Let’s Hold Our Horses !

Editor's Note :

This short piece by Brig Madan complements the article by Capt( IN) Navtej Singh published by MVI on 12 Jun 25. It gives a further insight into the issues raised regarding some of our military veterans who during guest appearances on national TV channels while speaking of their past experiences and rich military knowledge have often revealed or disclosed some valuable information to our adversary who have used it against us to promote their own national agenda.

The author rightly advises such veterans to

‘hold their horses!’

Editor ,MVI

In times of military standoff, a host of self-proclaimed ‘master strategists’—from both military and civilian backgrounds—scramble to claim their moment under the spotlight on TV debates. Watching these spectacles, I’m often reminded of the countless hours spent in military classrooms studying deception in war, where the first lesson drilled into us was simple: stay silent until the plan is executed.

Today, it’s both jarring and alarming to see a few panellists (not all) publicly discussing granular details openly revealing unit names, formations, terrain analysis, and tactical options, leaving many of us with our jaws dropped. One can only imagine the delight of our 'friendly neighbours' in the Nark armed forces (as they’re monikered in our wargames), tuning in to these broadcasts with rapt attention, taking notes to counter our strategies.

While shaping international opinion through informed strategic commentary is valuable, divulging operational plans and specifics is a different matter entirely. That domain must be left to serving generals who possess the authority, intelligence, and resources to act decisively. As military veterans and civil defence analysts, we carry a collective responsibility to speak with restraint, to uphold operational secrecy, and to prioritise national security over notoriety.

The more I watch these sensationalised TV debates and skim through speculative WhatsApp forwards, the more I turn to print journalism and 'Novel Bunch' WhatsApp group(an intellectual group of national repute based in Chandigarh) for balanced, considered insight. Have we learnt nothing from the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, where live coverage inadvertently aided the attackers through real-time updates relayed by their handlers?

I recall my tenure commanding a battalion in Lebanon during the Israel–Hezbollah conflict. Despite the intensity of that war, not a single Israeli veteran or civilian appeared on their television to reveal tactical information that could aid the enemy. That is restraint. That is maturity. Anger and haste have no place in such critical situations.

It is high time we emulate that model. Let’s refrain from publicising every nugget of tactical wisdom we may have gleaned during service, lest it be weaponised against us.

It is advisable that our respected veterans, especially from the Armed Forces, exercise discretion in publicly discussing operational plans on the TV channels until such plans are brought to fruition as decided by the government of the day. The latter is already working on the timed and well-calibrated multi-dimensional response, yet below the nuclear threshold, to deal with this irrational nation. On the sidelines, we are also engaging our international partners in earnest, seeking their support while preparing to act decisively in the near future.

Meanwhile, as civilians, we must stand united in condemning the spineless cowards behind the recent violence in Pahalgam, whose aim was to fracture our national fabric along communal lines. In these difficult times, yet not insurmountable, we must stand with the government and strive towards social and communal amity and not stoke fires of hatred and provocation, else we would be playing into the hands of perpetrators of the meadow massacre.

In war, as in life, holding one’s horses is not a sign of weakness—it is a sign of wisdom.