‘In Operation Sindoor, we played chess…': Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi says, ‘life is all about…'
During an address at IIT Madras, he said, 'In Operation Sindoor, we played chess. We did not know what the enemy's next move was going to be, and what we were going to do. This is called the grey zone. Grey zone means that we are not going for the conventional operations. What we are doing is just short of a conventional operation. We were making the chess moves, and he (enemy) was also making the chess moves. Somewhere we were giving them the checkmate and somewhere we were going in for the kill at the risk of losing our own but that's life is all about.'
He also inaugurated 'Agnishodh' - the Indian Army Research Cell (IARC) at IIT Madras, marking a significant step towards self-reliance in defence technology.
The initiative aims to upskill military personnel in emerging fields such as additive manufacturing, cybersecurity, quantum computing, wireless communication and unmanned systems, fostering a tech-enabled force.
Speaking on the Operation, the COAS said, "What happened on 22 April in Pahalgam shocked the nation. On the 23rd, the next day itself, we all sat down. This was the first time that RM (Defence Minister Rajnath Singh) said, "Enough is enough". All three chiefs were very clear that something had to be done. The free hand was given, 'you decide what is to be done.' That is the kind of confidence, political direction and political clarity we saw for the first time. That is what raises your morale. That is how it helped our army commanders-in-chief to be on the ground and act as per their wisdom."
In the early hours of May 7, India launched Operation Sindoor – striking nine terror beds across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) – in retaliation to the lethal Pahalgam attack in April, that killed 26 civilians.
Touted as the Indian military's biggest and deepest strike yet, 'Operation Sindoor' marked India's first joint operation since the 1971 war. All three defence branches — Army, Navy, and Air Force — coordinated to carry out the strikes on Pakistan to eliminate Jaish-e-Muhammed and Lashkar leadership.
"On the 25th, we visited the Northern Command, where we thought, planned, conceptualised and executed the seven targets out of the nine that were destroyed, and a lot of terrorists were killed. On April 29, we met the Prime Minister for the first time. It is important that how a small name Op Sindoor connects the whole nation. That is something which galvanised the whole nation. That is the reason the whole nation was saying why have you stopped? That question was being asked and it has been amply answered," Dwivedi added.
The collaboration will also extend to the IIT Madras Research Park, including partnerships with AMTDC and Pravartak Technologies Foundation. On the occasion, Dwivedi addressed the faculty and students on "Operation Sindoor - A New Chapter in India's Fight Against Terrorism," highlighting it as a calibrated, intelligence-led operation reflecting a doctrinal shift.
He underlined the role of indigenous technology and precision military action in reinforcing India's proactive security posture. He also lauded the IIT faculty for their contribution to nation-building through academic excellence.
(With inputs from agencies)
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