Peaceful Lal Bahadur Shastri was India's best military PM: Arjan Singh, Marshal, IAF

Arjan Singh, Marshal of the Indian Air Force, is one of India's defence icons who helped steer the nation to key victories. Speaking with Rohit E David, Singh discussed the contested 1965 India-Pakistan war, how India's armed forces differ significantly from our neighbours and our best military PM so far:

Could you share some memories of leading the IAF charge in 1965?

Well, in 1965, Pakistan tried to cut off Jammu & Kashmir through an armoured-cum-infantry attack on Akhnoor sector. General J N Chaudhuri said unless the IAF stepped in, it would be difficult to stop Pakistan in the Chamb-Jaurian sector. I said with IAF involvement, the conflict will escalate to a full-fledged war. Then defence minister Yashwantrao Chavan asked me if IAF was ready I said yes.

Within no time, he accorded the go-ahead to launch air strikes ­ 22 aircraft from Pathankot, Ambala and Adampur were able to strike at all major air bases in Pakistan like Sargodha, Peshawar, etc. Air attacks were planned in such a manner that our aircraft would fly over Kashmir Valley, providing us cover against radar detection in Pakistan.

We were able to damage a lot in Pakistan. Our pilots, especially the Keelor brothers, Nebb, Jaggi Nath and others, instilled fear in the Pakistanis. I used to travel to all the forward bases to meet our forces and motivate them.

Who actually won the 1965 war?

Pakistan claims victory in 1965 for political reasons and perhaps to keep the morale of their defence services high in my opinion, the war ended in a stalemate. I must add that we were in a position of strength. Had the war continued, we would have gained a decisive victory. I advised Prime Minister Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri not to agree to ceasefire but I think he was under tremendous pressure from the United Nations.

But let me tell you, Shastri was not a weak man at all. He was a man of peace and never wanted either country's population to suffer because of war. During the war, he gave only one direction ­ not to hit the civilian population.

Unlike our neighbours, how has India's military stayed steadfast to democracy?

After Independence, Indian armed forces have not intervened in politics and the country has successfully preserved democracy. Decision-making on national security is with democratically elected governments. Defence services rightly obey government's orders with full faith. However, service chiefs are frank in putting across their opinions to government on operational preparedness and requirements of the forces.

In my opinion, Pakistan has fallen prey to religious extremism.

Further, every decision of civilian government there is influenced by army leadership, which is absolutely not the case in our country ­ here, the military has full faith and belief in democratically elected civilian government.

In military terms, who's been our best PM so far and why?

I may be a little biased when I name Lal Bahadur Shastri ­ but I saw Shastri during the 1965 war and his leadership was so decisive.

Even Pakistan was surprised to see this little man stand so firm.