New Delhi, Nov 17: Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Monday said the recent Operation Sindoor was only a brief preview of the Army’s capabilities, stating that the operation lasted 88 hours and ended before the “main phase” could begin. He said the Army is prepared to respond if Pakistan creates any situation that requires action.
General Dwivedi was speaking at the curtain raiser of the Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025 held in New Delhi. He said the Army’s readiness remains steady and any future challenge will be met in a planned manner.
Referring to Operation Sindoor, he said the action undertaken should be viewed as an initial demonstration and not the full extent of the Army’s operational ability. He said that if circumstances emerge again, the Army will respond in a way that reflects responsible conduct between neighbouring countries.
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The Army Chief said deterrence depends on two factors — military capability and the willingness of the political leadership to take decisions. According to him, deterrence functions when an adversary accepts that warnings will be acted upon. He said India’s military capacity continues to expand and is sufficient to enforce this approach.
Speaking about developments in neighbouring countries, General Dwivedi said instability across borders affects India as well. He referred to the situation in Myanmar and noted that more than forty thousand people crossed into India during recent internal clashes there. He said the aim is that these individuals return voluntarily, and until then, they are being looked after.
On the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, as per KNS that the Army Chief said the number of active militants has gone down. He said thirty-one militants have been killed this year, most of them foreign nationals, and that incidents such as stone-pelting and street protests have nearly ended.
The curtain raiser event was organised by the Indian Army in partnership with the Centre for Land Warfare Studies. The Defence Ministry said the full Chanakya Defence Dialogue will be held on November 27 and 28 on the theme “Reform to Transform: Sashakt, Surakshit aur Viksit Bharat.”
The programme included a discussion with the Army Chief, opening remarks, and the release of a short teaser about the upcoming dialogue. A panel discussion also examined domestic defence production, technology development, procurement systems, and the role of industry and research institutions.(KNS)
