BRICS Campaign - Scenario #4: Kara-Kai Shakti
A Harpoon Commanders Edition (HCE) scenario for the Indian Ocean 2003 Battleset.
This scenario is designed for play by the RED side.
Scenesetter: (Taken from “The BRICS Conflict – A Brief History of the Third World War (2016 to 2018)”)
A little known fact of the year 2012, was the cause of the Indian blackout that parlyzed the nation on 30 and 31 July. The largest power outage in history was caused by the inadvertant release of a computer virus into India's fragile electrical infrastructure. The digital vector was designed to attack command and control (C2) systems. When a technician was running a series of operational tests in a commuter model, he accidentally released it onto the country's power grid. The cyber warfare agent was part of a secret program to cripple Pakistani C2 systems in the event of war. This fact wasn't learned until years later, when surviving Indian records from the BRICS War were examined.
As the global economy began its meltdown in 2012 - 2013, India started making plans to solidify its position on the Asian Sub-Continent. After all, thought the leaders in New Delhi - it is the 'Indian Ocean.'
After getting the approval of other BRICS members, India began cultivating relationships with several regional minor entities. One paid-off splendidly, while two others produced serious blow-back.
In 2014, Indian Intelligence succeeded in initiating a coup that overthrew the government of President Zillur Rahman. This established a puppet government, which formed a buffer on India's eastern border. India and the new 'President' established the United Indian Alliance (UIA), for the good of all peoples in the greater Indian Ocean region.
At the same time, India attempted to influence and depose the governments of both Sri Lanka and Myanmar. New Delhi thought - if it worked once, surely it would again! Sadly, both scandals broke onto the world stage almost simultaneously and they left an embarassing mark.
For several years Sri Lanka had been a very favorable trade partner with India. The Sri Lankan Navy-Coast Guard had benefited from newer OPVs and other patrol vessels, provided by Indian shipyards. This changed in early 2014, when it was leaked India was unduly influencing these sales through bribes to the Minister of Defence and the senior staff of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. It seemed the sale of these new naval vessels were being subsidized by more than just 'offsets' to help the Sri Lankan economy. As a result, several days of riots occurred in the streets of Columbo. The people were livid that while they were starving, those in control were being bought-off by India.
Sporadic protests reached thier boiling-point in the Spring of 2016, when an Indian Navy frigate was attacked by Sri Lankan nationalists. The INS Udaygiri a nilgiri class frigate visited Columbo, carrying dignitaries hoping to negotiating the restart of naval shipbuilding contracts. As the ship was pulling into port, it was rammed by a harbor tug that had been commandeered by nationalists and loaded with explosives. The blast ruptured the hull at the waterline and caused the ship to sink quickly. Many of the crew had been manning the rails and a majority of diplomats were also topside. The blast and flying shrapnel decimated them. Indian media treated the event like their version of the Hindenburg disaster. Almost simulatanously, bombs exploded at each of India major shipyards. The message was quite clear - India was not welcome in Sri Lanka.
The situation with Myanmar was somewhat different. India had been secretly supplying anti-government forces with a variety of arms and equipment. In late 2014, a missionary relief flight was shot down by a SA-24/Grinch, fired by anti-government forces. Several rebels were captured by government forces under UN supervision. Evidence released to the world press indicated the missile came from Indian sources. The Myanmar Junta shouted to the cameras of the world media that india was funding an effort to topple the 'ligitiamte' governmental authority. The Burmese people became drunk on xenophobia and more anti-Indian protests paralyzed the region for days.
(Side note: A postwar forensic investigation of recovered data showed the leaked information were clever forgeries, produced as part of a espionage campaign by Pakistan, to embarass India in the eyes of the world)
The leaders of India were furious at the situation they found themselves in. They pushed for quick and decisive action at several meetings of the BRICS Central Committee, but were rebuffed each time and were asked to be patience. Great opportunity must be siezed at just the right time China's leader stated. Finally in late 2015, the BRICS Executives met secretly in Rio de Janero as the global economic situation was worsening. Plans were finalized to craft the world in an image of their choosing. Brazil would become the leader of a new Pan Latin American Republic (patterned loosely on the EU model, but led by puppets under the control of the large South American nation), Russia would gain control of the emerging Arctic region, China would sieze control of the vast western Pacific, South Africa would develop the African sub-continent and work to reform and develop the starving Saharan region.
India besides teaming with South Africa to develop MENA (Middle East - North Africa) would be the gatekeeper of the world's oil supply in the Arabian Gulf region. The Indian Prime Minister, Nur Ghandi (only distantly related to the famous family, yet extremely capable of capitalizing off it) was pleased. After all she thought - it was the 'Indian Ocean.'
It was agreed that when Venezeula (after being supplied and prompted by Brazil and Russia) attacked neighboring Columbia, India was to initiate a cyber attack on Pakistan and then conduct a follow-up air and ground campaign. Meanwhile at the same time, seizing Sri Lanka and the Bay of Bengal (inluding Myanmar), thus establishing its dominance over those who had embarassed it.