u/FreedomAlarmed1300

Talks on 1962 war generally revolve around how underprepared Army was or airforce was not used.

But there was one quick fix that could have been easily done to mitigate lack of self-loading rifle and other short comings to a great extent, increase number of Sten guns and Bren LMGs per infantry section.

Instead of conventional 1 Bren LMG, issue 2 Bren LMGs and instead 2 Sten guns per section, issue 4 Sten guns. Since every Indian soldier was trained to use Bren Gun and Sten gun and India was also producing Bren gun and Sten guns plus thousands already in reserve, it wouldn't have been a major challenge, equal to arming every soldier with SLR.

Also one Lee Enfield cup grenade discharger could have been issued per section with blank rounds to fire standard infantry 36M hand grenades up to 90-100 meters away. In both world wars, all countries used rifle grenades including Britain. Japanese in WW2 used Type 89 grenade dischargers per squad. It was probably the most effective weapon Japanese infantry had.

A conventional Indian infantry section has 7 to 8 Lee Enfield rifles, 1 Bren LMG and 2 Sten guns, 1 or 2 pistols, plus couple of hand grenades per soldier. Make it 2 bren LMGs, 4 Sten guns, 4 Lee Enfield rifles with 1 cup grenade discharger with blank rounds plus grenades. This is to compensate lack of a standard issue self-loading rifle and often inadeqaute artillery support.

If this was done, 1962 war could have been a partially successful defensive war instead of the collaspe that it was.

Wikipedia based on independent Western scholars says according to neutral estimate, Pakistanis suffered 3800 killed. That figure seemed to has been accepted by everyone.

But this book "Battle for Pakistan: The Air War of 1965" by John Fricker and officially sanctioned, on page 49 says total Pakistani dead in the war was 6917, out of which 5291 were PoK Kashmir govt's troops (whom John Fricker called Freedom Fighters). It is noteworthy that PoK Govt's troops were a distinct paramilitary force and not part of regular Pak army till 1972.

Additionally in the Rajasthan sector, there was also another Pak irregular force.

https://www.scribd.com/document/476441681/Hur

Pakistan however published casualty figures of only Pak regular forces which was substantially lower.

Whereas India included all casualties in all forces from Rann of Kutch clashes in to Tashkent ceasefire. India on other hand estimated Pakistani dead was 5800.

"The Indian official sources, however, state that about 5,800 Pakistanis were killed."

https://usiofindia.org/pdf/USI%20Journal%20July-September%202015-38-45.pdf So total Pak casualties was more than India's own estimates.

It is important for Indians to remember, war against Pakistan was never against only Pak regular military or other Pak govt. forces but also against a variety of other armed irregular forces.

In the late 1950s, Pakistan received over 100 F86 Sabres from US.

During 1965 war, Pakistan used its Sabres extensively. Pakistan had total 100 Sabres on the onset of war. 92 active and 8 undergoing repair. (Source: John Fricker, Battle for Pakistan: Air War of 1965, P 63.

After the war, India claimed total 43 Pakistani aircraft were destroyed though could not furnish details for all as many PAF aircraft went down in Pak territory or were destroyed in Pak airbases.

Pakistan on other hand claimed they lost only 19 aircraft to all causes in 1965 war of which 13 were Sabres (Source: Battle for Pakistan: Air War of 1965, P. 183) so obviously Pakistan was left with 87 Sabres.

However, on 23rd March of 1966, Pakistan conducted a big flypast on their Republic Day and also Pakistan Proposal Day (creation of a separate state of Pakistan was first formally proposed on 23rd March, 1940).

On that day, as per ISPR's book "Indo-Pakistan War 1965: A Flash Back", in Rawalpindi, virtually entire Pakistani airforce was present to show the world Pakistani airforce suffered little losses and it it included 72 Sabre jets in Rawalpindi and 10 in Dhaka. (Source: Indo-Pakistan War 1965: A Flash Back, P. 26)

1. So 72+10= 82. But if Pakistan's claim of losing 13 Sabres is to be accepted then Pakistan should have had 87 Sabres out of 100 available on the onset of war. But 82 were available for flypast, so where were the other 5? Destroyed in war?

Next, it gets more interesting. Pakistan had imported from US F86 Sabres of F model. After 1965 war, Pakistan hurriedly tried to replenish losses but as Pakistan was embargoed by US so Pakistan through Iran purchased 90 (89 delivered) ex-Luftwaffe (West German airforce). These were Canadian built and were designated E model in Pakistan. The deal was signed in January, 1966 and almost immediately later Sabres in small flights of 3 or 4 started to come.

2. So the next question is, how many of these 82 Sabres that conducted flypast on 23rd March were of original F model that Pakistan used in 1965 war and how many were recently arrived E model?

3. Next to make it even more interesting, on the onset of 1971 war, Pakistan had 65 F86Fs. (Source: Mandeep Singh, Air Defence Gunners At War: India-Pakistan War 1971, P. 69). But as has been stated, if Pakistan'c claim of 13 Sabres lost is accepted then after 1965 war, Pakistan should have had still 87 Sabres out of 100. There is no doubt few Sabres crashed between 1965 to 1971, but did Pakistan lose 22 (87-65) Sabres to crashes?

Since it is known Iran also supplied Pakistan with spares further as per United States Conggressional Record of 1971 (screenshot below), Pakistan procured spares from open market so large scale cannibalization of Sabres for spares can be also ruled out.

So how many Sabres did Pakistan actually lose in 1965 war? Their official admission of 13 Sabres being lost plus 22 missing Sabres? It is probably very clear and should give a clear picture how grossly Pakistan underreported Sabre losses in 1965 war.

https://preview.redd.it/3mpqekxc4dyg1.png?width=282&format=png&auto=webp&s=0e01c717099511a61c7365d3c15e0586c34eac7e