Previous Chiefs connived to ensure a set line of succession

Senior officers were bulldozed to submission, i.e., accept the dictat or loose the next rank

Mismatch of important records with in the organisation

Failure of the individual or the system to address basic issue

Babus influencing the Ministry to humiliate the Chief

Opaqueness with in the Army system

Incompetent handling of the issue by the Ministry.

There is some truth in all these, however, the need is to look at the steps needed to be initiated to prevent reoccurrence of such an incident, which has far reaching ramifications. Some issues are procedural and will get addressed with automation and counter checks being initiated. Commonality of date of birth between two record keeping branches will get resolved sooner or later. Though earlier the better, as this would resolve the cascading problems.

The two larger issues of system failure are the more serious. Firstly, the outsiders, namely babus, influencing the Minster and the insensitive handling of the issue aimed at humiliating the Chief. There is general mistrust between the two. Second, the dubious manipulation by successive Chiefs "to fix a line of succession” and subjugate the senior officers by bull dozing to acceptance the official line or face consequences of supersession. Even if partially true, these are extremely serious issues, which need immediate measures at the appropriate level to prevent cascading ramifications.

Today, unfortunately, the civilians manning the Ministry of Defence sit on decision making and exercise tremendous powers with little defence professional competence or accountability, therefore, they cannot be faltered for the poor decision making or failing to appreciate or understand the manipulations within the system. Thus, the policy being followed is that of live and let live and control based on procedures rather than value addition. This leads to arrogance, delay and mistrust amongst the vital limbs where everyone is a looser. Notwithstanding the internal and external weaknesses which have been exposed, the larger issues will again be pushed under the carpet. Until and unless the larger issues of transparency within the system and competence and truest between the services and ministry restored, this will have grim ramifications for the nation parallel to the 1962 humiliation, thus the need for urgent proactive corrective measures.

It would be unfair to accept any system to reform from within. Everyone will justify about the time tested-ness of the system and bla bla. This is also borne by the fact that power shift is resisted by the powers that be for the fear of losing the shift of power.

There is a need to have a Blue ribbon Commission similar to the US Army where in wise men from the society with proven credentials and no personal agendas look at any system de novo and suggest reform. It’s time the Nation looks at the Holy Cow and forces reform from outside since the internal reforms would at the most be incremental and insignificant whereas the need is of major review.