Lt Gen DS Hooda (retd)  

With the political process suspended, the primary task of the security forces is to create such conditions that elections can be held peacefully as soon as feasible.

Soon after the BJP pulled out of the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir and the state was put under Governor’s rule, reports started appearing in the media that the forces, including the Army, would now be given a free hand and that counter-terror operations would intensify. The Director-General of Police, SP Vaid, remarked that under Governor’s rule it would be “much easier to work.”

This talk of the Army now being given a free hand in Kashmir raises the troubling question of whether changes in the political dispensation at the level of the state impact on the manner in which the Army conducts its operations. The answer is an unequivocal “No”. While the overall strategy is obviously a joint politico-military exercise, this strategy is executed with complete freedom being given to local commanders. This has always been the case and politics does not intrude in this. The Army Chief was quick to point this out when he stated, “The imposing of Governor’s Rule will not affect our operations. Our operations will go on like they used to. We don’t face any political interference.”

Are we likely to see a shift in military strategy in Kashmir? This is again unlikely. The Indian Army has decades of experience in dealing with internal conflicts and its doctrine reflects a deep understanding of how such conflicts play out.

The Indian Army Doctrine for Sub Conventional Operations states, “Such a campaign demands that all military operations are people centric and conducted in a manner that generates a groundswell for peace and creates redundancy of the terrorists in the environment. Therefore, the rules of engagement have to be formulated imaginatively in the backdrop of political, legal and moral parameters. It must always be remembered that populace constitutes the centre of gravity of such operations and, therefore, winning of their hearts and minds is central to all our efforts during conflict management and resolution.”

The Army’s operations in Jammu and Kashmir are aimed at creating a secure environment so that all functions of governance can be carried out without fear. This obviously means that terrorists operating within the state have to be hunted down and neutralised. This is more important today than ever before. With the political process suspended, the primary task of the security forces is to create such conditions that elections can be held peacefully as soon as practically feasible.

Another important pillar of the Army’s strategy is the “winning of hearts and minds”. This term is often misunderstood. It does not mean appeasement or pandering to anti-nationals. The best explanation is perhaps given by David Kilcullen in Twenty-Eight Articles: Fundamentals of Company-Level Counterinsurgency, in which he advises young officers, “Hearts means persuading people their best interests are served by your success. ‘Minds’ means convincing them that you can protect them, and that resisting you is pointless. Note that neither concept has to do with whether people like you.”

The key is to build trust with the local population. They must see the Army as a force that provides them security and one that operates with impartiality and discipline. If there is lack of trust and faith, the population will align itself against the government. This is the principle on which the Army carries out its people-centric operations in Kashmir.

The current spell of Governor’s rule provides an opportunity to stem the deterioration in the internal security situation, but no quick miracles should be expected. The Army’s strategy in Kashmir has proved successful, and on many occasions, brought the state to near normalcy. If any change in approach is required, it is in looking beyond the military sphere.

Lt Gen DS Hooda (retd)  Former Northern Command chief

Courtesy: Tribune: Jun 23, 2018