India’s cold start doctrine and Pakistan’s response in Azm-e-Nou

Kamran Yousaf ‘s story in Express Tribune on June 4th sheds light on the Pakistan military’s ongoing exercises Azm-e-Nou, but there are some points which need elaboration as they create some misconceptions about these war games. For example the reporter writes “The doctrine (Azm e Nou) has been designed to give India an edge in the first few days of combat operations, before international pressure could be brought to bear on India and before the Pakistani military could respond effectively.”
The question arises can Pakistan afford to give advancing Indian forces any advantage for even an hour when important towns and cities like Lahore and Sialkot are located on the border. Before looking at the necessity of formulating Azm e Nou Response to Indian Cold Start Doctrine, let us first see what India’s Cold Start Doctrine is and what Pakistan’s Azm e Nou aims at.
The Azm e Nou-4 war games, which are being conducted in National Defense University, Islamabad are continuation of development, validation and crystallization of newly-inducted war fighting concept and strategy, prepared in view of the emerging threat environment. Pakistani armed forces are conducting war games and exercises since 2009 to validate the Azm-e-Nou Doctrine to counter Indian Army’s doctrine, which according to Indian military analysts is Pakistan-specific.
The Cold Start doctrine is based on Information or network centric warfare concept which seeks to translate an information advantage, enabled in part by information technology, into a competitive advantage through the robust networking of well-informed geographically dispersed forces.
According to this Indian doctrine, the air-borne troops and air cavalry units will be dropped behind Pakistani lines and important installations to destroy command and defense infrastructure and capabilities. For the said purpose eight or more integrated battle groups, comprising elements of Army, air force and navy, will undertake Blitzkrieg type action.
The doctrine envisages war will not exceed two to four days as it will be crisp and violent. Due to integration of all intelligence available at troops’ level, commanders at junior level will be able to modify the plans according to operational requirements and increase the pace of battle. This information-sharing at the lowest level, according to Dr. Subhash Kapila of South Asia Analysis Group, will allow Indian forces space and flexibility for maneuvers and to commanders to execute plans in such a speed that objectives will be achieved before the international community will have the chance to intervene.
This doctrine do not aims at the capture of territory but at the destruction of armed forces and defense infrastructure. The formulators of this doctrine suggest that essence of “Cold Start” is surprise, mobility and speed achieved by coordinated efforts of services. They consider traditional slow mobilization of forces gives enough time to enemy for taking measures and so surprise is washed out. Under the Indian doctrine, in future war they say they will not give time to think and react. Indian planners think that future war will be a limited war (in time dimension) fought under nuclear umbrella but short to nuclear threshold.
Pakistani response to counter this doctrine as tested in Azm-e-Nou 3 Exercise was simple and clear. This new concept to counter Cold Start doctrine was tested in two war games Azm-e-Nou 1 and II and the lessons learnt from these two war games were tested practically in Azm-e-Nou III exercise held in 2010 and now they are further being improved and discussed in Azm e Nou 4 war games, currently under way at the NDU Islamabad
In Azm-e-Nou 3 Pakistani troops were divided in two opposing forces namely Fox Land (Enemy) and Blue Land Army. Air force also participated in these exercises giving close support to both armies. Attack on blue land started with Massive air strike by Fox land Air force and was followed by Blitzkrieg attack of Fox land forces. Blue land force displayed its capability to absorb the impact of Fox land Assault and after absorbing, regrouping and halting the fox land; its forces conducted a counter offensive. According to ISPR press release on 15 April 2010 Pakistan Army is at present network-enabled force. This means Pakistan army has also adopted network centric warfare method of war fare and has become capable of conducting operations according to the concept. Interestingly, during this exercise ISPR announced that Azm e Nou 3 exercise Forces executed counter offensive instead of Counter attacks meaning that there is shift in Pakistani concepts of war and now Pakistan will respond with offensive at strategic level and not be limited to theater or operational level.
Every free nation has right of self defense. Pakistan may be small but has displayed its capability and resolve not to bow in front of regional challenges but one thing should be understood that validating a war-fighting concept is one thing but to win a war is another. State and its newly elected government are required to invest a lot of time and money in other elements of national power, especially economy.
Writer is Sr.Associate Producer in Private Tv Channel and holds Masters Degree in Diplomacy & Strategic Studies.