Why India didn’t cross LoC in Kargil: Ex-IAF chief reveals political decision

Former Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal (retired) BS Dhanoa has said the decision not to allow Indian forces to cross the Line of Control during the 1999 Kargil War was taken by the political leadership to avoid escalation and preserve India's diplomatic advantage. In an exclusive interview with Times Now, Dhanoa explained that military objectives must flow from political objectives, and crossing the LoC would have undermined India's stance as a victim of aggression.

Dhanoa acknowledged that the restriction made operations more difficult, as the IAF was forced to strike individual mountain peaks with precision weapons while staying on its own side. He dismissed any notion that the military should override political decisions, calling it a 'wrong notion.' The IAF launched Operation Safed Sagar in May 1999 to support the Army's Operation Vijay in recapturing posts from Pakistan. The conflict saw one IAF pilot killed and another captured.