Escalation unlikely: experts

Indian Army's "surgical strikes" on terrorist launch pads across the Line of Control has sent a message to Pakistan to not take India for granted, security experts said yesterday, and noted that there may not be escalation in the situation as Islamabad has denied there was any such military action.

The cross-border strikes were carried out on Wednesday night in retaliation for Pakistan-backed terrorist action on Indian soil, the army said.

Former Indian army Chief Gen VP Malik said that Indian Army's military action was not against Pakistan or the Pakistani Army but on terrorist launch pads.

"While India is not interested in the whole situation escalating but if Pakistan does something, we will have to be prepared," Gen Malik said.

The general, who was the Army chief during the Kargil war, hailed the "first-ever" calibrated surgical strike by the Army.

"Chances of escalation may be minimal but in such a situation, you cannot rule (that) out. I don't think it is in India's interests to see an escalation but if Pakistan wants it then India will have to be prepared," he added.

C Uday Bhaskar, security analyst and director, Society for Policy Studies, said the surgical strike against the terrorist camps announced by the Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO), Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, has confirmed what had been anticipated over the last few days - namely that the Modi team would 'respond' in an appropriate manner to the enormity of the Uri terror attack.

"With this two messages have been conveyed. One, India does not wish to escalate the military operation and the target was terror - and not the territorial integrity or sovereignty of Pakistan. Two, the onus for restraint or escalation is now on Rawalpindi - the GHQ of the Pakistan military," he added.

A former government security official, who did not want to be named, said that Pakistan has reduced its options by denying the Indian military action.

"I don't know the reason why they have denied. But by doing so, they have sort of reduced their options," the official said.

Former foreign secretary Shashank hailed the army action and said India has adopted a comprehensive strategy in the wake of the Uri terror attack.

"There has been a comprehensive and coordinated strategy on all directions - strategic, diplomatic as also economic. This will ensure that terrorists will think twice now before infiltrating to India," Shashank said.

"I don't see the situation escalating because Pakistan has denied there has been any such surgical strike. If they escalate on their own, the international community is bound to question their motive," Brigadier SK Chatterjee (retd) said.