Defence secretary Yogendra Narain spells out some of India's strategies and defence preparedness

Why is India restrained in its response despite Pakistan's brazenness?
Our objective is to eradicate terrorism. We can do it in two ways. One, by an all-out war where we defeat Pakistan and root out terrorism. Two, by coercive diplomacy: through the international coalition on terrorism, we exercise pressure on Pakistan economically, politically and militarily.

Has the government factored in the possibility of the war turning nuclear?
Certainly. But Pakistan is not a democratic country and we don't know their nuclear threshold. We will retaliate and must be prepared for mutual destruction on both sides.

Is the nuclear command structure in place?
Everything is finalised. It is in the hands of the civilian government and we don't expect any delay in issuing of orders.

What if there is another attack on civilians or military establishments? Will there be surgical strikes or a full-scale war?
Surgical strikes are the realistic option. But we also know that there will be retaliation on other parts of the border from Pakistan. It'll escalate and will not be confined to one region.

Do we have a moral and legal right to go across the LoC and target militant camps?
Yes, we do. That was the original objective after the 13/12 attack. Troops were deployed but then Musharraf came out with his famous January 12 speech. We had our doubts but the West asked us to give him time to deliver.

What is happening now?
Infiltration was steadily rising in March, April and May. When Kaluchak happened on May 14, the US and UK governments expected a mature response from us. We told them we were running short of options and had no choice but to retaliate. But we deferred action again. Now after his disappointing speech, we continue to keep our troops on the border. We can strike at three hours' notice.