A Nation and its Navy at War (India-Pakistan War of 1971), 2nd Edition

150 pages

Lt Teddy Bradley RN

This re-print of Commodore Rai’s first publication focuses on the Indian Navy’s role during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War, offering the reader an insight into how Commodore Rai interprets the outcome of the war, and particularly the role of the Indian Navy within it. At times an eclectic mix of anecdotes, newspaper clippings, poems and quotes from other authors (particularly long passages are taken from Major General Fazal Khan’s book on the West-Pakistani post-mortem of the conflict) the Commodore’s work can be hard to follow at times, not helped by some particularly poor editing and formatting. That is not to say it not enjoyable, but the book’s tone is a little strange; at times overtly nationalistic and at others oddly conciliatory and admiring of once former foes. With little referencing which would be of use to an academic reader I can only recommend this as a short read for those looking to understand the perspective held by the Commodore himself, which will have no doubt influenced the Indian naval mind following his time as head of the Indian Naval Academy.