@yususf and others
Two Basic Presumptions.
A war has be waged with a clear cut political and tangible aims.
War as a means of achieving an aim will be resorted to if other means have failed.
In Indo Pak context
1947 - Pakistan started war - Aim - annexation of J&K - Result Failed. End result - Status quo.
1965 - Pakistan started war - Aim - annexation of J&K - Result Failed. End Result - Status quo.
1971 - India started War - aim Liberation of Bangladesh _ result - India succeeded . End- Pakistan bifurcated.
1984-86 India premepted Pakistan and occupied Siachin. End Pakistan denied strategic advantage.
1999 - Pakistan intruded in Kargil - aim to pressurise India to vacate Siachin and internalise the issue of J&K - Failed. End result - status quo.
For a futuristic war which IA has to wage on Pakistan:
What will be the political aims. That is, what the country want to achieve vis a vis Pakistan?
Secondly, how will that be achieved militarily (for example by capture of territory or by destruction of Pakistani army or forcing Pakistan to sign on and deliver on a treaty, by dividing Pakistan, etc ect)
You clearly spell on the last part : What are the Political aims and objectives of India with respect to Pakistan (say for example, for USA, thei poltical aim can be de- nuclearisation of Pakistan so also that of India)
So first thing first ! Can any one spell that out.
Pakistan started 1971 war.It was the
pre-emptive Pakistani Air Force attack(with 50 planes) inside 500 kms of India(on Agra) which resulted Indian declaring war as a counter measure.Till now the only pre-emptive attack by India against Pakistan is Siachin which was successful as well.
No I don't want the next war, launched by india to be just a punishment or teach a lesson kind like what china attempted on India.
I really don't know I our political leadership has even given a passing thought at considering this possibility and formulating any plans. Lack of strategic foresight.
The basic premise has to be understood that no matter what, there can be no peace with Pakistan. The relations are NOT salvageable even if Kashmir is handed on a platter to them. The current kind of warfare imposed on us by Pakistan, terror and low intensity conflicts will continue even after a "settlement" on Kashmir. They will come up with new excuses and blame on non state actors.
One of the political aims India should have is to break up Pakistan. Baloch and Sindh has to go separate. That will make Pakistan land locked and at a huge disadvantage and potentially crippled. Add to that reclaiming strategic areas of ours held by them, Gilgit Baltistan.
Primary threat will be of Pakistani nukes. There are two points to think about on this.
1) can we negate the threat of Pakistsn striking us with nukes.
a) take them out in the initial phase of the war. It does not have to a be a nuclear first strike from us to take them out.
b) have a credible missile defence in place so that anything that escaped out strike, can be countered.
2) Acceptable (well nothing is when it comes to loss, still) damage we are willing to take in case Pakistan still manages to strike us with nukes.
Diplomatically and militarily, will we be able to convince bigger and other powers to join hands with us to denuke and dismember Pakistan, more so the Denuking part than dismember which india can achieve alone as well. Will our political class realize this and sell this concept to relevant world powers so that they assist/stay quiet while we go about our business?
This primarily means US, it's a double faced country which is hard to trust.They have always used Pakistan as a proxy to keep India in check and they would do the same in future as well.Don't go by their helpless situation they are into in AF-Pak region.They would still back Pakistan once the matter is solved.The only way US would launch a direct attack on Pakistan is when there is any successful attack by Pakistan inside US mainland.
There is no use of "attacking" Pakistan, because Pakistan is itself in a stage of dismembering, just that India should take care of itself by strengthening its own Political Leadership and Military modernization and provide
"moral support" to any party which is fed up of Pakistan and it's
evil Pakjabis.
Believe it or not, India is still not in a position where we can launch quick massive pre-emptive attack(
which primarily means Air Force) which can simply outclass and outnumber Pakistan.More than military India needs strong witted and strategic leader which is extremely difficult specially today.