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News Analysis/Colonel Anil Athale (retired)

War Book already in operation

Modern wars are a national effort and fought by the whole nation, not by the armed forces alone. As an example, a division consisting of about 20,000 soldiers, when fighting a war, needs supplies, ammunition, petrol/oil and lubricants etc to the tune of 400 tonnes a day. With several divisions deployed on the border for war, the resources of the entire nation need to be mobilised. That procedure and process is contained in the War Book.

The War Book exists in all the concerned ministries of the central government as well as at state level, down to the district level. Various actions listed in the War Book are things like keeping hospital beds ready, requisitioning civil transport, ships, placing the airline staff under the orders of the Indian Air Force. The practice of keeping a War Book ready at all times dates back to the British days. The advantage of this system is that separate orders for each action are unnecessary and the whole government machinery is geared up with minimum fuss.

The armed forces have been mobilised for the last six months. What Home Minister L K Advani apparently meant was that the other ministries and government departments are also being activated.

The last time such an exercise was carried out by India was in 1971. Six months before the war started all deficiencies were made up. Typically, the armed forces function in peace time with close to 25 per cent deficiencies, but on mobilisation these are made up. Young readers may not know but in 1971 even before a shot was fired, the armed forces had began building Prisoner of War camps. Even the staff for them was earmarked. The State Reserve Police from states away from the border were deployed in Punjab. I still remember seeing the poor constables of the Mumbai police in their blue shorts shivering in the Delhi cold.

It is rumoured the government is making discreet enquiries to locate suitable retired armed forces officers to act as administrators for major Pakistani cities like Lahore, Islamabad etc in case these have to be administered by us after capture.

The reason Home Minister Advani has made this statement now seems a move directed at Pakistan to convince it that India means business and is dead serious. Else, the various provisions of the War Book are already under implementation.

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