Gen V P Malik meeting frontline troops in Kargil in 1999. CHANDIGARH: Twenty-seven years after leading the Army during the 1999 Kargil War, former Army chief General VP Malik (retd) said the conflict’s hard lessons – from equipment shortages and intelligence gaps to the need for self-reliance – transformed India’s military capabilities, enabling the precision strikes on Pakistani airfields during last year’s Operation Sindoor without crossing the border.“The biggest operational lessons were the need to strengthen intelligence, surveillance and achieve ‘atmanirbharta (self-reliance)’ in military hardware,” Gen Malik told TOI in an interview ahead of the 27th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas. Those lessons, he said, shaped India’s military preparedness over the next two decades.Citing Operation Sindoor, he pointed to the armed forces’ growing reliance on short- and long-range drones for surveillance and precision strikes, along with advanced rockets and missiles.

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“We did not have to enter Pakistani territory when we struck airfields and radar stations, causing major havoc,” he said, contrasting it with Kargil.He said indigenous and imported platforms, including BrahMos, Akash and the S-400, were now tested in real-world conditions. Combined with an integrated tri-services command under Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), they have significantly strengthened India’s defence capability.Yet, Gen Malik stressed that technology alone could not win wars. “The man behind the gun is always more important. We must look after them,” he said.Recalling his visits to the frontlines in Jammu & Kashmir, Gen Malik said the soldiers themselves became a source of strength. “…every six days, I would visit… While morale in Delhi was sometimes anxious or uncertain, not a single soldier ever told me the task was difficult. Every visit replenished my own morale.”Reflecting on the reforms that followed the war, Gen Malik said govt constituted Kargil Review Committee, whose key recommendations included creating the CDS position to improve tri-service integration and civil-military coordination. He added that commemorating Vijay Diwas was not only about paying homage to the martyrs but also ensuring the lessons of the conflict continued to guide armed forces.Gen Malik said the valour displayed remained an inspiration for future generations. While the victory involved strategic planning at the highest level, he insisted the credit belonged to the young officers and soldiers who fought at unforgiving heights. “We must also remember the supporting arms and services. People often forget them but military functions like an orchestra during war. When every arm works in harmony, we achieve victory.”Invoking Bhagavad Gita, he said, “The true test of any plan lies in its execution. As written in the Gita: ‘Action is superior to knowledge’.”