India was caught by Surprise in 1999. 20 years later, a similar thing happened in term of “Surprise”, only this time it was mentioned in clear words, yet India failed to stop it, losing an aircraft in process.
Kargil was more than an intelligence failure. A large body of troops carrying arms, ammunition and maintaining a logistical line remained undetected, till they came in contact with locals. Any troop movement inside Pakistan wasnt detected, any movement on loc didn’t attract attention and finally crossing over LOC remained undetected. Were these troops or ghosts ?
Furthermore, amassing of artillery ammunition and movement of guns remained un noticed by India. Supply trucks and mules kept running up and down on roads and hill tracks day and night.
Coming in 2019 India had the intel, the same IAF that sent sortie after sortie in 1999 to bomb PA positions in unchallenged skies, was no where to be seen when PAF entered IOK, released its load and returned safely to own skies. It shows the impact PAF could have made in 1999 and is capable of making in future conflict. Intel given to IAF about an expected attack resulted in Indian territory getting bombed and loss of aircraft.
kargil war showed the tactical prowess of Pakistani troops, stealthily entering enemy areas, entrenching themselves, carrying different calibers of weapons and inflicting damage to enemy. In modern times, it’s the SF of different countries who undertake such missions and that too in very small tactical teams. Pakistani irregular troops successfully conducted such Ops and later became a regular regiment of NLI.
