Dragon Fire

Baghla, Thar Desert, Pakistan

‘Can you not bypass Baghla?’ said Gurjit Singh, questioning Colonel Chidambaram’s decision.

‘Negative, sir. The level of fire indicates a substantial enemy force. Our final position is only ten kilometres north of here. Baghla must pose no threat to our position.’

‘How long to secure it?’

‘Three hours.’

‘You have two.’

Chidambaram ordered his vehicles to move towards the southerly and easterly sides of the settlement, giving each line of tanks a clear firing line. Twenty tanks fired simultaneously on Baghla from the south in a massively destructive volley. Thirty seconds later twenty tanks from the east fired a similar volley. Straight after that, enemy positions were strafed with cannon fire. Then Chidambaram ordered his men to hold their fire.

But in the sudden quiet which came after the firing, twenty Pakistani warplanes screamed in at low level, unleashing cannon and missile fire on the tank positions, turning and tearing back again before the Indian air force could make a response. The impact of the attack was devastating. Before Chidambaram could get back on the radio to check on the casualties, the anti-tank guns opened up again from inside Baghla.

‘Call in your hits,’ ordered Chidambaram.

Some reports came in of damage. Other call signs were silent because the tank was destroyed and the crew dead.

‘Request air support on Baghla,’ said Chidambaram on the main link to Singh.

‘What the hell is going on there, Wool sector?’

‘Enemy position with air cover.’

‘Fifteen T-90 and Arjun tanks destroyed. Casualties not known. Substantive minefield and anti-tank opposition.’

The Indian air assault on Baghla was later described as the decisive attack which changed the objectives of the war. It was relentless, unforgiving, allowing no room for let-up or surrender. For thirty minutes Indian warplanes pummelled what was no more than a desert ruin. The enemy who had remained to hold Baghla were buried in scorching rubble. No one escaped and Chidambaram witnessed it, wondering with horror what he would find when his units could finally move in.