The Republic of India, the Allied main protagonist in NWIP. Toe to toe, they are quite a match for Pakistan, India’s air force is quite a bit more substantial and they have a small but significant ground force edge.

Overview

The ROI has a quantitative edge on Pakistan and the greater number of steps help them stay combat effective a bit longer. They have 10 Corps (I, II, IX, X, XI, XII, XIV, XV, XVI, and XXI) although XV Corps in Kashmir has only two divisions (one infantry, one mountain infantry.)

The ROI Corps have a larger proportion of mechanized units, like Pakistan they are most brigade sized. Most Corps outside of Kashmir have a couple brigade sized mechanized units either armor or mechanized infantry. And like Pakistan, those brigades are mostly ER 6 (elite) units. Forming the spearhead during attacks or hardening defensive lines.

India also has 3 full armor divisions and they pack quite a punch if they can fight on suitable terrain. There’s ample artillery and a few attack helicopters to drive the offensive.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has larger numbers and much more depth than its Pakistani counterpart and if China sits the conflict out, will make short work of its opponent.

Challenges

Like Pakistan, a significant fraction of the Indian Army consists of large Infantry divisions, that have good defensive strength but are a bit lacking in offensive capability. This is compounded by the counter mix that has extirpated a Mechanized brigade from many infantry divisions, leaving behind a reduced brigade.

A further challenge is that a larger fraction of the Indian army arrives as reinforcement. Particularly the large and powerful Armor Divisions. This means that the first few turns see India at parity or even at a disadvantage to Pakistan depending on the scenario (I’m ignoring Loose Nuke.)

The supply situation is also particularly challenging for the Indian player. Kashmir requires a Supply Depot, So does Jammu state, and quite probably the southern half of the Punjab. The only ROI Supply Source that is not a map edge is Amritsar, directly across from Lahore. Combine this with the huge belt of Swamp in the flats of Pakistan and the ROI will be hard pressed to keep troop supplied if they manage a breakthrough. They only have one MSU available.

Finally, any significant offensive success for India all but assures them of Pakistani nuclear release. A lot of the reinforcement Corps will arrive in a single hex and it will be extremely tempting for the Pakistani player to attempt an electronic detection on the HQ and then to nuke them on arrival. The Corps won’t be destroyed but it will be combat ineffective (step loss and Strike 2 marker on all units) and unable to reach the front for 2 to 3 turns and when it finally arrives, its units will almost all be reduced, especially the crucial armor and mechanized units.

Corps Composition

The ROI Corps are quite varied. Most having 2-3 divisions and a couple armor/mech brigades to back them up.

I, II, and XXI Corps are built around a full-blown Armor Division (Attack 18, defense 11, move 6 MPs mechanized, 3 SPs, and ER 6.) I Corps also has a mountain infantry division, the 6 Mtn/I division with a strong 7-10-4 (ER: 6) rating and it is particularly effective in the Jammu highlands. These Corps are sometime referred to as “Strike Corps.”

X Corps is also a “Strike Corps” it has 3 Infantry divisions (one 6-10-4, and two 5-7-4) as well as 2 Mech Brigades and 1 Armor Brigade.

XI Corps is also a “Strike Corps” but this time it has 3 full 6-10-4 infantry divisions and both an independent Mech and an independent Armor brigade.

XII Corps has 2 infantry divisions, one 6-10-4 and one 5-7-4 with Mech brigade. It also has an independent armor brigade and the 340th independent mech brigade which is the weakest mech brigade in the ROI OOB with a 3-4-6 (ER: 6) rating.

XIV Corps consists of 5 mountain infantry brigades. They’re all have an attack rating of 2, defense of 3 and movement of 4 MP but only two of them have an ER of 6, the rest have 5. They are based in the Kashmir.

IX Corps was split from XVI in 2005 and consists of 2 infantry divisions and 2 independent armor brigades.

XV Corps is the smallest Corps, consisting of only two infantry divisions, the 19/XV division is a plain infantry division with a 5-9-4 (ER: 5) rating and the 28 Mtn/XV division is a mountain infantry unit with a 7-10-4 (ER: 6) rating. They are also based in the Kashmir and the 28 Mtn will usually be tasked with holding the high-mountain pass that the IROP FCNA “Corps” threaten.

XVI Corps, formerly the largest army corps in the world, still has a respectable 3 infantry divisions, albeit weaker 5-9-4 (ER: 5) divisions. They start out in Jammy and are severely limited in mobility by the highland wood terrain. The Corps also has an independent armor brigade.

Unit Rating

The standard ROI infantry divisions fall into 3 groups:

Reduced divisions (XX(-) as NATO unit size) have a separate Mech Brigade (and in the case of 14/II an armor brigade as well) and thus are only rated 5-7-4 (ER: 5) with Leg MPs.

Top-tier divisions have a 6-10-4 (ER: 5) rating, except for 22/II which has an ER of 6.

Second-tier divisions have a 5-9-4 (ER: 5) rating. XVI Corps has most (3 out of 4) of them, I’m not sure why the rating difference. In any event, all of them start with good defensive terrain.

ROI armor brigades come in a single flavor, the 6-4-6 (ER: 6) counters with Mechanized MPs. India has somewhat fewer of these than Pakistan does. IX Corps has 2 of them. Like for Pakistan, they’re often used for their ER rating more than their counter rating.

ROI mechanized infantry brigades are quite numerous. Almost all the Corps have at least one. With the exception of the already mentioned 340th mech brigade from XII Corps, they all have a 5-5-6 (ER: 6) rating with mechanized MPs. Very practical units but they take 2 stacking points which limits their usefulness a bit.

Independent Units

The 50th Airborne infantry brigade is India’s sole light infantry unit, it’s airborne capable and I feel it’s best left in the India box until committed. Good uses would be to seize a key bridge or perhaps an airbase or airfield. It’s a single SP unit so limited in clearing ability. It is rated like US airborne units (3-4-4) except for the ER of 6 instead of 7.

Artillery Units

India has quite a bit more heavy artillery assets than Pakistan with 6 full brigades. Four of them are conventional artillery with a short 2 hexes support range while the remaining two are rocket artillery with a range of 4 hexes. They confer column shifts.

The number of units, range, and their limited mobility (5 motorized MPs) limit their tactical use a bit. Only 2 artillery units can support a combat so it can be challenging to find a way to not waste support missions. They cannot do Strikes, unlike HQs. Artillery is key to taking Urban hexes since it’s so hard to get even remotely favorable odds.

The units are highly vulnerable (ER of 4, defense rating of (1), single steps) so they need to be protected. The conventional artillery’s short range also means they will crowd the space right behind the attacking units. Rocket artillery are more flexible but most scenarios bring them in last.

ROI Attack Helicopters

Keeping the trend, the ROI has a significant material advantage in Attack Helicopters. They get an AH-64 Apache which with its 2-16 rating is the best helo in the series. In addition they get two single-step 1-10 counters for the Rudra and LCH attack helicopters. Both are indigenous design from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

The Rudra is an armed version of a utility helicopter (the HAL Dhruv, co-designed with Germany’s MBB) and sort of an interim solution before the LCH is available. The LCH is a light attack helicopter built on the basic Dhruv air frame. Armament and sensors are similar between the two.

In play the helicopters are useful initially but do not last very long. There’s only 4 steps available, range is always a concern, and airbases and airfields are prime targets for the large number of ballistic missiles either side get so collateral damage will often destroy most of them as such the ROI player will probably want to base them at airfields (lesser targets for missile strikes), or even in city hexes where they would only be vulnerable to SOF strikes.

ROI Fixed Wing Air Units

The IAF operates a mix of European and Russian planes with a growing number of indigenous designs.

The oldest planes still in service are the SEPECAT Jaguars and the MiG-21s, neither of them are All-Weather capable and the both have short ranges. The MiG-27s are very similar but gain All-Weather capability and a medium range. They are also the only planes the ROI player can rebuild by spending SPs. Probably representing the repair of combat damage by cannibalizing retired or surplus airframes.

The IAF has three Jaguar counters, each with a 2-2-2 rating making them so-so for strikes and quite capable for Close Air Support.

There’s four MiG-21 counters (2 if using the optional Rafale), they’re supposed to be interceptors (rating: 3-0-0) but without stand-off capability they’re not very good at it. They are a match for the IROP’s five F-7s.

The three MiG-27 counters have a 2-2-2 rating just like the Jaguars but their greater range and all-weather capability makes them more flexible. Wherever possible, the ROI player should try to use the Jaguars instead of the MiG-27 to preserve them. In Storm turns, they have a chance of making it through a trip in the air superiority box… If the ROI is desperate.

Next step up in effectiveness are the indigenous Tejas. They are replacing the aging MiG-21 and while not an amazing plane, they are an improvement. Medium range, stand-off air-to-air capability, and some ground capability (rating: 3*-1-1) add up to a competent package. They are particularly useful as interceptors for under-escorted air strikes.

The IAF also has 2 counters worth of MiG-29. They are solid dedicated interceptors, medium range, all-weather, and crucially 4*-0-0 rating. A rating of 4 with stand-off capability is really the minimum to solidly contest air superiority.

As dedicated Strike platform, the IAF has turned to France as supplier. First is the Mirage, in this case recent production Mirage 2000s, in the game, these are all assumed to have been updated to Mirage 2000-5 Mk2 standard. ROI uses them for nuclear strikes but this is abstracted in the game. They are all-weather, medium range and possess air-to-air stand-off but not stand-off strike capability. The ratings are 3*-2-3.

As a replacement for two MiG-21 counters and some VPs for the Pakistani player, the IAF can field the Rafale that they are currently in the process of acquiring. They are a significant upgrade from the Mirage bringing the air-to-air rating to 4* and gaining stand-off strike capabilities (4*-2-3*). They are a very tempting option for the ROI player.

Finally, the crown jewel of the IAF are the Su-30MKIs. There’s 3 counters and their 5*-2-2* rating makes them polyvalent having both air-to-air and strike stand-off capabilities. The only non-optional plane to have strike stand-off. In practice, these will be used for air superiority whenever India chooses to contest it and probably for un-escorted strike/CAS missions when air superiority is not contested (or, late in the game, if sufficient US planes assure air supremacy.)

ROI Naval Forces

The naval aspects are not modeled in the game. You can safely assume that Pakistan will maintain a fleet in being in Karachi while the ROI will effectively blockade Pakistan. The force imbalance is too great for a meaningful conflict to simulate. In 2000, Pakistani projections were that India was going to stay somewhere between 100 and 200 nm from Karachi to avoid exposing themselves to anti-ship missiles from ground based aircraft.