As emotions run high in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, a former diplomat has warned that public mood should not dictate a war with Pakistan. Ajay Bisaria, former high commissioner to Pakistan, highlighted the key aspects of such an action and said its timing should not be based on what the people feel.
"For any operation to succeed, you need three elements: speed, surprise, and secrecy. There is an issue of choosing our timing, and that should not be dictated by the public mood," said the former diplomat on an ANI podcast.
Mr Bisaria, who has headed the Indian mission in Pakistan during 2017-2020, stressed the need to be able to fight the battle on its own if the situation escalates.
"We have to fight this battle on our own. When you escalate, you have to be prepared for the worst-case scenario, which is an uncontrolled escalation where you could even be fighting a full-scale war. And have the capacity, intent, political will, and national will to be able to do that," he added.
His comments assume significance amid the soaring tensions between India and Pakistan after 26 civilians were massacred in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam by terrorists with links to a Pakistan-based terror group.
Sushant Sareen, a strategic affairs expert, warned of the "massive costs" of war and said both countries will be vulnerable if the situation escalates to the point where India and Pakistan drop missiles on each other's cities.
"It is extremely critical that we prepare our public that there are massive costs and risks attached to any kinetic action. If missiles are going to be raining on each other's cities, then if Islamabad and Lahore are vulnerable, then so is Delhi," said Mr Sareen.
He also questioned Russia's position as a partner and whether they would support India in a scenario where it's pitted against China.
"Russians haven't really come out in our favour. This is something that we should ask our foreign policy establishments, that we have been saying 'Russia, Russia, Russia', and we have also been insisting that if tomorrow we have some kind of tiff with the Chinese, then will the Russians stand with us? There has been a body of opinion that said 'yes,'" he said.
"My question is, they did not stand with us on the Pakistani thing, why will they stand with us on the Chinese thing?" Mr Sareen asked.
Backing the government's decision to ban YouTube handles of Pakistani channels and creators, he said that it was not okay to allow them to utilise the Indian market to spread propaganda against India and make a profit out of it.
"Under normal circumstances, it's okay, fine, you're having a normal debate. It's fair enough. But these are not normal, but extraordinary circumstances. The other thing is banning YouTube; you subtly hit at their revenue stream. You cannot try and utilise my market and carry out poisonous propaganda against me and make a profit out of it. I'm not going to allow," said Mr Sareen.
