Russia: The Silent Winner of Kargil Conflict, not

India.

A peak into the Past:

Scrutinizing the former times at the Kargil War, we at present can evidently acknowledge, how
detrimental, scarring and exorbitant war is. A 60 days conflict left thousands dead [527 from India
and approximately 3000 from Pakistan], draining approximately 1 billion USD per week, the cost of
conflict.

Its high time we recall the words from Neville Chamberlain, "In war, whichever side may call itself
the victor, there are no winners but all are loser...". Indeed, neither of the sides won and both
suffered tremendously following the decisions fabricated by Pervez Musharraf.

If both suffered enormously at the end, who do you think made significant
profits?

During the Russian Financial Crisis of 1998, devaluation of Ruble impacted the country's economy
intensely and to bring the economy back on track large contracts were required.

Putin as Prime Minister in 1999, observed that only 20% of Russian Defense industry plants were
functioning and many were on the verge of collapse. After taking over Presidency in 2000, he took
measures to revive and restructure the Russian MIC (military industrial conference) by coalescing
various sectors and making them remunerative.
In post-kargil budget of 2000-2001, Indian Military Expenditure inflated by 12%. In the year of
Kargil War, Indian defense forces expend approximately 3000 crores more than the allotted sum of
45694 crore.

As both countries were throwing gigantic amount of money at each other on war, Russia utilized
this golden opportunity to sell weapons to India.

Tension across LoC ascended, India desperately required to ameliorate its defense system. As
USA was busy in the US-Afgan war being allied by Pakistan for assistance, Russia stepped in
beside India, signing a major weapons’ deal worth 3 billion, on October 2000.

As India started acquiring 80% of its imports from Russia, Russia's arms transfer from 2000-2001
skyrocketed by 24%. Imports by India also shot-up by 50% in 2001.

The second largest arms supplier in the world became first, exceeding USA in the arms export
race. India along with China became the top two importers in the world.

India despite of its long standing policy to establish indigenous arms industry capable of
developing most advanced major weapons mostly relied on other countries for designs except
ballistic Missiles.

Profiting from war is an old tactics played out several times by big players in the Defense Market.
The war on Saddam made Halliburton (the supplier of goods to US defense) some $39 billion in
profits. Lockheed Martin Corp. in 2017 made nearly 45 billion dollars in arms and defense
contracts and by far the largest defense contractor in the world.

As we're rejoicing on Kargil's victory once again with the release of Shershaah, who do you think
won the war with profits and zero casualties ?