In Rajasthan, hot May and June months may deter anyone else from moving out but not the Indian Army and Indian Air Force when it comes to training themselves in order to keep fighting fit. On May 10, the Indian Army conducted a number of training exercises, collectively known as Poorna Vijay or complete victory, to evaluate concepts and practice battle procedures during offensive and defensive operations on the future battlefield, with a nuclear backdrop. It aimed to enhance Army's operational preparedness through the conduct of a number of practical exercises with troops and live firing under simulated battle conditions at field firing ranges in Pokhran.

Poorna Vijay provided an opportunity to formations at various levels to conduct large scale manoeuvres with cooperation from the Indian Air Force by launching fighter ground attack missions and deep insertion of airborne and helicopter- borne Army units. Drills and procedures to meet the challenges of a nuclear, chemical or biological nature, were also practised. Some formations, supported by armour, artillery and engineers conducted breakthrough operations in obstacle-ridden terrain while others, including mechanised forces, were put through their paces in mobile operations in the desert sector. The emphasis was on mission accomplishment on a conventional battlefield with nuclear backdrop. Special Forces units of the Army also participated in the exercise to launch specialised operations in the depth areas of the ‘enemy’.

Formations also focussed on mobilisation procedures, movement, siting and verifying the efficacy of the vast communication networks required in war. This again was done in order to keep the defence mechanism in a state of preparedness. Defence Minister
Mr Jaswant Singh and Chief of the Army Staff, Gen S Padhmanabhan were personally there to witness an integrated live firing of tanks, armoured personnel carriers, artillery guns tank guided missiles, rocket launchers and recoil-less guns conducted by Army at Pokhran field firing ranges.

The first power demonstration exercise ‘South Star’ started with the welcome address by Maj Gen KS Jamwal, General Officer Commanding Battle Axe Division. Brig BK Chopra, Commander 322 Infantry Brigade started with briefing and display of weapons and equipment pertaining to infantry. Brig SVP Singh, Commander 12 Artillery Brigade briefed on the role of artillery and its weapons.

Firing of newly acquired weapons after the Kargil war was also carried out to test their efficacy in simulated battlefield conditions. This was for the first time that such a live firing exercise was carried out during peak summer period when the temperature in the Thar desert ranges between 45 and 49 degrees celsius. The entire format of live firing was performed in the backdrop of a war wherein mechanised formations, infantry, artillery and other combat support and logistics units were conducting break-through operations in the obstacle ridden terrain and Thar desert. Of particular importance was the test of the newly inducted weapon systems into Infantry battalions which enhanced not only their surveillance capabilities and mobility in battlefield but also their staying power against determined assault by the `enemy'. The Infantry battalion now feels that it is capable of holding on to captured objectives and beating back any determined counter attack by employing integral weapon systems as against the earlier scenario where it was imperative that armour be moved to provide staying power. Poorna Vijay was the biggest ever exercise being conducted by the Armed Forces after the 1987 exercise `Brass Tacks', involving strike corps, large mechanised formations of massed artillery, special forces and over 130 warplanes ranging from MiG-21 to 29, transport aircraft and attack helicopters.

T-72 MI Ajay and Vijayanta tanks from armoured regiments, medium guns (130 mm, 155 mm Bofors), field guns (105 mm), light guns (120 mm) and rockets (BM 21 MBRL) from artillery regiments, air defence guns (L-70, Igla and SS11B1) from air defence regiments and various types of infantry weapons were used in the fire power demonstration. Infantry company in defence with synergised fire power and attack by infantry battalion and armour with massed fire power was shown on the ground. Air OP shoot was also shown on the ground. It was really a war like situation with mass and accurate destruction of the enemy targets.

—Col Shruti Kant with