sale''.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...rational-value-Antony/articleshow/5833033.cms

 

[Yusuf]

I would agree with the minister. Though a lot of water has flowed in the Brahmaputra since then, the geopgraphy hasnt changed. There will certainly be some aspects of the war which still may be relevant even today. Remember the chicken neck hasnt gone anywhere, the assam plains are still there and in a war, ground troops will be the ones providing the thrust. Due to the terrain, other force multipliers that have been acquired over the years may prove irrelevant.