Operation Deep Strike by Rahul Badami

"Operation Deep Strike" by Rahul Badami - Thriller all the way. 

This book is Self Published by the author in 2017 and has 289 pages. 

Inamdar, new nationalist Prime Minister of India, authorizes a covert strike, a black op, on the south coast of Pakistan. Target Babur 3 missiles. Strike team of four is led by Arman Ahmed and consists of Baldev, Roshan and Hitesh. The operation soon goes haywire and leads the team deep. Four terrorist groups have come together to launch an attack bigger than 9/11.

Why target Babur 3? Why does the operation go haywire? Are they captured? Will they succeed? What are terrorists hatching?

There are four main Characters, the strike team. Arman the leader, Baldev his trusted  lieutenant, Roshan who comes highly recommended but does nor enjoy Arman's trust thanks to his past actions and Hitesh, the techie.

The team is patriotic, brave and wants to succeed at all costs. They don't care for their lives for the success of mission. However, sometimes they appear foolhardy and land in the trap laid for them to escape eventually. They are entrapped not once, not twice but thrice. And this is the best team!

Babur 3 missiles can be launched from a submarine. If Pakistan deploys them, it becomes a tangible threat for India as the submarine can even go to the east coast and launch them.  Mission is to install a kill switch on Babur 3, rendering them useless against India without Pakistani's getting any wiser.

The book contains a number of ISRO and DRDO inventions. Vidhwansak (Sanskrit:"The Destroyer") is an Indian multi-caliber anti-materiel rifle (AMR), Ghatak UCAV - the unmanned combat Ariel vehicle or Drone, Video communication device in a magazine, A bug sized silent drone for snooping, Cartosat satellite watching the operation & Live Satcom link with Home base. These make the story exotic. 

Mission in Pakistan is the story of this Book. Generally in such books there is background, there is preparation for mission and then the mission is one part of the book. But here entrie book is mission. So the Acton and climax continues throughout the book. The real climax is a moment of apocalypse. If successful, it would change the history and geography of the world. 

Mission into Pakistan is a tantalizing proposition. When it also contains good story, right amount of tension, high octane action, drama and is garnished with intelligence talk;  the book is bound to be a success.

The flaws in this Book are:

1. Although they have operational names, some times they use real names on phone or Satcom. Even if it is s secured line, only code names should be used. 

2. Indian spies traverse entire Pakistan, terrorists hatch an elaborate plot, missile base is attacked, missiles are launched but there are no swift counter measures by Pakistanis, they don't even know about many of the events. Pakistani government comes out as buffoon. It's a bit too easy for Indians in Pakistan

3. Unanswered questions like: Why they did not ditch the vehicle? Why did they not sense the trap?

Action sequence of Air drop on a submarine in a raging storm is very good. It is also depicted on the book cover. The book cover is good and apt for the story. 

I did not know about the 1946 naval uprising that proved to be the final nail in the coffin of British empire. 

A map of operation would have been helpful. I had to consult the Google maps frequently to understand the lay of the land.

Book ends with the start of a sequel. A mission in China. I would wait in anticipation of the next book. 

Why did I read this book? Mission in Pakistan.

What I didn't like? The flaws. 

What did I like? Intensity of the plot & DRDO gizmos. 

A good debut and very good thriller. Recommend reading.