General Upendra Dwivedi, the Army Chief, provided insights into Operation Sindoor. He recounted a meeting that occurred on April 23rd with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, which followed the April 22nd attack in Pahalgam. General Dwivedi stated that the Defence Minister’s initial response was a decisive statement of ‘enough is enough.’ He mentioned that the Defence Minister gave the army leaders the freedom to decide on the necessary actions.
Subsequently, the Army Chief described how Operation Sindoor was carefully planned and executed, achieving successful results. The operation led to the destruction of nine terrorist organizations based in Pakistan. The Army Chief emphasized the unifying effect of the operation’s name on the entire nation.
Defence Minister’s Empowerment of the Armed Forces
The Army Chief described the impact of the Pahalgam events, stating that the incident shook the country. He emphasized that the meeting on April 23rd marked a turning point as the Defence Minister made it clear that action was needed. The three service chiefs were aligned in their view on the imperative to respond. The Army Chief said the Defence Minister provided full authority to the army leadership to determine the course of action. This level of political clarity, according to the Army Chief, significantly boosted morale, allowing for effective command on the ground.
Meeting with the Prime Minister
The Army Chief stated that on April 25th, they visited the Northern Command, where the operation was planned and achieved success by destroying terrorist hideouts and neutralizing terrorists in Pakistan. The Army Chief said their first meeting with the Prime Minister occurred on April 29th. He highlighted the importance of the operation’s name, Operation Sindoor, which resonated deeply with the nation and led to questions about the operation’s conclusion.
Air Force Chief Highlights Political Will
Prior to this, Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, the Air Force Chief, had attributed the success of Operation Sindoor to the political will of the central government. At the HAL Management Academy in Bengaluru, he emphasized the importance of a clear political resolve. He added that the instructions they received were very clear and without external constraints. The operational boundaries were self-defined. The Air Chief Marshal said that the planning and execution of the operation were fully within their jurisdiction.
The article also reported that on April 22nd, the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, originating from Pakistan, led to the death of 26 people. The terrorists had targeted tourists. In response, the Indian Army initiated Operation Sindoor, destroying terrorist hideouts within Pakistan and cautioning against future attacks.
