Operation Brass Tacks: How Indian Army's Masterclass in Psychological Warfare Terrified Pakistan

• Operation Brass Tacks was a massive Indian Army military exercise conducted in January 1986 in the Rajasthan desert, involving 4 lakh soldiers, 4,000 tanks, and 300 fighter aircraft.
• The exercise, led by General K.S. Brar, aimed to test India's military machinery and was the largest of its kind in the subcontinent at the time.
• Pakistan, fearing an imminent invasion, mobilized its forces, deployed tank divisions, and sought aid from the US and UK, believing India was planning 'Operation Topac' to cross the Indus River and attack Lahore.
• India maintained that Brass Tacks was a 'Peace Time Mobilization' to deter Pakistan from interfering in Kashmir, while Pakistan complained to the United Nations.
• The operation is considered a classic example of psychological warfare, demonstrating India's military might and boosting its confidence for future large-scale operations like the Kargil War.

Why It Matters: Operation Brass Tacks was a strategic Indian military exercise that used psychological warfare to deter Pakistan.