India's Myanmar operation not a first, but most aggressive so far

The Indian army's aggressive attack on militant camps in Myanmarese territory is not the first such anywhere but is unmatched in its scale, experts said Wednesday.

"This is not the first time India launched such attack, but it has never been on this scale," strategic expert Brigadier. S.K. Chatterji (retd) told IANS.

"There have been operations in Bhutan, and even along the LoC," he said.

The Indian Army launched attacks at two points along the Indo-Myanmar border on Tuesday, killing several militants involved in attacks on security forces. The operation was a response to the June 4 attack on an Indian Army convoy in which 18 soldiers of the 6 Dogra regiment were killed.

The Additional Director General of Military Operations, Maj. Gen. Ranbir Singh, had said on Tuesday that authorities on the Myanmar side were taken into confidence.

Many of the operations are not acknowledged.

In Operation All Clear, in which India and Bhutan targetted Assamese separatist groups camping in Bhutan.

About 30 militant camps - 13 ULFA, 12 NDFB and 5 KLO - were the target of intelligence-based operations which included troops from 3 Corps. The operation was led by the Royal Bhutan Army. Around 650 militants were killed or captured in the operation.

Along the India-Myanmar border, Operation Golden Bird was launched in 1995 in which ULFA lost several top leaders and cadres like Monpa Rongpi and Madhurya Gohain.

India and Myanmar also conducted a joint operation in 2006 to flush out NSCN (Khaplang) cadres.

According to army sources, there have been operations along LoC as well by Special Forces and Ghatak platoons. These are also short, tactical operations and relatively close to the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.