Senior Indian Army officers were reluctant to execute an aggressive invasion for fears of early ceasefire demands by the United Nations and a looming threat posed by China. That, together with the difficulty of navigating the marshy terrain of East Pakistan through three wide rivers, led the commanders to initially believe that the capture of all of East Pakistan was not possible. Jacob disagreed; his "war of movement" plan aimed to take control of all of East Pakistan.
Senior Indian Army officers were hesitant about a forceful invasion due to concerns about early ceasefire demands from the United Nations and a potential threat from China. This, combined with the challenging terrain of East Pakistan's marshy rivers, led commanders to doubt their ability to capture all of East Pakistan. Jacob disagreed; his "war of movement" strategy aimed for complete control of East Pakistan.