India’s Cold Start Strategy hollow, lacks military logic

Former Chief of Army Staff, General  Mirza Aslam Beg has termed the recent statement of Indian Army Chief, Gen Deepak Kapoor as hollow, lacking in military logic and reflective of Indian sinister designs.
In an exclusive interview with Pakistan Observer here on Friday Gen Beg analysed the factors behind Kapoor’s outlandish statement and said, this cannot be described as a workable doctrine. “Pakis-tan’s Armed Forces are fully alive to the situation and capable of meeting any challenge from across the border,” he stressed.
Gen Beg said, the Indian Army Chief should keep in mind that Pakistan can assemble its forces within three to four days as against eight to nine days required by India to launch any ground, air and naval offensive against Pakistan.
He said, Gen Deepak’s statement in fact reflects India’s inner fear and seems to be for public consumption at home. “It also shows Indian fear of growing might of China and its strategic alliance with Pakistan.”
To a question, the former Army Chief said, India has failed miserably in Afghanistan where the occupation forces have been defeated and India is per force to withdraw from that country. This has led to a sense of frustration in India as its huge network in Afghanistan faces collapse.
He said, the new Indian military doctrine described as cold start is intended to carry out surprise surgical strikes against Pakistan with the assumption that Islamabad would not react in time. However, he made it clear that Pakistan would never allow any intrusion into its territory on whatever pretext and would fully retaliate and beat back the Indian aggression.
He said in terms of military might Pakistan has an edge over India. He elaborated: “Pakistan has indigenous production of armament. It has its own battle tanks, latest warplanes, submarines and frigates. As opposed to it, India lacks indigenous capability. Moreover, India is in the process of transformation of its armament from Russia to the United States and the Western countries. It would take India years to replace its weaponry.”
Answering a question regarding Pakistan’s nuclear deterrence, Gen Aslam Beg said, there is no danger to Pakistan’s nuclear assets, adding that Pakistan would always maintain its credible nuclear deterrence. The nuclear deterrence would always discourage India to undertake any misadventure.
He said India’s new doctrine is to carry out surprise attack against Pakistan to achieve limited objectives under the nuclear umbrella, but such objective would be unachievable
The former Army Chief said Pakistan’s intelligence agencies are quite capable of forewarning our Armed Forces about Indian deployment and pass on the information to the relevant quarters within hours.
Replying to another question, he said India is in no position to take on Pakistan or China much less both simultaneously as has been boasted by India’s Army Chief, he pointed out that China can repel the Indian aggression in much more befitting manner today than it did in 1962 when Indian forces had suffered humiliating defeat.
He said, China’s air power is much superior to that of India. “China has formidable missile arsenal and it can use its medium range missiles against India with telling effects.”
Gen Aslam Beg said, India cannot afford to indulge in mad adventure against Pakistan being aware of its military might and decisive military strategy. New Delhi is also faced with a real threat from insurgents who are active in various parts of the country. He pointed out that “India has lost its writ in almost two hundred and fifty districts where as many as twelve insurgencies are actively engaged in freedom struggle