India shelved plans to hit Skardu airbase, former CDS says

Former chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan has disclosed that the Indian military once evaluated a strike on the Skardu airbase located in Pakistan‑occupied Kashmir (PoK). The assessment came after an earlier operational focus on Pakistan’s Sargodha airbase, a key hub for the Pakistani Air Force.

Chauhan said the decision to consider Skardu was part of a broader strategic review aimed at degrading Pakistan’s aerial capabilities in the region. However, he added that the plan was later scrapped as the armed forces weighed a range of factors, including the risk of rapid escalation, the potential for civilian casualties, and the diplomatic fallout that could follow a cross‑border airstrike.

According to the former CDS, operational challenges also played a role. The high altitude and rugged terrain surrounding Skardu make it a difficult target to engage effectively, especially under contested air‑defence conditions. Moreover, intelligence assessments indicated that a successful strike would require extensive preparation and could provoke a disproportionate response.

Chauhan’s remarks come amid ongoing tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad, where both sides regularly accuse each other of covert operations and border incursions. While India has not publicly confirmed any concrete plans to target PoK installations, the ex‑CDS’s comments provide a rare glimpse into the internal deliberations that shape India’s defence posture.

The disclosure underscores how strategic calculations, rather than mere opportunism, guide military planning on the subcontinent. It also highlights the delicate balance New Delhi seeks to maintain between asserting its security interests and avoiding a full‑scale conflict with its neighbour.