Pune: Group Captain A G Bewoor (retired), an Indian Air Force officer involved in Operation Cactus in the Maldives in 1988, on Wednesday said history offered clear lessons on why professional military judgement must take precedence over political timelines.Referring to the 1971 war, he recalled how then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi favoured an April launch, but Army chief General Sam Manekshaw (Field Marshal) insisted on waiting until preparations were complete. “He told her, ‘Jo uchit hai, main karunga’ (I will do what is right). He took the necessary time, prepared the forces as per operational requirements, and then went to war. That is what doing what is ‘uchit’ for the force means,” Bewoor said, responding to a question on an unpublished book by former Army chief General M M Naravane.“This approach must always be shown by military leaders,” he said while delivering the Jayant Tilak Memorial Lecture organised by the Pune Patrakar Pratishthan.Bewoor, who was the commanding officer of no. 44 squadron during India’s swift military intervention to thwart a coup attempt in the Maldives in Nov 1988, offered a first-hand account of the challenges faced during the operation. He said the forces were deployed with limited intelligence, under severe time constraints and in an unfamiliar terrain.“Despite multiple adversities, the Indian Armed forces displayed the highest order of military skill and executed the mission under extreme pressure,” Bewoor said, recalling the initial landing at Hulhulé airport and the rapid stabilisation that followed.Awarded the Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) for his role in Operation Cactus, Bewoor emphasised that the operation’s enduring significance went far beyond its immediate tactical success.“The biggest outcome was that it demonstrated to military leaders across the world that the Indian Armed forces were capable of executing complex operations at very short notice,” he said.Operation Cactus continues to be regarded as a benchmark for India’s expeditionary capability and rapid response, reinforcing New Delhi’s strategic credibility in the Indian Ocean region.
