Kargil War : Recollections

"Pakistani Motivations and Assumptions

Pakistan's Kargil adventure was motivated by the desire to internationalise the Kashmir issue as a nuclear flashpoint and encourage third party intervention; to alter the LC and use the areas captured as a possible trade off against Indian positions on Siachen; to interdict the Srinagar Leh road; and to provide a fillip to the insurgency in Kashmir.

The main assumptions behind this move were as follows:-

Early third party intervention would take place in Pakistan's favour thereby enabling it to retain possession of the areas captured by it enabling it to bargain from a position of strength.
Its nuclear capability would obviate any larger Indian riposte across the International Border (IB) or even the use of air power.
India would not be in a position to mount a swift and resolute response due to a variety of factors.

In the event, these assumptions were off the mark barring possibly India not countering with a cross IB retaliation and its restrained use of air power. "