After successfully carrying out a ground operation in Myanmar against North-East insurgents on Tuesday, the Army may use helicopter gunships for future cross-border raids to destroy terror camps. The objective of using MI-35 gunships is to completely destroy command and control set-up of groups like NSCN(K) and send a strong message that they are not safe even in jungles of Myanmar.
Keeping the option of using air power open to target the militants, India will also use diplomatic channels to seek Myanmar’s consent. National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval is likely to discuss this issue with the political leadership of that country during his visit on June 15. Myanmar’s nod is necessary as intrusion in its airspace to carry out military operation may lead to a diplomatic row. Doval is expected to meet Myanmar President U Thein Sein.
Senior Army officers were expected to be in Doval’s team to strategise operations with their Myanmar counterparts. Noting that the Armies of the two countries have “excellent” working relations, sources rejected reports that Myanmar has expressed displeasure or protest against Indian Army’s operation against insurgents.
The sources maintained that India invoked May 2014 Border Agreement with Myanmar on border cooperation which provides a framework for security cooperation and exchange of information between security agencies of the two countries. A key provision of the pact was conduct of coordinated patrols on their respective sides of the International Border and the maritime boundary by the Armed Forces of the two countries.
Officials said deployment of helicopter gunships for targeting camps across the border is part of “hot pursuit” policy. Since the Myanmar Army has helped the Indian security forces in the past in joint operations against militants, India is keen to observe all diplomatic niceties, they said. Fitted with machine guns and missiles, helicopter gunships are used for carrying out attacks against large groups. Air power also eliminates the risk of collateral casualties since the militants could be better prepared next time for a ground offensive.
Elaborating upon this aspect, officials said the cross-border raid in Onzia in Myanmar on Tuesday was against two separate camps with 20-25 militants lodged in each camp. These camps were located two-three kilometre inside the neighbouring country and the Special Forces commandos trekked through thick jungles to neutralise them.
However, if larger camps of 50 to 100 militants located more than ten to 12 kilometre from the International Border are to be hit, helicopter gunship option is safer as movement of a big team of more than 100 commandos stands the danger of detection. On the issue of losing element of surprise as helicopters make noise, officials said the gunships can accomplish the mission within two to three minutes and return to the Indian side in that much time. Officials clarified gunship attack will only be launched after getting precise and real-time Intelligence about the location of camps to avoid any collateral damage.
Incidentally, the Myanmar Army has little presence in the five-km zone from the International Border and this area is generally referred to as Naga Self-Administered Territory. Intelligence agencies have reported the presence of at least 15 terrorist training camps in thick jungles in Myanmar and the security forces want to target them.