The Fundamental Principles of Covert Military Action: Lessons from India’s 1971 Experience

Paramesha Chaya, Dheeraj

Abstract

The success of the Indian covert actions in 1971 that led to the liberation of Bangladesh has a legendary place in India’s security consciousness. This paper retells the story of India’s covert actions in East Pakistan between January and December 1971. It lays down some essential rules and principles for successful covert actions that remain applicable even today. These include the need for a culture of covert action that guides the development of specialised institutions, the production of objective intelligence assessments, and appropriate management of operations.

Citation

Paramesha Chaya, D. (2024). The Fundamental Principles of Covert Military Action: Lessons from India’s 1971 Experience. New Delhi: Observer Research Foundation

• Report Type: Policy Document
• Acceptance Date: Jun 21, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Jun 26, 2024
• Publication Date: Jun 26, 2024
• Deposit Date: Jun 27, 2024
• Pages: 35
• Series Title: ORF Occasional Paper
• Series Number: 442
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4720372
• Publisher URL: https://www.orfonline.org/research/the-fundamental-principles-of-covert-military-action-lessons-from-india-s-1971-experience