What is Cold Start Doctrine?

Cold Start is a military doctrine developed by the Indian Armed Forces for use in a possible war with Pakistan. It involves the various branches of India's military conducting offensive operations as part of unified battle groups. The Cold Start doctrine is intended to allow India's conventional forces to perform holding attacks in order to prevent a nuclear retaliation from Pakistan in case of a conflict. India initiated a full mobilization as counter-contingency after the attack on the Parliament.

The doctrine, known as Cold Start, deviated from the defence posture that India’s military had employed since independence. “The goal of this limited war doctrine is to establish the capacity to launch a retaliatory conventional strike against Pakistan that would inflict significant harm on the Pakistan Army before the international community could intercede, and at the same time, pursue narrow enough aims to deny Islamabad a justification to escalate the clash to the nuclear level."

Drawing on the experience of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Indian defence planners envisioned a new doctrine that involved limited, rapid armoured thrusts, with infantry and necessary air support. As per Cold Start promulgation, offensive operations could begin within 48 hours after orders have been issued. Such a limited response time would enable Indian forces to surprise their Pakistani counterparts. Operations would involve armoured spearheads launched from forward positions in Punjab and Rajasthan.