IDHAR UDHAR KI BAAT 60- INTROSPECTION ON PAGER BLASTS ---Brig PS Gothra (Retd)
"Dadaji, did you also do something like the pager and walkie talkie blasts against the terrorists?" Asked the grandson of my friend. The boy is smart at fourteen years of age.
I felt elated to have a captive audience after three years of my retirement. My heart said chal beta phenkna shooru kar de. But my mind said bandh karo phenkna bhagwan ko bhi jawab dena hai.
After a long pause I said, "No."
The last time I was remotely near the pager type of feat was when I gave a fancy mobile (infected with virus) to a source who claimed that his operator across the border wanted that brand. But the source gave the mobile to his son. As a result, his son came under police IT surveillance and I had to deny any involvement. The fiasco taught me to keep away from such things.
I felt bad to see signs of despair on the face of the boy. He said, "you have been hunting terrorists for years. Did it ever cross your mind to do a pager-like thing?"
"No beta, I was always thinking kinetic, flowing through the barrel of the gun," I replied, but heart of hearts I knew the reasons. Firstly, I never thought in the long term. I was a dihadi majdoor (daily wager) looking at immediate gratification and something to claim glory on. Who will waste his time on killing terrorists where one cannot claim it to be his kill. Secondly, I didn't have the patience to collaborate with others for the credit may go to them. There is also the peril of inter-organisation blaming when things go wrong.
"Our research organisations could have made something like that."
"Maybe they already have but I am not privy to it." I replied. But I was sure they didn't because the interaction between research organisations and the operators on field is minimal. As a result, they give you oranges when you require apples. Maybe the operator on the field also suffers from mainu ki syndrome (I don’t care) and doesn't have that kind of zeal to kill the terrorists which the Mossad has. Or the unknown gunman phenomenon is more potent and economical.
“How can Israel make something which we can’t?” Asked the boy.
“Maybe we have the technology, but we didn’t get an opportunity to demonstrate. After all it also involves human rights which we people are very sensitive to. We want to kill the terrorists but we cannot hurt their family members when the pager blasts,” I thought this will get the child off my back for some time. I also knew that the pager type of strikes involves the synchronisation of the efforts of many components of the government. I remembered in October 2011 the Israel Government exchanged one thousand twenty-seven Palestinians and Arab-Israelis prisoners in exchange of one Israeli soldier called Gilat Shalit. 280 out of 1027 prisoners had been sentenced to life in prison. It was mind boggling to see such lopsided exchange. It was only when Israel started bombing the exact openings of the tunnel network in Palestine that I analysed that most of these prisoners must have been implanted with some tracking devices to detect and plot the tunnel network.
"Dada ji it seems that you are in no mood to talk." Said the boy.
"It is not that. But I actually don't have anything worthwhile to talk about. You must have carried out a study on the subject on the internet.” It suddenly dawned on me that the propensity to phenkna is also an impediment to futuristic and creative thinking, because then you get into the warmth of a sleeping bag knit out of your phenkna which cuts off your access to fresh air/ ideas. Jai Hind.
Note:- The pager strikes must have generated a lot of ideas in your mind. Please share as comments. Which you can do as ‘anonymous’ also.
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Nice Articulation Sir. The pager episode shows the awesome zeal, fervour of the Israeli Technological advancement and their loud and clear message that they can reach you anywhere. Their survival is based on this superiority they posses and keeping updating themselves. This episode will go in History. COAS here made a statement on the pager issue recently and called it a ‘Masterstroke’ by the Israeli’s.
ReplyDeleteBrig Gothra, We do really lack such mental mobility in our system to think out of the box and plan such an operation. Though Israel also displayed some serious flaw in allowing Hamas attack of 07 Oct 23. But thereafter they have taken control of the situation and ensured that their reputation is re-stored. In our very long fight against terrorists and insurgents, use of modern technology as well as tackling of this menace on permit basis needs re-look. Hope it gets done earliest by new generation of ldrship, mil and civil both. Nice explanation.
ReplyDeleteExcellent ! A lot has to do with pervading the culture of being an empty headed muscle man in which most soldiers especially those from the cutting edge take pride in. Typically what you reward is what you get. So tactical discussions on sand model are richly rewarded because most are in their comfort zone in these discussions. The disruptive ideas are never discussed as the seem to be impractical. The lethargy of military mind has reached such heights and pulled the organisation in such slothfulness that surprise and deception as a battle winning factor is not even considered.
ReplyDeleteWe need institutional measures, open competitions, awards and rewards, promotions and commendations for those who think and act out of box because it's well known that what has worked so well in the past in all probability will not, in the future?
Undoubtedly, I never thought this could even be possible. For Israel , it is a question of survival and they go all out. In our context , collateral damage is a serious issue and we are not even using all our combat resources. What if someone with these rigged mobiles was inside an aircraft.
ReplyDeleteThanks, as usual , a very relevant topic put across in such simple words
I thought of similar out of box thinking in 1991-92 operations. With help of equipment we had, we could destroy the enemy targets and failed the counter attack at midnight. I can’t disclose more than this information.
ReplyDeleteThought provoking!! Set me thinking we are so outdated & woefully predictable in our thinking & way we operate. Out of box or unconventional thinking we talk a lot about but hardly ever practice it on ground. Makes me wonder why can't we also be as creative & smart like the Israelis? Are we too big an Army or system within our organization does not permit such radical thinking...
ReplyDeleteThr 'pager' was truly "An out of the box" idea.
ReplyDelete"Innovations" being talked about so often, but then hardly ever you see an example.
On the flip side, I only hope the miscreants don't get such idea, because then the society will have to pay a heavy price. How that will be prevented, I have no idea.
Cutting edge technology is always appealing....issue is do we make it exclusively for armed forces or we optimize what is available for masses......we have an alternate of GPS....but few want to use it as it is not easy to use or does not have supporting ecosystem....the debate will continue....solution lies in remaining abreast and keeping minds open
ReplyDeleteVery relevant topic and handled deftly.We have no dearth of Ideas, innovations & Juggad. However, much more serious R&D is called for. HR issue can’t be wished away.
ReplyDeleteCaptivating, as ever…
Very interesting article. Disruptive technology is a niche field and we are generally talking about it in various forums and seminars...but very little is translating into actual ground execution..when it is a fight for survival against multiple adversaries the grey matter works vigorously to come up with such Ideas.
ReplyDeleteThought provoking well articulated piece of article ..need of the hour in defence forces of such out of the box innovation by R&D . After all we don't have any dearth of ideas in armed forces which can wisely be translated into secret innovations with the help of R&D.
ReplyDeleteYour are right sir on how we tend to see things from a very distant perspective till it comes down to haunt us ..things are changing for the better I am sure
ReplyDeleteOut of the box thinking is hardly accepted in our environment and mostly treated as foolishness. The fear to do something unique leading to an iota of doubt is determental to the progression of an upcoming leadership will be crushed . However the need of the day is thinking beyond the horizon including outer space. There will be indl leadership who will dominate the world order in connivance with the state. Deep states will always be deceptive and still be harnessing the benefits of rough notions of destruction
ReplyDeleteSuch creative ideas needs unleashed minds and close coordination between various agencies which does not seem happening here in forseeable future. Secondly, we also need to consider that our reality and threat level is much different hence we dont have the same focus n zeal to execute such disruptive ideas.
ReplyDeleteOh, what an honest confession ❤️
ReplyDeleteWhile Pager Blasts can be a topic of Ethical Debate for some, but shortcomings, in terms of interactive approach between Users and R&D or Inter Organisation Cooperation, overcoming One Upmanship or Ability of Organisation & Country to support Bold Actions,specially, when things go wrong, have been very nicely highlighted in a short narration. Nice Write, as Usual.
ReplyDeleteYes sir. That's the fact on ground. We still have so much to cover....even Kargil Committee recommendations aren't implemented yet....India is like an elephant (not Madras Regt wala) with complex and big organisations, at times it's difficult to coordinate any strategic move...
ReplyDeleteToo good sir, a big fan of your reading Warm regards
ReplyDeleteNice humour
ReplyDeleteAt the same time thoughtful
Amazing as always PSG!
ReplyDeleteYou are truthful in assessing prevailing culture in own org. We need to grow. It si incorrect to assume that we lack imagination or initiative however imdtly gratification and fear of failure takes precedence. It's very difficult to change the culture
ReplyDelete