Kargil War, Jammu and Kashmir, India @ whatisindia.com

The terrain of the Kargil and surrounding regions of the LOC is Inhospitable in the best of times. There had existed a sort of "gentleman's agreement" between India and Pakistan that the armies of either side will not occupy posts from the 15 September to 15th April of each year, but in 1999 this agreement was cast aside by the Pakistani army in hopes of trying to gain the upper hand in Kashmir.

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The Intruders on the heights were an amalgam of professional soldiers and Mercenaries. Among them were many Mujaheddin and members of Pakistan's the Special Services Group (SSG). It is estimated that the actual strength of the intruders may have been about 5,000. The area of intrusion extended in an area of 160km.

The Indian Army detected the intrusions between May 3-12. From May 15 - 25, 1999, military operations were planned, troops moved to their attack locations, artillery and other equipment were moved in and the necessary equipment was purchased. Indian Army’s offensive named Operation Vijay was launched on May 26, 1999. Indian troops moved towards Pakistani occupied positions with air cover provided by aircraft and Helicopters.

Defeat of the Pakistani occupying forces seemed assured, as Indian armed forces had taken back almost all of the peaks in their respective sectors. India learned valuable lesson, that its military needed more funds and equipment to maintain a state of readiness against a cunning enemy. India also realized that its intelligence organizations needed to be better organized so that information and evidence would reach the proper authorities. Another important lesson was the Indian military and intelligence system also needed a system of accountability for its failures.

The proposed visit of Defence Minister AK Antony to Israel will, apart from underscoring the strategic relationship between the two countries, send out the right political message to Tel Aviv. (Antony's Israel Visit, Pioneer, Editorial, The Pioneer, Nov 08, 2007)

From India's point of view, what can be the worst case scenario in Pakistan? It is the replacement of President Pervez Musharraf by a coalition of the Jamaat-e-Islami (Jamaat) and its allies, the Taliban-Al Qaeda combine and the fundamentalist . . . (Draft A Plan Of Action, Pioneer, Hiranmay Karlekar, Nov 08, 2007)

Pinnalur Mu. Vivekanandan; Pasupathi Nilayam, 21, Lokanathan Nagar II Street, Choolaimedu, Chennai-600094. Rs. 60. (Pan-Indian Fiction, Hindu, P. Sundaresan, Nov 06, 2007)

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today sounded reconciliatory towards his coalition partner- the People's Democratic Party, despite latter's criticism of the functioning of his government. (Azad Ignores Pdp Criticism Of Govt Functioning , Tribune, Correspondent or Reporter, Nov 06, 2007)

My guest this week is Brajesh Mishra, former National Security Advisor, former principal secretary to the prime minister, and the chief architect of India’s new strategic positioning in the post-Cold War world. (‘Upa Talked To Me On N-Deal But I Said Go To The Politicians As Talks Between Politicians Are Talks Between Equals’, Indian Express, Editorial, Indian Express, Nov 05, 2007)

Survival is clearly General Pervez Musharraf’s reason for the emergency in Pakistan. By next week, the Supreme Court was to declare him ineligible to contest the elections. Within hours of the Emergency, a pliable Chief Justice is in place. (A Question Of Survival, Statesman, Raju Santhanam, Nov 05, 2007)

A retired middle-level officer in the country's intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing, has published a book quite critical of the R&AW's functioning. (Intelligence And Accountability, Pioneer, Joginder Singh, Nov 05, 2007)

THE Parliamentary Committee on Defence has only reiterated a long-standing demand of the armed forces and strategic experts with its recent call to withdraw the Army from internal security deployments and hand over the task to paramilitary . . . . (Break For Army, Tribune, Editorial, The Tribune, Nov 03, 2007)

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, commander of 4 Corps (Lahore), Lt Gen Mohammed Aziz, and Chief of General Staff, Gen Mohammed Yusuf, had run the proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir in the early 1990s, a new book has claimed. ('Musharraf Had Run Proxy War In J&k' , Deccan Herald, Correspondent or Reporter, Oct 30, 2007)

According to a new book by two British journalists, Adrian Levy and Catherine Scott-Clark, Pakistan readied nuclear missiles for use against India during the Kargil war. (Nuclear Nightmares, Times of India, Correspondent or Reporter, Oct 30, 2007)

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, commander of 4 Corps (Lahore), Lt Gen Mohammed Aziz, and Chief of General Staff, Gen Mohammed Yusuf, had run the proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir in the early 1990s, a new book has claimed. (‘Musharraf Ran Proxy J-K War’, Hindustan Times, Correspondent or Reporter, Oct 30, 2007)

The bullet alleged to have been aimed at Mamata Banerjee’s convoy is by any reckoning a major breach of the rule of law. (The Flying Bullet , Statesman, Correspondent or Reporter, Oct 30, 2007)

Pakistan intended to use nuclear missiles against India during the 1999 Kargil war, but was sternly dissuaded by then US President Bill Clinton from doing so, claims a recently published book by two British journalists. (‘In ’99, Pak Planned To Nuke India’, Hindustan Times, Correspondent or Reporter, Oct 29, 2007)

Pakistan was preparing to use nuclear missiles against India during the Kargil war, a new book has claimed, citing a conversation between US President Bill Clinton and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif eight years ago. (Pak Wanted To Nuke India: Book, Tribune, Correspondent or Reporter, Oct 29, 2007)

The Indo-Pak anti terror meeting last week may not have led to any major breakthrough, but for the first time Pakistan has accepted a dossier on terror in Jammu and Kashmir. (For First Time, Pak Accepts Indian Dossier On Terror In J&k, Indian Express, Pranab Dhal Samanta, Oct 29, 2007)

Pakistan was preparing to use nuclear missiles during the Kargil war, a new book has claimed, citing a conversation between President Bill Clinton and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif eight years back. (Kargil: The Aborted Pak Nuke War , Telegraph, Correspondent or Reporter, Oct 29, 2007)

Pakistan was preparing to use nuclear missiles against India during the Kargil war, a new book has claimed, citing a conversation between US President Bill Clinton and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif eight years back. (Pak Army Planned 'Use Of N-Arms' During Kargil War, Pioneer, Correspondent or Reporter, Oct 29, 2007)

For observers and students of international politics, the final quarter of the 20th century was truly overwhelming. (Drawing The Line Of Distrust, Pioneer, Correspondent or Reporter, Oct 29, 2007)

India and Israel had secretly planned to hit Pakistan’s nuclear facility in Kahuta in 1983-84, but backed off when the CIA tipped off then president General Ziaul Haq. (‘India, Israel Planned To Hit Kahuta In 1980s’, Daily Times, Correspondent or Reporter, Oct 29, 2007)

Pakistan was preparing to use nuclear missiles against India during the Kargil war, a new book has claimed citing an eight year old conversation between the former US president Bill Clinton and Pakistans former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. ('Pak Planned N-Attack Against India' , Deccan Herald, Correspondent or Reporter, Oct 29, 2007)