Why was India denied access to GPS during Kargil war by USA?
Pakistan got independence from British rule on 14th August, 1947. While India chose to remain "Non-Aligned" to any major power block (US and USSR) of the world, Pakistan chose the simpler way. On 20th Oct, 1947 (2 months and 6 days from date of freedom), Pakistan approached US and formal relations were established between two countries.
In 1950, during official PM of Pakistan visit to US, Pakistan requested to setup CIA base in Pakistan in short make Pakistan a US colony. Mind you in 1950s, all major powerful countries had colonies. Britain in Asia, France in Africa, Spain in South America. While most of these countries gave independence, Pakistan insisted US to stay in the country.
In 1954, Ayub Khan, the Pakistani army commander who later became dictator of the country once said to US Brigadier, "I didn’t come here to look at barracks. Our army can be your army if you want us. But let’s make a decision". By 1956, US was running Peshawar Air Force station, various army stations and control centres where even Pakistani government was not allowed to enter. In layman terms, they sold the country officially for financial aid and weapons.
This marked the beginning of ruler- slave relationship between US and Pakistan. Pakistan got lots of foreign aid from time to time. CIA had built up HUGE presence in Pakistan and Afghanistan by this time.
In 1970, Mighty USSR was expanding in all directions. In order to capture entire South Asia, USSR attacked Afganistan on 24th December, 1979. CIA, who didn't want to be a part of this war directly, created Jihadis and Mujhaidins in Afganistan and supplied them with ample amount of funding and weapons. Today the world knows them by the name "Taliban". After 9 years of this tug of war between US and USSR, USSR lost and withdrew it's army. These operations took US- Pakistan relations to new heights. They became "all weather friends".
India on the other hand followed a policy of Non-Alignment. It never sided with any power block. But since USSR was providing India sophisticated arms and intelligence support, USSR was a better friend than US.
India and Pakistan had already fought 3 wars by this time, 1947, 1965 and 1971. In all of these wars, Pakistan was the provoker and was always on the receiving end.
During 1971 war, US tried to threaten India to back off and moved one of it's aircraft carrier battle group in Indian Ocean only to find Russian battleships and nuclear submarines near Indian shore waiting for them. Russian and Indian intelligence had thoroughly checkmated US move. East Pakistan (Bangladesh) was lost and liberated. This was a humiliating defeat for CIA and US. Indians didn't had a very good opinion about US after this whole episode.
When Kargil war happened in 1998, US had to protect it's all weather ally. CIA had huge military logistics presence in Pakistan and it couldn't endanger them by assisting India in the war. Thus, US denied any possible support to India including GPS access.
Thanks to US denial, India has finally built her own Navigation system (IRNSS- Navic) which can look beyond 1500 kms from Indian borders. "Necessity is the mother of invention" Isn't it!?
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