India was carrying out a tri services war game Exercise ‘Haldi Ghati’ between April 18-21 to ensure seamless communications between the three services and enable them to talk to each other without any obstacles.
Around the same time, the Indian Navy was carrying out a major theatre level readiness Exercise Tropex in the Arabian Sea where almost all the major warships of the force were taking part.
Right after the Pahalgam attack that took place on April 22, the Department of Military Affairs led by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan went ahead with the implementation of the lessons learnt during the communications exercise, defence sources told ANI.
The officials concerned carried out the trials successfully to enable a seamless communication between all three forces, the sources added.
The time period in the run up to the real attack on May 7 was used fully to ensure jointness in communication.
Meanwhile, the Joint Air Defence Centres of the three forces were also formed in forward areas of the India-Pakistan border where the air defence weapon systems and command and control systems of the defence forces were brought together, they said.
The success in having a common seamless communication systems and air defence network was helpful in dealing with the attacks by drones by Pakistan Army on May 7,8 and 9.
The jointness in communications also helped the force commanders in the headquarters in Delhi to get a clear picture of the real time situation in the battle ground.
The Tropex in the Arabian Sea also helped the Indian Navy to immediately carry out deployment in every corner of the Arabian Sea forcing the Pakistan Navy to keep its assets close to the Makran coast, the sources said.
The Indian Navy had all its frontline warships in the forward locations and was ready to get into action.
(With inputs from ANI)
