Book Review-: Invincible Somnath: A Saga of Millennia Author: Meenakshi Jain Publisher: Aryan Books International Pages: 219 | Price: ₹795

📖 Author and Context

• Jain is known for highlighting aspects of Indian history often ignored or diminished by Leftist historians. Her works focus on temple destruction, reconstruction, and colonial distortions of Indian society.

🏛 Jain’s Historical Focus

• Previous works include Rama and Ayodhya, Vasudeva Krishna and Mathura, Vishwanath Rises and Rises, Flight of Deities and Rebirth of Temples, Sati, and others.

• Central theme: civilisational resilience through temple reconstruction despite repeated iconoclasm.

🌍 Somnath’s Sacred Legacy

• Located at Prabhas Patan, Saurashtra, the site is sacred in Hindu tradition:

  • Soma (Moon God) worshipped Shiva here.

  • Shri Krishna left his mortal body here.

  • Confluence of three rivers (Saraswati, Kapila, Hiranya).

  • First of the 12 Jyotirlingas; mentioned in the Mahabharata.

⚔️ Cycles of Destruction and Reconstruction

• Early temples: Built between 7th–10th centuries CE.

• Mahmud of Ghazni (1026 CE): Destroyed Somnath’s sanctum; one of his 16 invasions.

• Muhammad Ghori & Qutubuddin Aibak: Continued assaults.

• Each destruction was followed by renewed reconstruction — a testament to Hindu resilience.

• Maratha period: Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar built a temple near the site.

🇮🇳 Post-Independence Revival

• Sardar Patel (1947): Announced reconstruction at the original site.

• Initially planned with government funds, but Gandhi advised public funding via a trust.

• K M Munshi oversaw completion after Patel’s death.

• Temple inaugurated in May 1951 by President Rajendra Prasad.

📝 Political Debates

• Appendices include letters between Nehru, Rajendra Prasad, and K M Panikkar.

• Nehru disapproved of Prasad’s association with the temple inauguration, reflecting tensions over Hindu revivalism.

• Panikkar was embarrassed by requests for waters and twigs from Chinese rivers and mountains for the ceremony.

🌟 Modern Commemoration

• On 11 May 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Somnath to mark the 75th anniversary of its reconstruction.

• The temple stands as a symbol of civilisational rejuvenation and revival after centuries of subjugation.

🎯 Conclusion

• Jain’s book presents Somnath as “Invincible”, highlighting faith, resilience, and continuity of Hindu civilisation.

• It serves as a counter-narrative to Romila Thapar’s interpretation, which downplays the trauma of repeated destruction.

• The work is both a historical chronicle and a civilisational tribute.

The Protector of Northeast India: The Mighty Lachit Barphukan "When citizens read books, the nation progresses."

 

On December 18th, during the Pune Book Festival, the book 'Lachit Barphukan' by Arun Karmarkar was inaugurated. I was invited to attend as the Chief Guest. As we celebrate the birth centenary of Lachit Barphukan this December, this book provides a profound analysis of the military tactics and major battles fought by the man known as the "Shivaji Maharaj of Northeast India."

Introduction

Throughout Indian history, many brave souls protected the motherland from foreign invaders. Just as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Maharana Pratap stood firm in their regions, Lachit Barphukan was the leader who halted the aggressive expansionism of the Mughals in Northeast India. The history of this commander—who preserved Assam's independence by defeating the massive army of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb on the waves of the Brahmaputra River—is truly awe-inspiring.

A son of Assam and the commander of the Ahom Kingdom, Lachit Barphukan is one of the greatest heroes of Indian history, before whose bravery even the mighty Mughal power had to bow. The 'Battle of Saraighat' in 1671 was not just a war between two armies; it was an unprecedented struggle to maintain the freedom and identity of Assam.

Historical Background and the Mughal Invasion

In the 17th century, Emperor Aurangzeb was attempting to bring all of India under his rule. The Ahom Kingdom of Assam became a thorn in the side of the Mughals. In 1663, the Mughal general Mir Jumla defeated the Ahoms, imposing a heavy tribute and annexing territory. King Chakradhwaj Singha could not tolerate this insult. He began preparations to reclaim the lost land and entrusted the leadership of this mission to Lachit Barphukan.

Leadership and Organizational Skills

Lachit Barphukan was not just a soldier but a brilliant strategist. He reorganized the army and, considering Assam's geography (mountains, rivers, and dense forests), provided specialized training to the infantry and navy.

A famous anecdote illustrates his discipline: while constructing a fortification (Momai-Kota Garh) to protect Guwahati, he found his own maternal uncle being negligent in his duties. Declaring, "My country is greater than my uncle," Lachit beheaded him on the spot. This sent such a strong message of discipline through the ranks that the entire fortification was completed in a single night.

The Battle of Saraighat (1671): Strategy and Warfare

The Mughals sent a massive force under the leadership of Raja Ram Singh I of Amber. This army consisted of 30,000 infantry, 15,000 archers, 18,000 cavalry, and a vast artillery. In contrast, the Ahoms were outnumbered.

Lachit Barphukan knew that fighting the powerful Mughal cavalry on open ground would be suicidal. Therefore, he decided to utilize Guerrilla Warfare and naval expertise.

Key Tactics of the Battle:

• Choice of Battlefield: Lachit cleverly chose the narrowest stretch of the Brahmaputra River at Saraighat. The narrow width rendered the large Mughal ships and heavy artillery ineffective.
• Fortifications: He built strong mud and bamboo forts (Garhs) on both banks. Forced by the impossible terrain on land, Ram Singh was compelled to use his navy.
• Guerrilla Tactics: Ahom soldiers would infiltrate Mughal camps at night to cut off supplies, exhausting the enemy's morale before the main battle.
• Indomitable Will: On the day of the decisive battle, Lachit was severely ill. As the Mughals pressured the Ahom line and the soldiers began to retreat, Lachit had himself carried to a boat and shouted: "I do not wish to die leaving my country in danger; those who want to flee may do so!"
• Naval Victory: The Ahoms used small, agile boats (Bichari) that could maneuver quickly, while the large Mughal vessels got stuck. Seeing their dying commander fight like a tiger, the Ahom army launched a ferocious attack, leading to a humiliating defeat for Ram Singh.

Analysis of Military Skills

Lachit Barphukan's style of warfare was a masterclass in:

1. Guerrilla Tactics: Striking the enemy's weaknesses (the navy) rather than their strengths.
2. Intelligence: Weaving an accurate spy network to track Mughal movements.
3. Resourcefulness: Defeating a modern-armed superpower using bamboo forts and agile boats.
4. Public Participation: This was not just a soldier's war, but a war fought by every citizen of Assam.

Conclusion

The victory at Saraighat was a victory for India’s identity. If Lachit had not stopped the Mughals there, the cultural and political map of Northeast India would be different today.

Sadly, this great hero passed away shortly after the victory due to his failing health. Today, the best cadet at the National Defence Academy (NDA) is honored with the 'Lachit Barphukan Gold Medal.' He will forever be remembered as the "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj of the East."

Poem: Brave Lachit Barphukan

On the waves of Brahmaputra, he wrote history, He turned the Mughal pride into mere dust and mystery. Be it uncle or kin, he chose the nation’s rite, For his country's sake, he led the bloody fight.

Despite his burning fever, he roared upon the field, "I shall never surrender," was the only vow he’d yield. A sea of guerrilla tactics, strategy, and might, At Saraighat, he became the enemy's darkest night.

We bow to you, O Hero, the soul of Assam’s land, Lachit, your name is eternal, India’s glory grand!

Book Review: "Grey Zone Warfare: Way Ahead for India" Author- Lieutenant General Dushyant Singh -By Brig Hemant Mahajan

Grey Zone Warfare: Way Ahead for India by Lieutenant General Dushyant Singh PVSM, AVSM (Retd),

Pages 274, Price B 1450/-, ISBN 978-81-19438-02-0, Vij Books.

Grey Zone War has become the preferred choice of countries to secure their national interests due to low cost, deniability, and difficulty in attribution. The book has attempted to demystify the grey zone warfare and thereafter highlight the grey threats that India is facing especially from its arch rivals China and Pakistan. At the same time, it has also examined countries indulging in grey zone activities such as US, Russia, and Israel to draw out lessons in formulating a way ahead for India.

Grey zone warfare, characterized by its low cost and deniability, has become the preferred method for nations to advance their national interests. Lieutenant General Dushyant Singh's book, "Grey Zone Warfare: Way Ahead for India," attempts to demystify this evolving form of conflict. The book examines how countries engage in grey zone tactics, highlights the threats India faces, and proposes changes to India's security architecture. As technology blurs the lines between war and peace, the spectrum of conflict has expanded to include political, economic, cyber, information, and irregular warfare, as well as lawfare, proxy wars, and hybrid warfare. Singh's work explores the complexities of these new forms of conflict and suggests appropriate responses and structural modifications.

About the Author

Lieutenant General Dushyant Singh (Retd), PVSM, AVSM, was commissioned into the 9 MARATHA Light Infantry in December 1981, eventually commanding the battalion. His distinguished career includes numerous command, staff, and instructional appointments across various terrains, notably commanding his Brigade and Division in Jammu & Kashmir and 11 Corps in Punjab. An alumnus of the National Defence College, he specialized in terrorist operations and financing at the Defence Counter Terrorism Programme at the Naval Post Graduate School in the United States. He has also served twice in the National Security Guard. A prolific writer and scholar, General Singh previously headed the Army War College and currently serves as the Director General of the Centre for Land Warfare Studies.

About the Book

The book is divided into eight chapters and six appendices, offering a comprehensive look at grey zone warfare.

Key Chapters and Themes

Chapter 1: Grey Zone as the Emerging Frontier in War

The chapter sets the stage by highlighting the increasing prominence of grey zone warfare as the preferred tool for states to achieve national interests. General Singh aptly illustrates the concept's deniability, low cost, and difficulty in attribution, making it an attractive option for adversaries. The author provides compelling examples, such as the targeting of the Mumbai electricity grid in 2020, to underscore the tangible impacts of these ostensibly "below-threshold" activities. This chapter effectively establishes the urgency and relevance of the subject, prompting readers to consider the shifting paradigms of conflict.

 Author introduces the concept of the grey zone as a new battleground, citing the targeting of the Mumbai electricity grid on October 10, 2020, as an example. He notes how the COVID-19 crisis further complicated this space, with countries fabricating narratives for blame or to serve national interests. The author provocatively questions whether India's perceived weak response in this domain stems from idealism, a lack of capability, or a lack of political will.

Chapter 2: Demystifying Grey Zone Warfare

In this pivotal chapter, General Singh delves into the theoretical framework of grey zone warfare, clarifying its distinctions from related concepts like "hybrid warfare." He argues that the term "grey zone" is not a geographically defined area but rather a "color-based metaphor" describing a state between war and peace. The author's explanation of grey zone activities as aimed at securing political or territorial gains without crossing the threshold of open warfare is precise and insightful. This chapter provides a critical conceptual foundation, enabling a clearer understanding of the nuanced nature of these conflicts.

Chapter 3: Russia – An Adept Practitioner Quoting General Gerasimov ("War in the 21st Century is conducted at a roughly four-to-one ratio of non-military and traditional military tools and tactics"), Singh highlights Russia as a master of grey zone tactics. He explains the six stages of the Gerasimov Doctrine, even acknowledging Michael Kofman's counter-argument denying the doctrine's existence. The chapter details Russia's grey zone activities, from its "nuclear campaign to maintain a strategic advantage with the US" to expanding its global influence, asserting that Russia "has played the grey zone with all instruments of statecraft."

Chapter 4: The US – A Subtle Player Singh categorizes the United States as a "subtle player" in the grey zone. He references a study by Lindsey O’Rourke, stating that between 1947 and 1989, the US attempted 72 regime changes, 64 of which were covert. More recently, the US has been involved in the "War on Terror" in Afghanistan and regime changes in Iraq and Libya. While overt reasons for intervention may seem straightforward, they are primarily linked to securing US interests. These activities range from proxy wars and economic coercion to information operations, which benefit from a "lack of attributability." This includes media campaigns against India, with the author citing various US newspaper articles as evidence.

Chapter 5: China – The Dragon is Not Far Behind Citing Sun Tzu's maxim, "Subdue the enemy without fighting," Singh asserts that "The Dragon is not far behind in the grey world." China's preferred tools are "information operations," including stifling criticism of the Chinese Communist Party by dissidents abroad. "Unrestricted Warfare" appears to be its overarching concept, operationalized through "The three-warfare strategy." The People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force, particularly its Network Systems Department, spearheads these efforts. Quoting Colonel Xiangsui, the author emphasizes that "All means will be in readiness, that information will be omnipresent and the battlefield will be everywhere. It means weapons and technology can be superimposed at will and the boundaries between military and non-military and war and peace will be destroyed." Singh concludes that China considers India a major regional challenger and aims to keep it unsettled.

Chapter 6: Israel – Master of Grey Zone Warfare Singh hails Israel as a master of grey zone warfare, though he identifies a "chink in its armor." Israel's tactics primarily target countries like Lebanon, Syria, and Iran, as well as non-state actors such as Hamas and Hezbollah. Israel consistently blends traditional warfare with grey zone actions, including assassinations. The book details the elimination of nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh by "a high-tech computerized sharpshooter kitted with artificial intelligence and multiple camera eyes operated via a satellite." Though Israel did not claim responsibility, many believe it was involved. The author also recounts Israel's cyber-attack using the "StuxNet" virus to disrupt Iran's nuclear weapon development program. However, he notes Israel's vulnerability in the information domain to the Palestine Liberation Organization and Hamas, which Israel countered with its "Hasbara" concept, refined into a more centralized policy incorporating a greater number of social media platforms.

India's Challenges and Way Forward

These chapters shifts focus to India's specific challenges. General Singh meticulously details the grey zone threats emanating from India's traditional rivals, China and Pakistan. He explains how these nations employ various grey zone tactics to undermine India's security interests. For instance, in the context of China, the author discusses "salami-slicing" tactics, information warfare, and economic coercion, while for Pakistan, it encompass proxy warfare and cross-border terrorism. This chapter is vital for its direct relevance to India's strategic landscape, offering a nuanced understanding of the adversaries' methods.

Chapters 7 & 8: India’s Challenges and Organizing for Response These chapters form the core of the book, outlining the author's vision for India's response to grey zone threats. Regarding China, Singh posits that while China views the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) as linked to its security interests, it is unlikely to escalate border skirmishes into major conflict. Instead, China will likely continue grey zone activities through "salami slicing," cyber-attacks, regime changes in India's neighborhood (Myanmar being a current example), information operations, and leveraging other countries against India, as seen with Nepal's Lipulekh border dispute during the Galwan crisis.

Pakistan, described as a "Past Master," has waged a proxy war against India with "minuscule sums in terms of military and finances." Its consistent use of non-military means to achieve objectives below the threshold of war has yielded disproportionate outcomes, as evidenced in Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir. In the latter, Pakistan uses the diplomatic domain to multilateralize what India views as a bilateral issue. Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) controls terror groups used against India.

Strategic communication is identified as a critical component of grey zone warfare, with social media and digital manipulation being the new tools for misinformation. Singh emphasizes that social media is the "domain for the future" and provides case studies, including the Shaheen Bagh protest, to support his argument. At the core of information warfare is "building a strong narrative."

The author suggests various communication strategies for social media, print, and traditional electronic media. He  highlights the need for a dedicated body to handle information warfare, perhaps a "National Strategic Communication Authority." He stresses the imperative to develop both offensive and defensive solutions in the grey zone, requiring greater synergy among all components of the security architecture, dovetailed with foreign policy objectives. A whole-of-nation approach to national security is vital, though Singh acknowledges that a traditionally laid-down, black-and-white grey zone policy may not be feasible due to the inherent ambiguity.

Conclusion and Impact

Given the inherent advantages of operating in shades of grey, nations increasingly favor it as a strategic tool, with technological advancements further enhancing its appeal. The author argues for an "all-nations approach" to tackle grey zone threats, which involves integrating all agencies dealing with the grey zone while upholding a rules-based international order. The Galwan incident is presented as a prime example of China's skillful grey zone activity, driven by its displeasure with India's stance on the coronavirus, the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, and the construction of the Leh-Darbuk-Shyok-DBO Road, all aimed at testing India's resolve.

This meticulously researched book is a scholarly work whose arguments are well-supported by adequate references. It will prove invaluable to security practitioners and policymakers seeking clarity on the complexities of grey zone warfare. As nations continue to exploit the ambiguity of grey zones at multiple levels to circumvent international laws and shape a more ambiguous world order, the central challenge remains: how to preserve the values and rules of combat in an environment where "there are no rules and nothing is forbidden."

Overall Assessment:

"Grey Zone Warfare: Way Ahead for India" is a commendable and essential contribution to contemporary strategic thought. Lieutenant General Dushyant Singh's extensive experience and academic rigor shine through in his comprehensive analysis. The book's strengths lie in its clear demystification of grey zone concepts, its detailed examination of specific threats faced by India from China and Pakistan, and its insightful case studies of other major powers. The "whole of nation" approach advocated by the author is a  valuable takeaway, highlighting the need for inter-agency coordination and a holistic response.

While the book provides a strong foundation, the evolving nature of grey zone threats means that some recommendations may require continuous refinement. Nevertheless, it serves as an indispensable resource for policymakers, military strategists, academics, and anyone interested in understanding the complex security challenges of the 21st century and India's potential responses. The book successfully achieves its objective of providing an unbiased and well-researched perspective on grey zone warfare from an Indian lens.