The Ministry of Defence
When Flying Officer Goyal woke, an AHQ Communications Squadron1 Dornier 228 had already landed at Bareilly. He and Jafar, smartly turned out, boarded the aircraft for New Delhi. Eleven days had now passed since the Mumbai massacre. The Indian government needed to produce results for an enraged public.
Bareilly was close to New Delhi; barely an hour's flight. As the aircraft descended to land at the military airfield near Delhi Cantonment,2 the flying officer could see the Air Force Museum nearby. On the apron sat a decrepit Spitfire and a Vampire, alongside some MiG-23s retired in recent years. He still remembered his school days, the first time he had come here, the instant thrill of the aces' exploits, the resolve to join the Air Force. Later he learned that the combat records in the museum were somewhat inflated. On the whole, across the various India–Pakistan conflicts, India had lost considerably more fighters in total.
After disembarking, a staff car from the Ministry drove them directly to the reception room on the ground floor. They waited approximately five minutes before a tall man wearing a Sikh turban approached.
The man introduced himself as Rujadnahan,3 office director to Defence Minister Singh. He was grave and humourless. He then raised the subject of the previous day's fighting, principally the second kill. Goyal told him he could not confirm it; only that the squadron had received intelligence indicating the aircraft had not returned to its home base. The answer made the director frown.
"Flying Officer, there's something you don't yet know. Last night, No. 7 Wing lost two Jaguars. Parliament doesn't know yet, but they will."
"Was it No. 5 Squadron's F-16s?" Jafar pressed.
"Let me finish, Flying Officer. Which enemy squadron did it is entirely beside the point. What matters is that the political establishment and the public are desperate for heroes to appear, so that they will continue to trust and rely on the Defence Ministry to resolve this conflict."
The director paused. Neither pilot had quite grasped his meaning.
"It's simple. Parliament has no patience for the complexities of aerial warfare. If you and Flying Officer Jafar are unwilling to shoulder this responsibility, I don't think it will do either of your careers any favours."4 The office director was making his meaning bluntly clear. He needed an ace with two kills, to demonstrate to the public that the enormous defence budget was paying dividends.
"If the members of the Lok Sabha5 learn that in this round of fighting we're down one to two, they'll question whether the investment of all these years has been worthwhile. You should be able to understand: every fool thinks in addition and subtraction. But the military's funding depends on these laymen and their arithmetic."
"In a moment, Minister Singh will see you. I don't think he'll raise the matter. But this afternoon, if the Prime Minister asks, you simply tell him that you clearly saw the second enemy aircraft crash in the mountains of northwestern Kashmir."
"Understood." Goyal and Jafar answered together, quietly. The director nodded with satisfaction.
"One further matter. The Minister is particularly interested in the second aircraft shot down, because he's heard it was a new type, the Thunder, and Pakistan is about to deploy large numbers of them."
"Sir, I believe this is a very, very formidable adversary. Especially troublesome in a medium- and low-altitude pursuit. I think Air Force pilots ought to be warned about this new opponent." Goyal spoke carefully, but the answer once again displeased the director.
"Flying Officer, a word of advice. You can say these things to your commanding officer or to the Chief of Air Staff. Not to the Minister. The Minister is planning a counteroffensive, and he has no use for this kind of pessimism. You must emphasise our absolute technological superiority."
"Perfectly understood." Both answered at once. Something had clicked. They had grasped, quite suddenly, everything the director's preliminary conversation was designed to convey.
"Oh, one more thing. Minister Singh has asked me to tell you both that you will each receive a Vir Chakra for this victory. Promotion to flight lieutenant will follow in a few days, naturally. After that, you have a choice. You can remain at No. 24 Squadron as front-line pilots. You can go to TACDE as an instructor. Or…" Rujadnahan stopped, deliberately leaving the bait dangling. Jafar and Goyal did not dare to guess. They waited.
"Gentlemen, the reformed No. 43 Squadron6 needs a deputy squadron commander. This new squadron will be equipped with our latest Tejas fighter. Now that is a truly formidable aircraft; certainly not some cheap Thunder. I believe that if a combat hero were willing to go, promotion to squadron leader would come swiftly."
Rujadnahan's words set Jafar's heart pounding. He knew Goyal would never choose to leave Bareilly, but for him this was a golden opportunity. In the Air Force's tradition, the back-seater's promotion prospects were always inferior to the pilot's.
"I think you're both intelligent men. You should have understood the point of what I've said. Right, get yourselves ready. The Minister will be here shortly."
Rujadnahan left the reception room and went up to an ordinary office on the second floor. Defence Minister Lakshman Singh7 stood with his back to the door, looking out at Parliament in the distance.
"They understood my meaning?" Singh asked.
"They're intelligent men, sir," Rujadnahan replied.
"Sir, this afternoon's special defence budget will certainly pass." Rujadnahan was reading the minister's mood.
"Hmph. That's only the first step. You're the man I trust most. You should know that for years I've been working toward a single goal: a permanent solution to the Pakistan problem. Ordinary politicians care only about their own advancement. They can never understand what Prime Minister Kahan8 and I are trying to accomplish. India must put an end to this unfavourable strategic geometry, and soon."
"Sir, I understand your meaning. India cannot allow 19629 to happen again."
"Only by dealing with the lesser enemy first can we concentrate our strength against the greater one. War is decided by resolve. If the enemy reaches that resolve before us, we will be ground down on two fronts." Singh turned around as he spoke. His complexion was pale, yet he radiated confidence.
"But sir, Army Headquarters may be another problem. Every plan they draw up is small-scale and timid. They fear that all-out war with Pakistan will weaken our defences facing China."
"Quite right. I know General Pasad well. He's always more timid than the Foreign Ministry. But when the moment comes, I can find someone to replace him as Chief of Army Staff."
"Speaking of the Foreign Ministry, sir, they've told me the UN may send an envoy within two days to mediate our border conflict with Pakistan. The likely choice is a former Democratic president from America."10
"Don't worry. The Prime Minister will never accept such a humiliating outcome. The Prime Minister has said it: India is the victim of terrorism. It is not for the Americans to take sides. What we're doing is no different from what they did in Afghanistan."
"But the Foreign Ministry argues that Mumbai, where the attack occurred, is 1,700 kilometres from the conflict zone in Kashmir. They consider persuading the international community to be a headache."
"Not surprising. The Foreign Ministry is always like this."
"Additionally, sir, Pakistan claimed this morning that aircraft rehearsing nuclear strikes had crossed their border. The Foreign Ministry is afraid this will mislead international opinion."
"Hmph. Utter nonsense. They think having one permanent Security Council member in their corner is enough. We have the other four. The Foreign Ministry should make proper use of our diplomatic resources. I really don't know what they're so afraid of."
"On that subject, Secretary Chandra telephoned, asking about the crash locations of the two Jaguars. I told them we're still investigating. One pilot is missing."
"That is a thorny matter. If the pilot has fallen into their hands, there will be problems. Before we go to open war, we have to tread carefully." Singh said.
"On this matter, I must brief you on a new development," the director said. Singh nodded for him to continue.
"No. 7 Wing's morning report states that one of the Jaguars had indeed been modified to carry nuclear weapons.11 If the self-destruct system failed to function, the cockpit computer systems would contain current attack route data, including pre-programmed nuclear delivery profiles. That could serve their propaganda. Additionally, there is information on forward airfields and IFF codes. If it falls into their hands, it would cause serious problems for the air force at the front."
"Could the pilot still be alive?"
"Sir, it's April. A night on that ground — he's probably frozen to death." Rujadnahan said this carefully.
"Hm. Still, don't be complacent. Telephone Northern Command.12 Have them send a patrol to search. At the very least, destroy the wreckage. Right, then. Time to meet those two young men."
The Defence Minister pushed open the door to the reception room. The two pilots in their crisply pressed uniforms sprang from the sofa to attention. They had been holding their breath for nearly fifteen minutes, and now the moment had arrived.
"Gentlemen, splendid. Tell me — what does it feel like to shoot down the enemy?" Lakshman Singh asked with a smile. The expressionless director stood behind him. Goyal thought: this is a moment where mistakes are not permitted.
"Like a fireball in the sky, sir."
"Hm, a fine image. It reminds me of 1971. I was a tank gunner with the 19th Armoured Division then. I put a round into the turret of an M48 and watched it burn. Exactly that kind of spectacle."
"We will shoot down every enemy aircraft that intrudes," Jafar said, chest out.
"Good. Just like that. Now tell me about this new enemy aircraft. Pakistan has been boasting about this new type for some time. How was it?"
Jafar glanced discreetly at Goyal, hoping he would field this one.
"An unremarkable light fighter. Whether within or beyond visual range, utterly no match for us." Goyal answered with practised ease. But in the instant he spoke, what rose before his eyes was the pale blue aircraft turning above him, clear enough to make out the two missiles on its wingtips — clearer, somehow, than it had been in the fight itself.
"We're short on time. Get ready, gentlemen. This afternoon we have to go to Parliament. The Prime Minister needs you. I hope your heroic accomplishments will knock some sense into those left-wing blockheads in the Lower House."
1. AHQ Communications Squadron (空军总部特勤中队): The Chinese renders this as AHQCS and gives 空军总部特勤中队, literally "Air Force Headquarters Special Duties Squadron." In the IAF's organisational structure, AHQ Communications Squadron is the unit responsible for VIP and priority transport, operating light aircraft such as the Dornier 228 and HS 748. The HAL-Dornier 228 is a twin-turboprop light transport manufactured under licence by HAL in Kanpur. Its use to ferry two junior officers from Bareilly to New Delhi is consistent with standard IAF practice for high-priority personnel movements. ↩
2. Delhi Cantonment (德里坎登门): The Chinese 坎登门 (Kǎndēngmén) is a phonetic rendering that most plausibly corresponds to "Cantonment." Delhi Cantonment encompasses a large military zone in southwestern New Delhi, adjacent to Safdarjung Airport and the Palam military area. The Defence Ministry is housed in South Block on Raisina Hill, several kilometres to the northeast. The nearby Air Force Museum at Palam displays retired IAF aircraft including Spitfires, Vampires, and MiG-23s, consistent with the author's description. ↩
3. Rujadnahan (卢贾德纳罕): See C6N12. The character functions as the Defence Minister's chief political fixer, coaching the young pilots on what to say and what not to say. His role in this chapter is to ensure that the narrative presented to Parliament aligns with the Ministry's strategic objectives rather than with operational reality. That he wears a Sikh turban, combined with his employer being "Defence Minister Singh," establishes both men as Sikhs. ↩
4. Kill claims and political pressure: The director's demand that Goyal claim two confirmed kills, when the second remains unverified, parallels a recurring phenomenon in the history of aerial warfare: the inflation of kill claims for political purposes. The tension between what pilots know to be true and what their governments need them to say is a theme the novel explores through Goyal's growing discomfort. The Indian side's exchange rate in this engagement stands at one confirmed kill against two Jaguars lost. ↩
5. Lok Sabha (人民院下院): The lower house of India's bicameral Parliament, directly elected by the public. The Chinese 人民院下院 literally renders as "People's House Lower Chamber." Defence budgets and war authorisations require Lok Sabha approval, giving its members direct leverage over military funding. The Defence Minister's concern over their perception of defence spending underscores the political pressure driving the military narrative throughout this chapter. ↩
6. No. 43 Squadron / Tejas LCA (43中队 / 光辉): IAF No. 43 Squadron "Ibexes," historically a transport unit. The novel fictionalises it as a fighter squadron being reformed with the HAL Tejas (see C6N11). In reality, the first Tejas squadron was No. 45 "Flying Daggers," raised at Bangalore in July 2016. Rujadnahan's characterisation of the Tejas as categorically superior to the JF-17 Thunder represents the political rather than the operational view; at the time of the novel's setting, the Tejas was still in protracted development and had not yet achieved initial operational clearance. ↩
7. Defence Minister Lakshman Singh (国防部长拉什曼·辛格): A fictional character. The name "Lakshman" (Rāma's brother in the Rāmāyaṇa) combined with "Singh" suggests a Hindu or Sikh identity. His background as a 1971 war veteran gives him military credibility and a personal stake in conflict with Pakistan. He bears no direct resemblance to any specific Indian Defence Minister, though his desire to escalate recalls the political atmosphere during the 2001–2002 India–Pakistan standoff. ↩
8. Prime Minister Kahan (卡汗总理): The Chinese 卡汗 renders as Kǎhàn. Given the novel's depiction of a BJP government riding a nationalist wave, the name is likely intended as a Hindu given name rather than the Muslim "Khan." The precise Indian equivalent is difficult to recover from the Chinese phonetics; "Kahan" or "Kalhan" are plausible readings. See C6N8 for the novel's broader political configuration. ↩
9. 1962 (1962年的事情): The 1962 Sino-Indian War, in which China inflicted a decisive defeat on India along the Himalayan border. The reference encapsulates India's foundational strategic anxiety: the fear of being caught unprepared on the Chinese front. Singh's argument is that Pakistan must be neutralised first to avoid a two-front predicament, a strategic logic that has recurred in Indian defence planning since the war's aftermath. ↩
10. A former Democratic president (美国民主党的一位前总统): Given the novel's timeline (post-2008), this most likely alludes to Bill Clinton, who undertook diplomatic missions to North Korea and elsewhere during the Obama administration, or possibly Jimmy Carter, who has a long history of international mediation. The detail establishes the novel's geopolitical backdrop: the United States attempting to de-escalate a crisis that the Indian government has no intention of resolving peacefully. ↩
11. Nuclear-capable Jaguars (挂载核武器的改装): The IAF Jaguar has long been identified as one of India's nuclear-capable delivery platforms. India's nuclear doctrine relies on aircraft-delivered gravity bombs as one leg of its triad. The revelation that a downed Jaguar contained nuclear delivery profiles and IFF data significantly raises the stakes: if Pakistan were to recover this material, it would constitute both a propaganda coup and an intelligence windfall. The missing pilot and wreckage become a crisis within the crisis. ↩
12. Northern Command (北方军区): The Indian Army's Northern Command, headquartered at Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, responsible for all military operations along the LoC and the Line of Actual Control with China in the northern sector. Singh's order to dispatch a patrol to find the wreckage reflects both the intelligence sensitivity of the downed Jaguar and the political necessity of controlling the narrative before Pakistan can exploit it. ↩