I am surprised that the Narendra Modi government, which since May 2014 enmeshed the armed forces with its neo-nationalist ideology and politically exploited them as never before, has not used them in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic to inspire confidence in the public. I am equally surprised that the Chief of Defence Staff, Bipin Rawat, and the three service chiefs — all of whom in the recent past have been very vocal in media — have said little in the public domain about their immense capacity and readiness to fight epidemics like coronavirus.
The reason is that the Modi government, true to its form, has not included the armed forces in the decision-making process. This is evident from the absence of their representation in the 11 empowered groups set up last Sunday to coordinate the management and control of the Covid-19 disease across India. This is when the armed forces have the capacity to directly influence almost all domains of the empowered groups.
Apart from India’s strategy and capacity to fight Covid-19, the crucial determinant in performance is going to be the trust the public reposes in the Modi government. And it is this trust that the armed forces can help reinforce. A case in point is the sad saga of the migrant labourers, who having lost their livelihood began to walk hundreds of kilometres to their homes after the government announced the 21-day nationwide lockdown with only four hours of notice.
Also read: This is how the Indian military is trying to prevent COVID-19 from entering its bases
Strategy without thought
The large-scale exodus of unorganised sector workers and their families from relatively prosperous states to reach their villages in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, and Jharkhand among others is a classic case of executing a strategy without taking the risk factors into account and without any contingency plans. The migrant labourers had no faith in the state governments to give them shelter and feed them for the duration of the lockdown. The knee-jerk response of the state governments to undertake damage control measures unfolded a tragedy that will haunt India for a long time. Even a week after the exodus began, there seems to be no end in sight.
Indian armed forces had the capacity to control the situation within 48 hours. The Army has many cantonments and military stations housing major formations along or within striking distance of the affected highways of migration. The Army would have in situ quickly set up makeshift quarantine camps under tents or in requisitioned buildings complete with toilets, water and lighting arrangements to isolate, shelter and feed the affected migrants. Of course. it would have shown the state governments in poor light but that is a non-issue when you have to tackle a disaster of this magnitude.
The gains of an early lockdown decision are likely to be negated by this unforeseen migration. Non-deployment of the Army is an error of judgement that the Modi government will rue in the coming months.
Also read: Terrorists can weaponise coronavirus. Armed forced need to be extra-vigilant
Phenomenal capacity of the armed forces
The Modi government and the Indian public must know the phenomenal capacity of the armed forces to fight a crisis like the coronavirus pandemic. They have 1.5 million soldiers/airmen/sailors spread across every state of India. The strength of the military is its organisation, training and speed. There is no place in India that the military cannot reach within six hours. Armed forces have 13,200 doctors/specialists/nurses supported by 1,00,000 trained medical staff. The Indian military is self-contained for mobility and logistics, which can be enhanced by the use of aircraft and helicopters.
With its resources duly supplemented with necessary medical and other equipment, which can be doubled by calling in the reserves and volunteers, the military can do the following:
• Make available two-thirds capacity of its 130 military hospitals and create additional 100 field hospitals, which can be set up anywhere in India at 24 hours’ notice. The field hospitals can be used as a mobile reserve to be deployed in areas considered ‘hotspots’ for the coronavirus.
• The capacity of 720 district hospitals can be trebled by army engineers with prefabricated shelters. Military medical teams also enhance their efficiency.
• Large scale testing and vaccination can be carried out by the military’s medical teams.
• Army engineers can modify buildings into hospitals exclusively for Covid-19 cases using prefabricated material as has been done in the UK.
• Large quarantine facilities can be created, in addition to the 15 already functional, to cater to the community transmission stage.
• Military logistics systems can be utilised to supplement the civil supply chain to ensure door-to-door supplies during the lockdowns or when large areas are placed under in situ quarantine. The military can also run large scale free kitchens as per government directions.
• The military can assist the civilian authority in maintaining law and order and enforce total or selective lockdown.
Also read: Ready to operate beyond mandate to fight the pandemic: CDS Bipin Rawat
When and how to use armed forces
The question is if the central and state governments have the necessary infrastructure and resources, and are so far managing the Covid-19 crisis well, then why deploy the armed forces, their immense capacity notwithstanding?
There is no doubt that the current situation — local transmission stage — is being managed well by the state governments. Thus, on the face of it, if at all the resources of the armed forces have to be deployed, then it should be at the community transmission stage. But the community transmission stage is inevitable and given our low testing rate, the transition will be very rapid and overwhelm the existing resources as has happened elsewhere in the world, including in developed countries. At the community transmission stage, the deployment will not optimise the capabilities of the armed forces since they would get sucked into unplanned crisis management.
It would be more prudent for the Modi government to include the armed forces in the decision-making process without delay and decide the manner in which to utilise their capacity. The armed forces then must immediately begin to prepare for and adapt to the assigned role. By the time we enter the full-blown community transmission stage, the military should be seamlessly working with the civil administration. Needless to mention that a part of the military capacity must be kept as a reserve to cater for the unforeseen.
The Indian military is held in very high esteem by the public. Its very presence inspires confidence. I recommend that the military must be immediately integrated by the Modi government to supplement the resources of the state in this fight against the coronavirus.
Lt Gen H S Panag PVSM, AVSM (R) served in the Indian Army for 40 years. He was GOC in C Northern Command and Central Command. Post retirement, he was Member of Armed Forces Tribunal. Views are personal.
Am surprised that we are even suggesting to call the Army to fight migrant problem amid COVID-19 pandemic. Wonder, who will protect the borders if Army gets infected. With due respect to people in this country – had Army been called, it would have been termed as military coup, to say the least, by the very same people.
You are posing a fool knowing well that Modi is setting the stage for Ambani business gains in the garb of patriotism to boost the make in India for them behind the corona smoke screen unaccounted finance powers to Rawat facism in the name of patriotism .The cat is just out of the bag.
H S Panag likes are impostering greatness just by drawing parallels will that the US forces now too late . Panag must have had several occasions every day to blow the whistle he never blew and stick to his ration perks no doubt there is command failure moral failure human failure all combined in Army from ever since china war and Menon had to bite the bullet for the army conspiracy against the civil command .Army has been a conspiring controversial command ever since then fighting for perks with no responsibility and sticking to posts. Subramanium kargil enquiry is not made public and not implemented till date. And Rawat now is new born GIN who is out to make Indian Army a ancillary of TRUMP with Modi TRUMPS marketing Manager offering 1.4 billion Indians as a market and as a cheap manpower to Trump business empire . Corona hoax is a strategies to hide the great cracking of Pentagon by the Indian business for selfish gains .
What did the migrants want and they still want, is to go home. Even if someone were to die he would prefer his native village as his last resting place. The discourse by the Gen has probably been stemmed from seeing civil authority’s calling on the services at the drop of a hat during his long and arduous service. The government failed to read the pulse of the population and was not correctly appraised of the consequences of the decision by the agencies responsible essentially under the MHA. Resources in rakes, sidings and engines were more than adequately avaliable to clear this mass exodus within 72 hours. The problems of administration and the threat of infection spreading would be better curtailed as social distancing achieved would of a far better quality.
Army should be the absolute last resort and I don’t think it was needed. The last thing you would want is the virus spreading to the army.
I agree with you. Armed forces are for defending the country from enemies both external and internal. The government has a tendency to misuse army for problems which should be handled by civilians who have much more experience. Use of army for civilian purposes should be a last resort only.
Some mindless rant ?
The article is short sighted in which it does not take into account the capable, better paid and promoted CAPF who are led by the IPS.
The huge human problem was due to the petty politics and inefficiency of the local govt and officials.
I will request the general to take it easy on his retirement on these political issues on which he has literally no understanding.
No offense but you’re not quite accomplished enough to dismiss an army generals views. Stick to gobbling down rossagullas and let the grown men deal with the situation.
All congress bought media like print has no news then advise the government by stupid suggestion like this. or may it is intentional. If your smart brain remembers Indira Gandhi impose crisis, No military was utilized. However, Congress along with your staff will suggest such stupid suggestions. India is on a constant threat from culprit corrupted politicians supported terrorists who are currently on a virus jihad to destroy entire India. I f you involve military personnel, then, the matter will worsen and it will give great chewing bones for congress bought media and congress to criticize the government and add more stupid suggestions. In addition, using the military to resolve internal crises, will give an opportunity to outside terrorist group ti infiltered in the country. No doubt, congress, and the media will get the juicy story to blame the government.
The current PM respects the intelligent level of Indians. With the exception of a few dumb Indians, remaining Indians understand the requirement and request of the prime minister. They all are honoring the imposed restrictions. Military help is not needed to impose the curfew. If Print is really sincere, then, expose the politicians and leaders who are interested in destroying India. All infiltered movies who had declared the corona or virus Jihad on Indians. These jihads will love to get our army infected with the coronavirus. All other Muslim countries had placed a ban on all activities conducted and demanded by these jihadis. So stop being a congress puppet and be a true media.
What we really need at this time of crisis is a ban on WIRE, PRINT, SCROLL, QUINT and other anti national magazine.
A general who risked his Life for the country is anti national? You must be more patriotic because you bang thaalis and light candles to fight corona.
NOT USING ARMY DURING EXODUS OF MIGRANTS WAS AN ERROR OF JUDGEMENT. MODI GOVT WILL RUE IT
With utmost respect I beg to disagree with the General. I will tell you why? The article I suppose was alarmist in the way all the articles by THE PRINT are and presupposes that the government machinery at the state and the centre has failed and failed miserably.
Army is the last disciplined and dedicated asset of any government to be employed when all the other resources have failed and have conveyed their failure by requisitioning the Army/ Armed Forces.
In case of reverse migration of the work force from their place of work to their home state/ villages calling for the Army if at all should have been the responsibility of the respective state governments and the Centre should have only got into the picture as and when the states had failed and the Presidents rule promulgated. Did it happen, the answer is a BIG NO.?
“The Army has many cantonments and military stations housing major formations along or within striking distance of the affected highways of migration. The Army would have in situ quickly set up makeshift quarantine camps under tents or in requisitioned buildings complete with toilets, water and lighting arrangements to isolate, shelter and feed the affected migrants. Of course. it would have shown the state governments in poor light but that is a non-issue when you have to tackle a disaster of this magnitude.” This is what our esteemed General has opined. True, the Army has the wherewithal to do what the General is suggesting and done an excellent job, but was it doable? Would the Congress Government in Rajasthan and the AAP government in Delhi allowed this to happen. As it is the AAP government in Delhi made a perfect mockery and hash of the way they handled the migration movement issue.
There are a few suggestions from the General that suggest that the Army should deployed ab intio and 2/3 of the Military Hospital be made available for civil administration, construction of prefabricated shelters be constructed by Military Engineers to treble the capacity district hospitals, large scale testing be carried out by military personnel, Military logistics systems be utilised to supplement the civil supply chain to ensure door-to-door supplies during the lockdowns and military can assist the civilian authority in maintaining law and order and enforce total or selective lockdown.
While all these suggestions are indeed altruistic and are done with all the good of the country at heart, it is quite amusing that we need to spell it out to the general public, what the Army should be doing or is capable of doing. The need arising as it is the Government of the day will indeed fall back to the Army and the Army will truly do a wonderful job entrusted and I have no iota of doubt in my Army’s ability to do our nation proud.
A few of suggestions from mid ranking Veteran are :-
Army should be called in as a last resort when all other options and resources are exhausted. The Army needs to preserve its equipment and its manpower till when, they are not required to be employed against external aggression, internal unrest and national calamity. Has taht time come as yet? BIG NO
Medical assistance, will have to be provided including the Military Hospitals, the medical staff from the Army Medical Corps and Military Nursing Corps. Is it the right time to do that. Again a BIG NO. As the pandemic grows in size and we have god forbid more cases of infected and dead, initially, the government and am sure even the state governments can do that, call the Veteran Medical Officers and Medical Assistance staff to relieve the hard pressed government doctors. If tomorrow say, Mr Uddhav Thackerey the Chief Minister of Maharashtra or Captain Amrinder Singh the Chief Minister of Punjab calls for assistance from the Veteran Medical community, without even single thought 95% and above Veteran Medicos will just move in. But before that , am also wondering if along with them will the CMs of the state call upon the private medical practitioners who have closed down their dispensaries to join the cause. Guess , the Prime Minister need not always have to intervene for such common sense approach to the problem ,or does he have to???
“The military can assist the civilian authority in maintaining law and order and enforce total or selective lockdown”. Yes of course it can, but should it do in the present??? Already a section of the media, social media and certain politicians have begun suggesting that, but if it has to be done by the Army, then requisitioning of the Army will have to be signed by the corresponding district collector and thereafter the Army will be needed to move in. Remember once the Army moves in the Lathis will be replaced by rifles and those violating will be shot below the knee after due warning. Do we want that. If more of incidents like that of Tablighi Jamat, spitting and misbehaving by the inmates of isolation wards with police/ medical staff happen and the local administration /police are unable to handle it, Army will then defiantly be needed to be called. But that stage too is still rather far away and if good sense prevails on one and all and correct lock down is adhered to by one and all. Calling in of the Army at present is also a BIG NO.
Why, every where, on drop of hat , deployment of Army is recommended specially by Generals, it is really strange ?
Let the civ adm handle it , yes , there is no doubt that there were lapses but than the situation was rather fluid and ever changing . No fix solutions.
Let the Nation take a call n appreciate what the civ adm is worthy of ! But General the has the right to Express his opinion and the points raised are relevant .
I wonder why the Generals present and past has not take up the case to grant DACP to Army Doctors, they are the only one who are not granted DACP ,even Para Military Doctors are granted DACP ? Is it not lowering their status and standing ? Their morale ?
Nation has hailed efforts of Armd Forces Doctors but no pressure on Govt / Army Brass to look after the interest of proud Doctors of Armd Forces Medical Service and bring them at par .
Young Bureaucracy, I must say , is hard working and has put in best efforts to tackle this menace . Nation stands United and is live to the situation.
Army medical services are doing an Exceptionally good job . Best wishes to them and their families.
Why, every where, on drop of hat , deployment of Army is recommended specially by Generals, it is really strange ?
Let the civ adm handle it , yes , there is no doubt that there were lapses but than the situation was rather fluid and ever changing . No fix solutions.
Let the Nation take a call n appreciate what the civ adm is worthy of !
I wonder why the Generals present and past has not take up the case to grant DACP to Army Doctors, they are the only one who are not granted DACP ,even Para Military Doctors are granted DACP ? Is it not lowering their status and standing ? Their morale ?
Nation has hailed efforts of Armd Forces Doctors but no pressure on Govt / Army Brass to look after the interest of proud Doctors of Armd Forces Medical Service and bring them at par .
Young Bureaucracy, I must say , is hard working and has put in best efforts to tackle this menace . Nation stands United and is live to the situation.
Army medical services are doing an Exceptionally good job . Best wishes to them and their families.
I do not intend to out guess or say that I have a peek into Government’s mind. As a retd Army general he will agree that not all the available resources are thrown into battle at the same time. May be the forces were being held in reserve for more dire eventualities. Besides the movement of migrant workers happened at the spur of the moment and soon became a Tsunami. Yes there has been dereliction of duty by the civilian administration.Does that mean that the Forces take over . In a war like situation strategies are tried out , many fail and some succeed.
we have another pillar of the State ,namely the courts who have micromanaged things in the country ,be it cricket, spectrum allocation, coal mine licencing, et al, with disastrous consequences.
So let us leave the job t be done by the designated people, be it the political establishment or the bureaucracy. . In troubled times such as now resource allocation will always be an issue.Doctors are constantly doing this on patients, be it giving their time and expertise or choosing who will get a ventilator. While suggestion by the General is no doubt very appropriate, let us allow the people concerned to do their job.
A very good idea!
The difference between civilian and military personnel is discipline and speed. . everyone in the military will move as one.. this will help ensure prefect coordination.. something that is lacking right now.
Another important point is that military personnel are fighting fit.. this implied immunity will help them survive better than anyone else, even if they happen to get in contact with the virus!
The army is our national asset.. if they are not used in a national emergency like this, then when?!
The planning of the lockdown reminds us of how demonetisation was executed.. absolute hare-brained decision making and implementation! In those days, andh bhakts were shouting that the army is standing at the border.. so can’t you stand in a queue?! But the moment a soldier says something critical of Modi, they turn on him with venom.. of course, you can’t blame them.. they are just following their master’s Dikhavat ki rajniti!!
Bhakts, give the General respect.. it’s not his job to pass the orders to deploy the army.. he
can only give a suggestion, which is what he’s doing!
Modi government has done best ??. Army is never a solution. We should fight, civilians should fight. Don’t blame government. Government with help of media had given sufficient alert and created maximum awareness. It’s all because of unruly and chalta hai attitude of Indian public that we would suffer. Don’t blame the government.
Army and army doctors should not be exposed to virus at this point of time. Moreover, when the entire nation is under lockdown, army should kept ready for any eventuality like terror and enemy attacks. The job at present is of police, doctors, sanitation workers and logistics players moving essential items. Modi has done right.
This post would have some use if Lt Gen H S Panag could have written it 10 days back. If it has not occurred to Panag 10 days back, he should keep his mouth shut and hammer his computer’s keyboard. It’s like showing stock trading expertise by explaining buy/sell points after the day trading is over. Such experts hands freeze during the real trading sessions and their intelligence suddenly rises after the trading session is over. Enough from this fake expert.
10 days ago there was no mass exodus of migrants, duhh!! Another Pappu moment like your master is having with the Corona Virus.
All you will ever do, is hammer on your keyboard. The General I’m sure has done some real hammering.. I hope for your sake that you don’t run into him in person.. you might end up looking like your keyboard!!
You don’t have to be so insolent and ill-mannered towards a highly regarded and senior soldier like Gen. Panag. He is putting in polite words what your Modi-Shah masters should have thought up ten days ago themselves. He has pointed out that this government hasn’t put even a single army man in any of the 11 high commities, so the implication is that Modi-Shah do not want to take army’s advice. That’s why, as a disciplined soldier, he “kept his mouth shut”. But now that he sees terrible mismanagement of the situation, as a good human being he cannot restrain himself but give his opinion. Was this so difficult for you to figure out on your own? If you are a decent, educated person, you should know that human beings are not expected to bark like dogs.
Dear general Saab
Army should have been integrated with the civil adminstration and in the decision making process for fight against covid-19.
But as a high ranking military officer even though retd you forgot the chain of command is a sad thing. You would have spoken to the service chief or the CDS for that matter or written to the PMO. One can even gather the veterans in your area and setup a kind of camp and set an example which would have gone a long way. It’s easy to preach than to practice. If you’re saying that the govt is handling the situation so let them do it.
Views are personal
Fine column. If the pandemic reaches community spread stage, the medical resources of the armed forces would be invaluable and indispensable. Planning should always precede the event, not follow it, as has happed with Covid 19 so far.
and writing of this articles should even precede the planning you have mentioned. Was Panag having a KUMBHKARAN’s sleep and wake up after the plan is already in implementation stage?
Well, in case you didn’t know it, Rahul Gandhi had warned Modi about this exact, same situation.. More than one month ago.. but nothing happened until it was very late did it?! So what difference would it have made if the General wrote this column 10 days earlier?!
Protective gear for medical personnel is not available.. they are given raincoats to fight the virus.. orders should have been given on time.. if somebody had to tell that also to Modi, why is he sitting in the PM’s chair?!
Your frustrations are understandable.. it must hurt that we are starting to realise who the original Pappu is!! Of course, because you need to be told everything, let me spell it out to you.. Modi is turning out to be the original Pappu!!
Bhai …tu rehne de. Army is the last resort & best kept for times when u face a total civil administration collapse. Right now it is told to remain disease free so that it can be utilized if things go for worse. Forces are doing there best with establishment of quarantine facilities. No matter how offended u get…remember u are old school.
Prevention is better than cure.. you don’t know that because you didn’t pay attention in school!!
Of course I understand your pain.. Modi is turning out to be the original Pappu.. that must hurt
Ok…that is your point of view perhaps totally out of context. I wish you understand the importance or rather simple meaning of the last resort but then HOW…. you never paid attention either i reckon.?
Google the meaning of prevention is better than cure.. the general is saying that if the army is used as the last resort, it’s already too late!
Thats my disagreement with generals unwarranted & disastrous views…. if you do it then you have already exhausted your last and too early and general knows it well. But yet he produces such advices. I am surprised. Nothing political about it… no bhakti etc..
I have so far read the articles of Lt.Gen Panag with interest and admiration. Now, I have to reserve my views on his wisdom. Armed forces are not trained to deal with crowds. It is not their domain. Police are better train.ed .to. d.eal with crowds. It would definitely be a mistake to use army for civilian works. In the past, in many instances, armed forced have been called in to control riots. This is also a serious mistake. Armed forces have the big task of controling this virus spread within their ranks. We cannot afford our army decimated by a virus. Besides, such use of army for civilian purposes would encourage armed forces leaders, or at least some of them to seek socio-political roles in the country. Modi government has acted wisely in not using soldiers for controlling or guiding the migrants.