Three things stand out from the four-day war: one, it began on a conventional note but quickly progressed to what is increasingly likely to constitute warfare in the modern age where perceptually a full conventional war is replaced with something more digestible, even if equally devastative; second, elements constituting modern warfare, missiles, Kamikaze Drones, loitering munitions were incrementally added to the menu to avoid the attribution of a full-scale war while still retaining an offensive intent – both sides mimicked each other in a mirror image and in reflex; third, there was a noise of multi-domain application as a part of conventional kinetic operations – these were impactful in a short war – and as a stand-alone resort as weapons of economic degradation to exhibit their potential for long-term pain.

There is another telling observation that is escaping attention; these were gentlemanly applications in sequence rather than as a combined force 'parallel' application in one solid punch meant to knock the opponent out. And while the ceasefire is a temporary pause, and not cessation of hostilities, Indians cannot stop overemphasising the point – one must be careful in enunciating what may help evil get stronger.

In the same vein, the plethora of experts that have emerged in the last two weeks neither do good to themselves nor to the country at large by pontificating on half-baked knowledge of modern warfare. It will help to cease such 'expert' haberdash.

Drones have a specific but limited role. A lot is made of their intelligence function and foot-printing the electro-magnetic spectrum and fixing locations but as warriors on both sides know there are enough resources to do........

© The Express Tribune