A New India
Chapter 221 - 221: Ceasefire

The battlefield had gone quiet. The sound of gunfire, the roaring of artillery, and the deafening blasts of airstrikes had all faded.

The news of the United Nations' resolution calling for a ceasefire had finally reached the frontlines.

Orders came down from high command: all hostilities were to stop immediately.

Major Arun Prakash stood outside the makeshift Indian command post, the early morning sun casting long shadows over the land that they have been fighting for the past few weeks.

The message had arrived barely an hour ago an official ceasefire agreement had been brokered through the United Nations.

Now it was up to the military commanders to enforce it on the ground.

Prakash turned to his adjutant, Captain Ravi. "Radio all units. Inform them of the ceasefire order. No one is to fire unless fired upon. Have the frontline units hold their positions but prepare for observation patrols. And make sure the Egyptians are fully coordinated with us. Also if there is any suspicious activity it must be reported to me quickly without any delay and if the commanders find themselves in a situation of not able to report quickly they have the orders to engage according to their experience. But make sure they understand that ceasefire has been called"

Ravi nodded, flipping through his field notes as he relayed the orders to his signalman.

The message would go out in a few minutes, but the reality of implementing a ceasefire was always full various challenges.

The trust building process for ceasefire is always the hardest part and then across the battlefield, hundreds of soldiers, many of whom had spent the last week fighting for their lives, would now be asked to stand down, sometimes in close proximity to their former enemies.

Prakash lit a cigarette, staring out at the desert.

In the distance, faint movements marked the positions of the retreating French forces.

He could see from the binoculars a British observation post perched on a ridge. "This is where it gets dangerous," he muttered to himself.

The ceasefire protocol began with a series of tightly coordinated radio communications between the opposing forces.

Each side had designated a small team of officers to represent their units and oversee the immediate cessation of hostilities.

"Confirm receipt of UN resolution," Prakash said into his radio, addressing the British commander on the other end of the frequency.

His tone was measured but firm. "Indian forces have ceased all offensive operations as of 0600 hours. We expect the same from your side."

A crackling reply came after a brief pause.

The voice belonged to Colonel James Howard, commanding a British armored brigade. "Understood, General. Our units are standing down. We'll hold our positions and await further orders from command."

Prakash exhaled through his nose.

He knew the British would honor the ceasefire, but decades of colonial mistrust was still present in the back of his mind.

"Good. Any incidents, and we'll address them through the observation teams. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Howard replied curtly.

Prakash switched frequencies and contacted the Egyptians next. "General Hassan, our northern and western flanks are stable. Ensure your men know the rules of engagement. No firing unless directly attacked. I need you to emphasis this very clearly any mistake right now will change the narrative of this war"

Hassan's voice was resolute. "Understood, General Prakash. My men are exhausted, but they'll follow the orders. We've established observation points near the canal to monitor Israeli movements."

By mid-morning, the implementation of the ceasefire was underway.

Across the desert, small groups of Indian and Egyptian soldiers moved cautiously into no-man's-land to establish observation points.

They carried white flags tied to their rifles, a universal signal of truce, and their weapons remained slung over their shoulders.

Near the Mitla Pass, a small Indian patrol led by Sergeant Man Bahadur approached a group of French soldiers who had similarly come forward under a flag of truce.

Both sides were visibly wary, their hands hovering near their weapons as they closed the gap.

"Sergeant Bahadur, Indian Army," Bahadur announced, raising his hand in a gesture of peace.

His tone was calm but authoritative. "We're here to confirm your compliance with the ceasefire. Our orders are clear, no movement beyond your current positions."

The French officer, a young lieutenant with dust-covered fatigues, nodded slowly. "Lieutenant Pierre Martel, French Foreign Legion. We've been ordered to hold our line. No further attacks."

The two men exchanged terse but respectful nods before retreating to their respective positions.

For now, the ceasefire held.

Meanwhile, back at the Indian command post, Prakash coordinated the next steps with his senior officers.

A temporary ceasefire boundary was established, marked by existing lines of control.

The task of enforcing these boundaries fell to a newly formed team of joint observation patrols, consisting of Indian, Egyptian, and UN-designated representatives.

"Captain Malik, you'll lead the patrols in the eastern sector," Prakash said, pointing to the map. "Your men will ensure there's no unauthorized movement from the British or Israeli forces. Report any violations immediately."

"Yes, sir," Malik replied. "What about the French in the western sector? Their forces are disorganized we've already seen a few small units retreating beyond their lines."

"They're not our concern unless they cross into our zones," Prakash replied firmly. "Keep an eye on them, but don't provoke anything."

----

The real test of the ceasefire came when a skirmish nearly erupted near the Suez Canal.

A small Egyptian unit, still on edge after days of intense fighting, mistook the movements of an Israeli patrol for an attempted advance.

Shots were fired, and chaos erupted as both sides scrambled for cover.

The incident was reported to Prakash within minutes.

He immediately contacted Hassan over the radio. "General Hassan, we're getting reports of shots fired near the canal. What's going on?"

Hassan's voice was tense. "It's a misunderstanding. One of my units panicked when they saw the Israelis moving close to the line. I'm handling it."

"Make sure you do," Prakash said sharply. "We can't afford these mistakes. If this goes out of control, the ceasefire is meaningless."

Hassan gave a curt acknowledgment, and within the hour, the situation was diffused.

The Egyptian unit was ordered to withdraw, and the Israelis returned to their positions without further incident.

This small events reflected the tension and mistrust of both parties involved.

As the day continued with work from all the 5 sides the fragile peace began to solidify.

Soldiers on all sides took their first real breaths of relief in days, some even daring to exchange cautious nods across the lines.

But the tension remained the same, as everyone knew the ceasefire could collapse with a single misstep.

At the Indian forward base near Ismailia, Malik gathered his men for a final debrief. "I know many of you don't trust this ceasefire," he began, his voice carrying over the weary troops.

"But our job is to enforce it. No mistakes, no provocations. We've fought too hard to let this slip away now."

One of the younger soldiers, barely more than a boy, raised his hand hesitantly. "Sir, what if they don't honor it? What if they attack again?"

Malik met his gaze steadily. "Then we'll do what we've always done. We'll fight back, and we'll hold the line. But until that happens, we follow orders. Otherwise we won't be the defender anymore and get ourselves turn into aggressor. Let's not put out country in backfoot shall we".

---

As the sun set over the desert, Prakash received confirmation from the British, French, and Israeli commands that all hostilities had ceased.

The lines of communication between the opposing forces, fragile though they were, had held throughout the day.

Prakash stepped out of the command post, lighting a cigarette as he gazed across the darkening battlefield.

The silhouettes of soldiers patrolling the ceasefire lines were faint against the horizon.

He knew the peace was fragile, that the underlying tensions had not been resolved.

But for now, the guns were silent, and that was enough.

Captain Malik approached, saluting crisply. "Sir, all units are reporting compliance. The ceasefire appears to be holding. We have established contact with every command and for now there is no suspicious movement anywhere."

Prakash nodded, exhaling a stream of smoke. "Soilders will never want to fight a war in which they don't believe. Unfortunately for those damned poltician this war is something soilders from UK, France and Israel don't belive in. They lost the moment they attacked a country for some damn canal".

Nearby, a convoy of UN vehicles arrived, their white flags fluttering in the breeze.

For the first time in days, there was no gunfire, no explosions just the quiet murmur of men adjusting to a world without battle.

The war wasn't over, but for now, the fighting had stopped.

The soldiers stood down with the knowledge that their actions had held the line and preserved a fragile peace.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, the desert was still.