01x04 - Golden Arrows

[bunniefuu]

[grunts]

He should be here somewhere.

That means he has landed on our side.
What's the update on the rescue chopper?

[breathing heavily]

- [panting]
- [tense music playing]

[phone ringing]

Jai Hind.

[panting]

[helicopter approaching]

The Indian Army
has spotted Ahuja's parachute.

Where, sir?

He's drifted across the LoC.

Ahuja is in PoK, Tony.

[dramatic music playing]

[grunts]

[groaning]

[tires screeching]

Dhali! Ahuja had to eject! Let's go!

[Tony] Ahuja is crazy.

He always goes overboard.

It doesn't matter.

He'll be back with us soon.

Sinha!

Ahuja has ejected.
We have to go look for him.

What? When?

Just a while ago. We don't have much time.
Are any of the choppers ready?

- Is Nubra 1 ready at the take-off point?
- Yes, sir.

Quickly do the final checks.
I want to take off in two minutes.

Has Ahuja turned on his rescue beacon?

Ahuja is not in friendly territory, Sinha.

And if I know him well enough,
he will surely not use the beacon.

And he won't let them use it, either.

Where do you think you're going?

We are going to get Ahuja back.

Ahuja is in Pakistan, Tony.

That doesn't make a difference.

Our choppers are fitted
with both g*ns and rockets.

We'll rescue him. You have to trust us.

What if you get shot down?

Then who will go looking for you?

It's a trap. A basic military strategy.

We can't just sit around here
doing nothing.

It's a diplomatic matter now.

I'll talk to the government
and take this to the highest level.

But we just cannot cross the LoC.

Understood?

[sombre music playing]

[dramatic music playing]

[reporter] In breaking news
coming from South Asia,

the Indian Air Force has confirmed

that two of its fighter pilots
are missing in action

after their jets were reportedly shot down

over the Line of Control
in Kashmir's Kargil sector.

World leaders are monitoring
the developments closely

amidst widespread concern
that this may prove to be…

[phone ringing]

…a dangerous stepping point
in the ongoing Kargil conflict…

[Aziz] Pakistan Zindabad, sir.

I've been watching the news, Aziz.

- Well done.
- Thank you, sir.

But now this issue
will escalate internationally, Aziz.

The American satellites will be watching
the Line of Control.

So, for the time being,
stop the movement of soldiers

and their supplies in the area completely.

Sir, India has deployed another


Halting supplies at such--

Now, what does it matter
if they're 1,000 or 15,000?

It's been over three weeks
since we were discovered.

We have k*lled 250 of their soldiers,

shot down two of their jets.

Could the Indian Air Force
or the Army harm us?

Aziz, as long as we have
the advantage of height,

the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army,
we can crush both of them.

Right, sir.

I hope both the pilots are in our custody?

We have captured one of them, sir.

For now, he's unconscious.

And the other?

We've identified the area.

Search operations are on. We'll find him.

Very good.

Let's see now.

How many more pilots does
the Indian Air Force send to die there?

[dogs barking]

[dogs barking in distance]

[dogs barking]

[Pakistani soldier]
We found the parachute, sir.

We found the parachute, sir.

[tense music playing]

[all clamouring]

The station commander has come himself.

I hope it's nothing serious.

Mmm, no,
he's not in his ceremonial uniform.

Ajay has had to eject during a mission.

We are waiting for further information.

The moment we hear something,
we'll update you.

Ah! [grunting]

[gasping]

[barking]

[wincing in pain]

[soldier 1] He's running
towards the bridge.

[soldier 2] There he is! Behind the tree!

[dogs barking in distance]

[breathing heavily]

[gasps]

General Zinni, what a pleasant surprise!

Is it, Mr Prime Minister?

My office has requested meetings
five times in the last week.

I apologise, General.

The situation at the LoC is quite tense.

Which is precisely why I'm calling.

President Clinton is deeply concerned
and wants you to de-escalate immediately.

They are not our troops, General.

They are Mujahideen.

Delhi claims that it's your army
disguised as militants.

Quite frankly, given the scale,
it is compelling.

Whom do you trust, General?

Your old ally, Pakistan,

who stood by you for the past 50 years.

Speaking of allies, Mr Prime Minister,
what is your Army Chief doing in Beijing?

That's a personal visit.
It has nothing to do with this situation.

Mr Sharif, you do understand

that if India and Pakistan
go to nuclear w*r,


in the immediate aftermath.

Right now, sir,

you are just one reckless decision away
from setting it off.

President Clinton
is counting on your leadership,

Mr Prime Minister.

This is my third w*r.

And this day…

is probably the most difficult day in my…

entire career.

With great regret…

I…

hereby suspend Operation Safed Sagar.

With due respect, sir,

initially we got orders that we were
not to cross the LoC while fighting.

We did not do that.

Then we were informed that we cannot
cross the LoC, even to rescue Ahuja.

We still didn't cross it.

But now we're told
we can't fight from within our territory.

How can we do that?

Tony…

we have to face the hard facts.

We've lost two aircraft and two
of our pilots in the last two days.

We can't give up
without giving them a fight.

Sir, I agree with Tony.
We should stay in this fight.

You are all missing the big picture here.

This here is the Western Air Command's
Area of Responsibility.

From Rajasthan here,
all the way to Jammu and Kashmir.

This is an area of 350,000
square kilometres.

In this map here,
Kargil is only a tiny dot.

And if our losses continue at this rate

then in a month's time,
to protect this little dot on the map,

the Western Air Command
will get wiped out.

If the enemy opens up any other front,
then how will we protect these borders?

Tony, I'm angry as well.

But we work on cold strategy.

We will strike them,
but from outside their m*ssile range.

But, sir, they are at
an altitude of 10,000 feet.

If we can't achieve precision
from such a close distance,

how can we from far away?

That's exactly why we are going to wait.

The target is at 18,000 feet.

The bombing has to be done
from 30,000 feet.

And this can be achieved only with
an advanced aircraft like the Mirage.

That's because only the Mirage 2000
has laser-guided bombing capabilities

which can lock the target
far away from the peak,

outside the m*ssile range.

And can strike and return safely

before the enemy reacts.

But, unfortunately, they aren't ready

because they don't have
laser-guided bombs yet.

Guys, America has yet again rejected
our request for laser-guided bombs.

Clearly, America is playing with us.

We have the capability, but no equipment.

So we'll build our own laser-guided bombs

and show the world how innovative
and capable the Indian Air Force is.

We have these old 1971 dumb bombs.

We'll install these Paveway laser kits
on them.

And we'll make this Mirage 2000 believe
that these are laser-guided bombs.

Until this jet accepts our hack,
we won't be going home.

Whatever it takes.

We need to fool this jet.

[telephone ringing]

Sangy, sir,
there's a call for you from Srinagar.

Hello?

[Baldy sighs] Sangy.

Baldy here.

Baldy?

How are you doing?

Any update on Ahuja, sir?

[sighs]

Nothing at all.

Our operations have also been halted.

Yes, Chhabra Sir told us.

Listen, just tell me something.

What's happening with the Mirages?

When will they be operational?

We're trying our best.

Everyone's working around the clock.

Listen, Baldy…

How is Dhali taking it?

Wasn't he with Ahuja?

He hasn't spoken properly to anyone
since he's back.

Maybe he's blaming himself.

We are all just hoping
that wherever Ahuja Sir is,

he returns home safe and sound.

[PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee]
Nothing should happen to both our pilots.

Mr Jaswant, please communicate this
to Islamabad.

Please ensure that they are treated well,
otherwise the consequences

will not be good for Pakistan.

Very well.

Get him down.

Hey, hurry up.

Good job, Ajmal.

You know what you need to do.

Yes, sir.

Come on.

[gasps]

Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja,

what were you doing so close to the LoC?

What was your intention?

As per the 1949 Geneva Conventions,

prisoners of w*r don't have to answer
any questions asked by the enemies.

- Now talk!
- Ahh!

[yelling in pain]

[coughing]

[breath wheezing]

Give a straightforward answer
to my questions.

Why are you here?

First, you ask yourself…

as to why…

did you come to our country?

[sighs in frustration]

[grunts]

India maintaining that both jets
were shot down

on their side of the Line of Control,

the fog of w*r in Kargil has now thickened
into a global diplomatic crisis.

Speaking earlier today,

the U.S. Secretary of State
urged maximum restraint…

[telephone ringing]

…reminding the world that
a nuclear exchange

between India and Pakistan
could result in 100 million deaths…

Aziz,

do we have the second pilot
in our custody?

We do. We took him to Skardu.

Has he agreed to accept the truth?

Sorry, sir, I didn't understand.

Just that he was ordered
to cross the Line of Control

and he was supposed to b*mb
our forward bases.

It is important to get
an on-camera statement from him, Aziz.

So that we can mislead the world
to believe

that India is the real aggressor,
and not us.

I'll get this checked, sir.

But sir, General Hasan has told me that
the officer is very stubborn.

Aziz, General Hasan isn't capable
of doing everything, is he?

Go and see this yourself.

Copy that, sir. Understood.

I'll leave for Skardu immediately.

[Ajmal] I am asking you again.

Which base did you intend to b*mb
when you entered Pakistan?

And I am telling you again…

my aircraft didn't have any bombs in it.

Nor was I supposed to enter Pakistan.

It's a lie! An absolute lie.

Which base?

Which base?

[sizzling]

[groaning]

Which base?

[screaming]

Major Ajmal!

[Ajmal] Come on, tell me!

Major Ajmal!

What do you think you're doing?

[whimpering]

Hmph. Untie him.

Give him his uniform.

And you, go and get Dr Bukhari.

[grunts]

What are you making them do, Hasan?

This is Skardu, sir.

This is how we extract information here.

Hasan, this is different.

Do you have the slightest idea
how important this man's statement is?

[sighs]

I apologise for how Major Ajmal
has treated you.

But you see, you're very stubborn.

And our soldiers, well…

they respond to stubbornness…

in the way that they did.

What can we do about it?

You can do a lot, General Khan.

You can train them a little better

so that they are aware that any kind
of atrocity on a prisoner of w*r

is a violation of the Geneva Conventions.

What Geneva Conventions?

Those are only applicable
when the armies of two countries

are at w*r with each other.

Those people who infiltrated Kargil,

in retaliation of which you entered
our territory,

are actually the Mujahideen.

I'm sorry, General Khan,
I wasn't aware of that.

Funny how wearing a Pathani suit

can turn the Pakistani Army
into the Mujahideen.

Aren't you worried about Ankur and Alka?

You don't need to worry about them.

They're in the safest place in India.

And you're here…

inside the safest army base
in all of Pakistan.

Where no one can come to save you.

The fact is,

only I can help you here.

But for that to happen,

you will have to help me
with something first.

Hmm?

Please have some tea.

[tense music builds]

General Musharraf,

Beijing welcomes you
during difficult times.

Thank you.

Please sit.

My deepest sympathies
regarding your embassy in Belgrade.

Three journalists dead.

American mistake, they claim.

We have a saying in Urdu.

[speaking in Urdu]

[in English] It means,
"Your own roof is falling apart,

but you're off to repair
other people's houses."

And this is what America is doing.

For the last few weeks,
India has been displaying

unrestrained aggression
along the Line of Control.

And yet, my Prime Minister
is receiving calls daily from Clinton.

What should we do? Should we sit back
and allow India to take over our country?

America is acting through India, trust me.

We can easily take on India.

But America?

[chuckles]

General…

we also have a saying in Mandarin.

[speaking in Mandarin]

[in English] A frog at the bottom
of the well

cannot fathom the depth of the ocean.

It is a very stupid thing,
what you've done in Kargil, General.

Sparking w*r in the midst
of a historic peace process,

while both sides have nuclear weapons.

You're playing with fire.

China has always supported Pakistan
in the past,

but this time, you're on your own.

Not only India,
but also the rest of the world

is worried about your safe return.

And so…

we will be making
a video recording of you.

Hmm.

Here we have placards with a message
that we have prepared for you.

You just have to look into the camera

and read out whatever is written
on this placard.

So, shall we begin?

Hmm?

Zubair?

I, Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja,

hereby give this statement
of my own free will

and in my senses.

Today, on the 27th of May, 1999,
when I was…

when I was on a non-offensive operation
within the official territory of India,

the Pakistani Army
which had infiltrated Kargil…

[camera beeps]

What happened, sir?

Don't they teach you how to read?

Of course they do.

To read and write, and also how to fight.

But with principles.

What are they teaching you here, sir?

So, what you're trying to say,

is that your mission was limited
to only the Indian airspace.

Then would you care to explain

what are you doing
on a Pakistani Army base?

Sir, your Pakistan Army soldiers,
who were hiding in our mountains,

had attacked my jet
with their Stinger m*ssile.

So I had to eject within my country.

But my parachute drifted into Pakistan.

So…

you didn't really have
any kind of intention to enter Pakistan?

Affirmative, sir.

All right, I'll sh**t straight.

Lie for us, just this once,
then, Inshallah,

you can go back
and get yourself a bravery medal.

No country in the world
gives out medals for lying.

Anyway, no medal in the world is worth it…

if I earn it by betraying my country.

I'm going to give you a better option.

We can move you to London.

You'll get so much money

that you will never need either a medal
or any uniform.

That's exactly what makes
this uniform so special.

No random person can go out and buy it.

It has to be earned.

You have to dedicate your life to India
to wear this.

Anyway, I've told you everything
I'm supposed to tell you.

You are a three-star general.

Your time is very valuable.

Please don't waste it on me.

Jai Hind, sir.

A man who doesn't understand the thin line
between principles and madness…

But I can't save him,

and I don't think even Allah can.

Aziz, what's the update?

[Aziz] Sir, I really tried my best, but…

the man is very stubborn.

If he's stubborn,
then make an example out of him.

You know what I'm trying to say.

What about the international community?

To hell with the international community.

Make such an example out of him
that their souls start trembling

even before they think
of entering Pakistan.

[Aziz] Sir.

[foreboding music playing]

Jai Hind.

[g*nsh*t echoing]

[doorbell rings]

[sombre music playing]

Compound fracture of the leg tibia,

multiple g*nsh*t wounds
to the thoracic cavity and cranium.

Extensive…

cigarette-induced burn injuries
across the abdominal region and genitalia.

Signs of deliberate mutilation
including broken fingers--

I can see everything, doctor.

I can see it.

Look what have they done to him.

Doctor, can we take the body now?

Yes, you can, sir. But there's a problem.

What's the problem?

The coffin that Pakistan sent him in
is a foot and a half smaller.

And those people just…

So what is…

- Who's going to arrange all this?
- I'll make the arrangements.

[reporter] The situation in the Kargil w*r
is getting increasingly worse.

Today, the joint operation
of the Indian Army and Air Force

failed to capture the Tololing complex.

Both forces have suffered a major setback
in this attempt.

The infiltrators used
surface-to-air missiles

to sh**t down the Indian Air Force's
Mi-17 attack helicopter.

This is the third aircraft
of the Air Force

to be shot down in the last two days.

In this attack,
Squadron Leader Rajiv Pundir,

Flight Lieutenant Subramanian Muhilan,

Sergeant PVNR Prasad
and Sergeant Raj Kishore Sahu

have been martyred.

Earlier, after sh**ting down
Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja's MiG-21,

the Pakistani army tortured him
in a gruesome manner.

[reporter 2] There is widespread outrage
across India

even as Pakistani military officials claim
that Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja

died from injuries
sustained during ejection.

Squadron Leader Ahuja, unfortunately,
had been k*lled in the accident.

India has formally accused Pakistan
of violating the Geneva Conventions.

The k*lling of a downed pilot,
if confirmed,

would constitute a grave breach
of international law.

This is a cold-blooded m*rder,

an act of cowardice
on the part of Pakistani regulars.

General Aziz, why didn't you inform us

that the Indian fighter pilot was tortured
mercilessly before he was k*lled?

Sir, our official stance
is absolutely clear.

Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja
has died because of ejection impact.

India has been accusing us
of violating the Geneva Conventions.

America asks for an update every day.

Puts pressure on me that the other pilot
be released immediately.

Mr Aziz, you better start the process

of returning the other pilot
back to India.

Pakistan Zindabad.

General Musharraf,
did you come straight from the airport?

I thought I shouldn't wait too long
to share the good news, Mr Sharif.

China has congratulated us
for punching India right in its nose.

China is going to back us,
Mr Prime Minister.

And if America still pressures us
to make a withdrawal,

then we can most definitely
count on China.

That's actually very good news.

Which means we don't need America anymore.

That's right.

Mr Sartaj,

you and Nawaz keep America entertained.

The time has come.

Now we will talk directly to Delhi.

[mournful music playing]

[singing in Hindi]

[shouting orders in Hindi]

[shouting orders in Hindi]

[in English] I surely trusted you…

Tony.

Why did you let him go there?

Why?

Fire!

- Fire!
- [r*fles firing]

[music ends]

Sir, before the '71 w*r,

an expl*si*n occurred
because of someone else's safety lapse.

Shrapnel pierced into my father's body.

It couldn't even be removed surgically.

And a few years later, he passed away.

And today we lost Ahuja, sir.

He was like a father to me, sir.

[sniffles, sighs]

I'm very, very sorry, Sangy.

I want to fly in this w*r, sir.

I have to fly.

I want to go back to the Golden Arrows.

Back to my family.

[sighs]

They k*lled him, Kamal.

They tortured him.

Those animals shot him
at point-blank range.

And they are saying that…

he died due to the impact of ejection.

They are lying to the world
and we are keeping our operations on hold.

All the bloody operations.

Tony, it's not your fault.

I was the one who called him here.

I called him here!

He wasn't supposed to be posted here.

"Ahuja, come here," and he came. And now…

[sniffles, sighs]

[sobbing]

[telephone ringing]

[sighs]

[phone continues ringing]

[sighs]

Hello.

[man] Sir, Wing Commander Sandeep Chhabra
is calling from Gwalior.

Connect the call.

Sandy.

I am very sorry, Tony.

I know that Ahuja was special for you.

Sorry won't cut it, Sandy.

We have to b*mb them to the dark ages.

We are very angry too.

But we can't fly the Mirages
without doing trials.

We won't get permission.

How long will your trials go on for?

I really don't know.

French plane, Israeli laser kit,
old country style bombs from 1971…

Hacking all of these
and fitting them together

is a very tricky set-up.

But we are trying.

We are trying, Tony.

Okay, listen.

Sangy wants to come back to you.

He's being emotional,

but I'm okay with it.

[Tony] What is he going to do here?

The whole operation has been suspended.

It's so strange, isn't it, Sandy?

You guys can hit them
from outside their m*ssile range,

but you don't have the right bombs.

The MiG-27s have the bombs,

but we cannot b*mb them
from outside of their m*ssile range.

We have GPS here, we can reach our target.

But the bombing…

Tony? Hello?

Are you there?

Sandy, I'll… I'll call you back.

I'll call you back.

Kamal…

we don't need to halt
our operations at all.

Meaning?

We can…

we can do the bombing, but…

[Kamal] But?

But what?

I won't get the permission to do it.

Permission?

Did they ask for permission
when they were entering our country?

Or did they take permission
before they tortured Ahuja?

Listen, Tony,

do whatever you have to do.

Do it however you want to.

Just do it.

They think they can do whatever they want
from that height.

They are absolutely wrong.

We are not going to mourn anymore.

And we won't be taking photos, either.

Our jets have been fitted with cameras
instead of bombs.

But they were supposed to have bombs,
right?

Now we will carry out the bombing.

We all have access to GPS.

We are actually capable of flying our jets
above the clouds and reaching our targets.

And from outside their m*ssile range,
we can rain fire and havoc on them.

This has never been done before.

But we are going to do it.

Are you with me?

[all] Yes, sir!

Tony, when was the last time
a photo-recce squadron

took up the role of a bombing squadron
and that too during a w*r?

Sir, when was the last time
any air force in the world

fought a w*r at the height of 18,000 feet?

My objection is purely technical.

MiGs are designed to drop bombs
from 20,000 feet.

Not 30,000 feet.

Sir, the machines are ready
and so is the squadron.

And you were the one who said that

we have to b*mb them
from outside their m*ssile range,

just like the Mirages do.

So, we are outside their m*ssile range.

Fair enough.

The army can give you the coordinates
for the peaks.

But in the air,
how could you ever calculate

how early you need to release the b*mb?

We are capable of conducting
our own trials

and we will make our own charts.

All right.

I am going to officially

give you clearance
for high altitude GPS bombing.

But…

make sure the error rate of your trials
stays within 200 meters.

Sir.

[dramatic music playing]

The army is struggling,
they're losing men every day.

That's why I had to commit
support from the Air Force.

Even though I knew that
this unconventional strategy's

chance of being a success…

is limited to 5%.

As always, we don't really have
another option here, sir.

Now we'll either make history…

or we'll just become it.

[dramatic music playing]