'Pakistan now knows that nuclear weapons can't guarantee security'

There has been a paradigm shift in India's thought process after Pakistan-sponsored terrorists attacked the Central Reserve Police Force convoy at Lethpora in Pulwama district of Jammu & Kashmir on February 14, 2019, according to strategic expert Colonel (Retd) Danvir Singh Chauhan.

Talking to Asianet Newsable, Colonel Chauhan, who had commanded the 9 Sikh Light Infantry and served as Company Commander in the Chushul Garrison in 2004-2005, said, "I consider Pulwama (terror attack) to be a very major assault on India's integrity and sovereignty. It was perpetrated from across the border and the greatest lesson that we have to learn from the Pulwama attack is that India needs to be always prepared when it comes to the security aspects."

He also suggested that the Indian armed forces need to be more alert and vigilant so that such a situation won't rise further. 

"India needs to have contingency plans in the place in case such an incident happens -- something like what we did after the Pulwama that is Balakote airstrike. So to carry out a Balakote type of an attack we have to be absolutely prepared. The Army, Navy and the Air Force have to evolve their plan regularly and be ready to strike anytime because the enemy can spring a surprise," Colonel Chauhan said. 

Speaking about Balakote airstrike, he said it gave India a self-confidence to go for punitive action against Pakistan that too in their territory. 

"After Pulwama and Balakote airstrike, everything changed. In fact, I would say that everything changed after Uri. Uri gave us the way, showed the way and there was a paradigm shift in the thought process during Balakote. India got the self-confidence to act against Pakistan and inside Pakistan. This has also changed the Pakistani perception as well. They realised that nuclear weapons do not guarantee the security,” he said.