A limited war implies just that-a confrontation bounded by space, weaponry and time. In the Indo-Pak context, the sphere could be limited to J&K, the weaponry limited to artillery and the time to weeks. Kargil, explains Ashok Krishna, a retired major general, was a limited war with a nuclear backdrop. The President did not announce the war, as is customary in conventional wars fought across international borders.
India has some options to meet the challenge of limited conflicts from Pakistan. It can, according to a paper released by the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, remain on the defensive and preserve the sanctity of the LoC. Or it can pursue a policy of proportionate retaliation by launching controlled incursions across the LoC into Pakistani territory. The third and more dangerous option is to launch a punishing attack to degrade Pakistans military machine, which carries the risk of escalation. The fourth is to try and launch a diplomatic offensive and combine it with defensive action or proportionately retaliatory action.
"Limited" nuclear wars have also been considered. "In such a situation, two or three targets will be hit," says Krishna. But he adds: "The world is not going to stand by and watch. After all, Pakistan has to prepare before lobbing a nuclear bomb. It will not go unnoticed." At least theoretically.
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