Kargil War: Pakistan's Strategy and Objective in Kargil Conflict

The Kargil War, fought between May and July 1999, was a significant conflict between India and Pakistan. It took place in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir, making it one of the highest battlegrounds in the world. This conflict arose after Pakistani soldiers and militants infiltrated the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC). Pakistan's strategy and objectives in the Kargil War can be understood through a detailed analysis of its geopolitical ambitions, military tactics, and diplomatic manoeuvres.

Background of the Kargil War

The Kargil War was the result of longstanding territorial disputes between India and Pakistan, particularly over the Kashmir region. The conflict began when the Indian Army detected infiltrations by Pakistani soldiers and militants into Indian territory. These infiltrations were later confirmed to be part of a well-coordinated operation by the Pakistani military, specifically the Northern Light Infantry (NLI), which sought to occupy strategic positions on the Indian side of the LoC.

Objectives of Pakistan

Pakistan's objectives in the Kargil War were multifaceted:

• Alteration of the LoC: One of Pakistan's primary objectives was to alter the LoC unilaterally. By occupying strategic heights in Kargil, Pakistan aimed to control the critical Srinagar-Leh highway, which was crucial for India's logistics and military supplies in the region. This would have given Pakistan a significant strategic advantage and disrupted India's supply lines to its troops in the Siachen Glacier area.
• Internationalisation of the Kashmir Issue: Pakistan sought to internationalise the Kashmir dispute by drawing global attention to the conflict. By provoking a limited war in a disputed region, Pakistan hoped to bring the Kashmir issue back to the forefront of international diplomatic discourse, compelling global powers to intervene and mediate a resolution favourable to Pakistan.
• Undermining Indian Morale: By achieving a tactical surprise and occupying high-altitude positions, Pakistan aimed to demoralise the Indian military and political leadership. A successful operation in Kargil would have boosted Pakistan's military prestige and potentially led to political instability in India.
• Support for Insurgency in Kashmir: The infiltration was also intended to bolster the ongoing insurgency in Indian-administered Kashmir. By establishing a foothold in the region, Pakistan aimed to provide logistical support and a safe haven for militants fighting against Indian forces in Kashmir.

The Columbia Education website mentions: "The Kargil aggression was a way of indicating to the Kashmiris Pakistan’s commitment to a proxy war in the Valley. The other purpose was also to show that foreign mercenaries were ready to sacrifice for the cause of the Kashmiris. The indirect benefits of such a course of action would be to draw out the Indian Army from the Valley, thereby relieving pressure on the insurgents in the Valley."

"As an additional political objective, the intent was to spread insurgency to areas around Chorbat La, Turtuk and Chalunka in the Shyok Valley. There was also, perhaps, the question of punishing the Sunni Muslims in areas around Kargil, who do not appear to have cooperated with the Pakistani scheme of things. And in Pakistan’s view, the Simla Agreement of 1972 was dead from the day it was signed. There was no question of ever honouring the bilateral intent of the agreement and considering the LoC as a de facto international border. The Kargil aggression was another effort in a series of attempts that had been made earlier to question the validity of the Simla Agreement which, the Pakistanis claimed, had been signed by them under “duress," it adds. 

Military Strategy

• Pakistan's military strategy in the Kargil War was characterised by several key elements:
• Surprise and Deception: The operation relied heavily on the element of surprise. Pakistani troops infiltrated into the Indian side of the LoC during the winter months when the area was less patrolled. The use of regular soldiers in civilian attire, combined with the harsh terrain, initially helped conceal their presence.
• Occupying Dominant Heights: Pakistani forces occupied strategically significant high-altitude positions overlooking the Srinagar-Leh highway. These positions provided a commanding view of the surrounding areas and posed a significant challenge for the Indian Army to dislodge them.
• Utilisation of Local Militant Groups: In addition to regular troops, Pakistan employed local militants and irregular forces to augment their operations. This blend of regular and irregular warfare was intended to complicate the Indian response and create an impression of a broader insurgency rather than a conventional military incursion.
• Limited Engagements: Pakistan intended to keep the conflict localized and limited to the Kargil sector, avoiding a full-scale war. This strategy aimed to achieve tactical objectives without escalating into a broader conflict that could draw in international intervention or lead to severe military repercussions.

Diplomatic Manoeuvres

On the diplomatic front, Pakistan's strategy involved several key manoeuvres:

• Denial and Diplomatic Cover: Initially, Pakistan denied any involvement of its regular troops in the Kargil conflict, describing the infiltrators as Kashmiri militants. This was intended to create plausible deniability and avoid direct blame for the escalation. However, evidence gathered by India and international observers eventually exposed the involvement of the Pakistani military.
• Appeals to the International Community: Pakistan sought to garner international support by portraying the conflict as a spontaneous uprising by Kashmiri insurgents. Diplomatic efforts were made to highlight alleged human rights violations by Indian forces in Kashmir and to frame the conflict within the broader context of the Kashmir dispute.
• Engagement with the United States and China: Pakistan engaged with major global powers, particularly the United States and China, to seek diplomatic support and pressure India. However, the international community largely viewed the Kargil conflict as an act of aggression by Pakistan, leading to limited diplomatic success for Islamabad.

Outcome and Consequences

• The Kargil War ended in July 1999 with a decisive victory for India. Indian forces successfully recaptured the strategic heights occupied by Pakistani infiltrators, and Pakistan faced significant diplomatic and military setbacks. The conflict had several key consequences:
• Military Defeat: Pakistan's failure to achieve its strategic objectives resulted in a military defeat. The loss of life and resources, combined with the exposure of its involvement, weakened Pakistan's military standing.
• Diplomatic Isolation: The international community, including Pakistan's allies like the United States, condemned the Kargil intrusion. This led to diplomatic isolation for Pakistan and increased pressure to withdraw its forces from Indian territory.
• Political Repercussions: The Kargil War led to political upheaval in Pakistan, including the eventual military coup by General Pervez Musharraf in October 1999. The conflict exposed rifts within the Pakistani establishment and highlighted the challenges of managing civil-military relations.
• Strengthening of Indian Resolve: The Kargil War bolstered India's resolve to secure its borders and improve its military preparedness. The conflict led to significant changes in India's defence strategy, including enhanced surveillance and improved infrastructure in border areas.

The RAND Organisation mentions: "The most important lesson Pakistan took from the crisis was that Kargil-like operations have high political costs, especially for Pakistan’s international reputation. That said, the Kargil fiasco does not appear to have extinguished Pakistan’s belief that violence, especially as represented by LIC, remains the best policy for pressuring India on Kashmir and other outstanding disputes. While vocal criticisms of the Kargil misadventure are plentiful, there are many stakeholders in Pakistan who view Kargil as some sort of a victory lost. If such beliefs of Kargil—despite being fundamentally false in their details—represent the considered assessments of Pakistan’s security managers, future policies could emerge that call for Kargil-like operations. A reemergence of such policies could have disastrous consequences for stability in South Asia. "

Conclusion

Pakistan's strategy and objectives in the Kargil War were driven by a combination of territorial ambitions, a desire to internationalise the Kashmir issue, and efforts to undermine India's military and political stability. However, the conflict resulted in significant military, diplomatic, and political setbacks for Pakistan. The Kargil War remains a critical chapter in the complex and often contentious relationship between India and Pakistan, highlighting the enduring challenges of achieving peace and stability in the region.

READ| Lessons Learned from the Kargil War

Operation Vijay: Planning and Execution