Fratricide Incidents in The Army

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The number of incidents of fratricide in the Indian Army as well as para-military forces is disconcertingly on the increase. The term fratricide has been used in this article because army is not a profession but a family, a way of life, where soldiers are brothers in arms. The victims have been personnel at the executive and junior leadership level, who constitute the cutting edge of the army, and are responsible for execution of military tasks on ground. Platoon commanders, company commanders and even commanding officers have lost their lives on this account especially in insurgency areas, which includes J&K. It appears that the phenomenon will receive its due attention and will be addressed only when some senior officers become victims.

It is quite convenient to attribute combat stress and leadership towards this increasing phenomenon. In the 1980s and 90s, such incidents were unheard of, even as the Indian Army personnel were deployed in Siachen, J&K and the North-East. To blame the junior and middle level leadership is totally misplaced; as the same leadership had salvaged the Kargil sector at most formidable high altitude and mountainous terrain from Pakistani forces. The tenacious assaults led by the young officers on those heights is without parallel in the history of mountain warfare, wherein in some cases, the risk of losing ones life was 90%. There were formations, which were inducted into the Kargil sector directly from J&K, where most fratricide incidents have taken place. So what has changed since the 80s ? What has been responsible for increasing combat fatigue and the sense of cynicism amongst some army personnel with regard to their profession and task ? The plausible reasons are discussed in the succeeding paras.

Liberalisation & Economic Churning

It is probably the unprecedented social and economic churning of India since early 1990s that is partly responsible for the professional disorientation of security personnel. The accelerating liberalisation and economic progress of the country is playing havoc with the tradition of soldiering. Earlier, soldiers or ex-soldiers contributed in a major way to the manpower pool of the army by way of sons and nephews, who were acutely conscious of the demands and prestige of soldiering. This segment of the manpower pool provides the vital traditional link in units and regiments of the army. Unfortunately, their numbers have been dwindling. Since, job opportunities were few, a career in the army was also seen as stable, relatively well paying with post-retirement benefits.  The prospect of loss of job was a heavy deterrence, but is not the case any more. Increasing employment opportunities have provided alternatives, real or perceived. 

During the British period recruitment, especially during wars, was not as voluntary as is generally believed. The British used their middlemen or contractors to feed the supply of recruits to the British Indian Army.  These middlemen were not averse to using forcible ways. Yet, the British out of this voluntary and semi-voluntary intake were successful in forging cohesive units and sub-units.  Good food, especially meat, rum, and pay and perks, which was very modest, was attractive given the appalling poverty and food shortages in rural India. This system served well till the late 80s, while India was still struggling with the famously labeled “Hindu rate of economic growth”. During this period, it was only officers who possessed motor-cycle and scooters, and cars were a rarity. But by mid-90s, a majority of middle ranking officers possessed four wheelers. There has been a trickle down effect and other ranks and JCOs possessing two wheelers is quite common, and four wheelers are also to be seen. Liberalisation and economic progress has also meant easy access to luxury items like television, air-conditions, refrigerators etc.

With economic liberalisation and opportunities, the visible gap based on material symbols between officers and men is fast reducing. It’s a welcome change, however, the pace is so fast that army as an organisation has been at loss to make organisational, social and psychological adjustments.

As far as aspirants for joining the army are concerned, there is no dearth.  It is the quality, which is in question. Recruitment exams for jawans are pitched at class-VII or VIII level, while the prescribed qualification is matric, yet very few qualify. In case of officer aspirants, there are batches at the SSB, which are a complete washout. In the current liberalisation and economic phase in the country, much against what we would like to believe, there is a substantial lack of youth, who combine in themselves the qualities of head, mind and body. The captains of industry have been lamenting about this.  A fellow professor panelist on a TV programme told me that he had requested the proprietor of a major newspaper to provide employment to some of his students. The proprietor said that his requirement for recruitment was very simple – an applicant should be able to write one page of correct English. The professor maintained that amongst his students, whose recruitment he had recommended, he could not find even one. The country is increasingly being faced with unemployable youth.  It can even survive this, but it is decline in character that is most worrisome. National character is nothing, but an aggregate of individual characters.

Caste & Class Composition

Liberalisation, economic growth coupled with unimaginable pace in the growth of communication is annihilating physical and psychological distances. The British constituted the Indian Army based on caste and class composition, which was basically predicated on collective habits and psyche. The economic and social churning in India is fast giving way to individualism, a feature which is more pronounced in the Rashtriya Riffles (RR) battalions since the personnel are drawn from different units.

Moreover, in post-independence India, armed forces are perceived as a separate class by itself. As in earlier times, most who could afford refused to take the responsibility of their own refuse, the new privileged class takes it for granted that the job of guaranteeing their security rests with lesser privileged mortals, notwithstanding the occasional outburst of public support during high voltage wars. Army personnel proceeding on leave after grueling stints in high altitude areas, Siachen glacier and insurgency affected areas begin to have their brush with the callousness of the populace and the civil administration, no sooner they enter the railway station. They then begin to wonder that why the fellow people for whom they have been fighting, display such indifference and lack of empathy – and whether it is of any worth.

Challenge to Authority

The cumulative impact of the economic and social churning in India since early 90s has been the tendency to challenge authority.  Hierarchies are breaking down in civil and uniform services. Army just cannot function without hierarchies because of the very nature of job. Tactical moves and actions entail firm orders, require precision of drills and above all initiatives. The leadership in army involves issuing orders that may appropriately appear to be harsh and unpalatable for achieving the given mission. Often, junior leaders have to lead under circumstances of threat to life, which demands extraordinary methods and qualities of leadership.  At the present juncture, the economic and material empowerment of individuals is bereft of an equal sense of responsibility and commitment, and if not corrected, will prove to be disastrous.

Breakdown in Governance

During the colonial period, and the decade that followed independence, a letter from the army authorities to civil administration in respect of administrative problems of army personnel elicited swift an appropriate response, which no longer is the case.  In 40 percent of India’s territory, the writ of the government does not operate or is tenuous.  About 170 districts of India are consumed by violent left wing extremism and suffer from extreme insecurity and lack of development. The families of soldiers residing in these areas are as vulnerable.  Can a soldier hailing from these naxalite infested areas be expected to be in mental comfort and discharge his duties efficiently ?  When Mr Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister of India, he constituted a group to study the problems faced by rural India.  After the first tour, when he asked one of the members that as to when he was undertaking the next tour, the member replied that he could not take it any more.  A bewildered Mr Gandhi asked about the import of his statement.  The member said that he found the ground realities revolting. He clarified that wherever and whenever the state apparatus came in contact with the rural people, they only perceived it as tools of harassment. Imagine the mental comfort level of army personnel who leave their families to fend for themselves in such an environment. Few years back the ex-Air Chief La Fontaine  who chose to settle down in rural Andhra Pradesh was tied up by rope in his house and his articles were robbed. The ex-Air Chief asked them whether they were revolutionaries or dacoits? Therefore, imagine the plight of a normal jawan and his family inhabiting in these areas.

Concentration of Power

There is a discernible tendency amongst senior officers to concentrate all powers and privileges in their hands by negating the power and influence of junior leadership. It is not uncommon for soldiers to look over the shoulders of the junior leaders.  Unit Commanders and below have been devalued in status and power. Some politicians have tried to erode the powers of senior leadership as well, which has a cascading effect.

The police and the bureaucracy are the worst sufferers on this account. The SHOs and Tehsildars look beyond their immediate bosses and draw their financial well-being and sustenance directly from politicians. It is hoped that the police reforms as ordered recently by the Supreme Court redresses this evil.

Men in uniform in the best tradition and requirement of service should not look beyond leaders in uniform. Senior officers in the army have held iconic status in the eyes of the men, which is a rapidly diminishing attribute. The unsavory indulgences, omissions and commissions by a miniscule proportion of senior officers are disproportionately by the news hungry media which continues to suffer from total ignorance and lack of responsibility on matters defence.

Career Insecurity amongst Officers

There is growing insecurity regarding career prospects among junior and middle level leadership.  There also exists confusion regarding the demands of standards they have to measure upto, and the qualities they need to imbibe for furtherance of their career.  Increasingly, some of the finest officers having the best qualification, professional and personal attributes are missing out on the very first selection hurdle i.e. Lt Col to Col.  Spoken reputations as in earlier times do not matter and the reporting system has been subverted to the extent that the laid down scale of 1 to 9 has become irrelevant, and promotions are ensured as long as one manages to secure the safe grade of 8.  Figure 9 is a bonus and 7 a tool for fixing without acknowledging. These constricted parameters lead to apprehensions and insecurity, which impacts on leadership.

A few decades back, if a son on joining the army (his father’s profession), were to ask him – what self development exercise he should pursue to become a General – a legitimate aspiration for any young officer indeed  -  the father would rightly advise, “son, be honest, look after your men and always be the best mentally and professionally”.  With these qualities, can the system vouch, whether the officer will go home as a Major or a Major General.

Shortage of Officers

As per a news report, in the last four or five years, about 2500 officers have sought premature retirement.  The problem bedevils the Air Force as well.  This is not only on account of growing opportunities due to economic growth, but due to mid-career insecurity and stress syndrome.  Unlike the civil government sector, the consequences of being left out mid-stream are quite stark i.e. between commanding a unit / formation or being posted to NCC, MCO or recruiting organisations. Self respecting and able officers are, therefore, opting to leave and are acquitting themselves exceptionally well in diverse fields such as hospital administration and software development etc.  It is because they want to prove themselves, and is sad that the army has to lose out on them.  It necessarily does not have to do with perks and privileges.  The resultant shortage of officers wherein units are functioning at 50 percent or less of authorised officer strength has been severely impacting on the officer-men relationship.  The JCO cadre has failed to fill the vacuum. Their being effective links between officers and men has become questionable.  If casualties are indicative of leading from the front, the JCOs compare dismally with officers whether in Sri Lanka, Kargil, North-East or J&K.

Family Structures

The post liberalisation phase and urbanisation with its concomitant materialism is rapidly demolishing the joint family system and more critically its values.  Soldiers are seen by their family patriarchs and heads more as a financial source.  The family in the absence of the soldiers no longer enjoy the same family and social security and care.  This was quite evident during the post-Kargil period, when in many cases involving the families of martyrs, the so-called benefactors displayed the most lowly kind of avarice and became predators.

Most soldiers get married at the age of around 20. From that peak of youth till they retire when still young, their association with their wives at best is three months in a year, which can be extremely straining emotionally and biologically.

Organisational Broad-Mindedness

The British officers were acutely aware that they formed part of an organisation, which was most significant tool for colonial rule.  Though fiercely proud and loyal to their regiments and units, they had pan-army outlook. If indiscipline by any personnel from a different unit/regiment was reported the action was prompt and swift.  Many army officers at present suffer from narrow and parochial outlook, and occurrences of indiscipline with regard to personnel of units other than their own are ignored with a dismissive attitude. This only gives impetus to indiscipline and finally becomes self-destructive.

Lack of Objectives

The army fights with purpose and determination only when there are clear objectives.  Till the late 80s, in counter-insurgency roles, the army perceived the objectives to be attainable especially in J&K and Assam where insurgency had just begun. Over the last 15 years, the objectives are increasingly being perceived as elusive due to political ambivalence.  A soldier deployed in the insurgency areas cannot figure out his role and mission, when talks with Hurriyat or Ulfa or NSCN (IM) leaders take place even while he is exhorted to take on the terrorists and insurgents.  Insurgents count and weapons count, he now perceives, adds only to the enhancement and glory of his commanders and is not any credit for his soldierly exploits.  This situation is typical of that in Vietnam, wherein on several occasions, in the later stages of war, statements emanating from political leadership regarding time frame of pull out, made every personnel feel that why should he be the last one to lose his life.  Even in Iraq, as the objectives are getting blurred, the casualties of US troops is mounting. A Company Commander during Operation Prakaram was insisting on leave to attend his cousin’s marriage.  The Commanding Officer admonished him saying that he should be ashamed to ask for leave when the unit was poised for war.  The officer replied that there would be no war because Vajpayee and Musharraf were to meet in Nepal.  The officer then sought audience with the Brigade Commander, who also turned down his leave request. 

Moreover, like the high publicity that soldiers received during the Kargil conflict in the media, in counter-insurgency operations, the army receives only negative publicity for reasons beyond the comprehension of a normal soldier. He perceives it to be a thankless job.

Conclusion

If the Indian Army had not been there, North-East and J&K would have been lost. Had the Indian Army not caused attrition to terrorists in the last 20 years, so many 9/11s would have taken place by now.  Many captured terrorists on interrogation, who also fought in Afghanistan maintained that they were not daunted by Soviet helicopter gunship but found more than their match in the individual Indian Army soldier.  Its time that the nation correctly appreciates his contribution and sacrifices.  No army can function without the empathy and support of the populace. No leadership can perform in a vitiated environment wherein the basic trust, understanding and appreciation is missing. Problems of the army are the problems of the nation, and should be addressed as such.

RSN Singh, Associate Editor Indian Defence Review.