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Business Standard
5 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Army deployed air defence to protect Golden Temple from Pak drones: Lt Gen
Lt Gen Sumer Ivan D'Cunha says Army deployed guns at Golden Temple to counter Pakistani drone threats; operation was cleared after coordination with temple authorities The Indian Army deployed air defence systems at the Golden Temple in Amritsar to neutralise drone threats from Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, Director General of Army Air Defence Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D'Cunha has said. In an interview with ANI released on Monday, Lt Gen D'Cunha said the deployment was made after temple authorities understood the nature of the threat and coordinated with the Army. 'The Golden Temple hierarchy realised there was possibly a threat when it was explained to them. They allowed us to deploy guns to protect… the Golden Temple's lights were switched off so that we could clearly visualise the drones as they were coming in,' he said. Debris of Pakistani drones, missiles recovered During a demonstration in Amritsar, the Army showcased debris of intercepted drones and missiles launched from Pakistan and brought down by upgraded systems including the L-70 Air Defence Guns and the AKASH missile batteries. 'These systems allowed for improved targeting and visibility, especially when aided by temple authorities switching off exterior lights,' Lt Gen D'Cunha added. First Published: May 20 2025 | 4:20 PM IST
India Today
21-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Short-range drones recovered along Pak border after ceasefire, probe on: Sources
Security forces have launched an investigation into the origin of short-range drones recovered along the border after a ceasefire was announced between India and Pakistan following days of military offensives from both most of the drones sent by Pakistan between May 7 and 10 were shot down, a small number of very short-range drones — capable of only local operations — were found in various border areas, government sources told India Today drones resemble inexpensive models commonly sold online, lacking the capacity to travel long distances. Security agencies are planning to seek intelligence assistance to trace how and from where these drones were procured. Officials believe that e-commerce platforms may hold records of drone sales in the past month, including buyer details, which could provide critical successfully thwarted the large-scale drone and aerial attacks, with Army Air Defence chief Lt Gen Sumer D'Cunha confirming that Pakistan deployed between 800 and 1,000 drones during its military majority were destroyed by Indian air defence gunners and systems, he said, adding that several unmanned combat vehicles carrying payloads exceeding 10 kilograms were completely neutralised by Indian troops in a strong retaliatory forces have recovered hundreds of drone fragments scattered across Indian territory, highlighting both the vast scale of the attack and the swift, effective Operation Sindoor, India launched a strike on the early hours of May 7, targeting and destroying nine terror infrastructure sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 response, Pakistan attempted attacks on Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. After four days of escalating confrontations, India and Pakistan reached an understanding on halting all military actions on May Watch
Indian Express
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
No permission given to Army for gun deployment at Golden Temple, Sikh clergy and SGPC clarify
A day after Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D'Cunha, Director General of Army Air Defence, hinted that air defence guns were deployed at the Golden Temple in Amritsar to neutralise aerial threats from Pakistan earlier this month, Sikh religious authorities and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) clarified on Tuesday that 'no such permission was granted'. 'It is incorrect to say that the Army was given permission to deploy air defence guns at Sri Harmandir Sahib. No such permission was granted, and no such deployment occurred,' Giani Amarjeet Singh, the additional head granthi of Sri Harmandir Sahib, said in a statement released by the SGPC. 'During the blackout issued by the Amritsar district administration, the management cooperated by switching off exterior and upper lights. However, at places where the religious code of conduct is followed, the lights remained on,' Giani Amarjeet Singh said. In an interview with news agency ANI, which was released on Monday, Lieutenant General D'Cunha had said, 'The Golden Temple hierarchy realised there was possibly a threat when it was explained to them. They allowed us to deploy guns, to protect… the Golden Temple's lights were switched off so that we could clearly visualise the drones as they were coming in…'. On Tuesday, Giani Amarjeet Singh said that religious practices continued without interruption. 'The daily services at Sri Darbar Sahib, Langar Sri Guru Ram Das Ji, Akhand Path Sahib, and related shrines were carried out as usual. There was no disruption, and no one has the right to interfere,' he further said. Giani Amarjeet Singh also questioned the basis of the Army official's statement. 'Why the officer made this claim, only he can explain. But I can say with certainty that no permission was given for such deployment,' he added. SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami also denied any coordination with the Army regarding gun deployment. 'The administration contacted us only to request cooperation with blackout protocols. We switched off the external lights after consulting with the additional head granthi. No Army official contacted us about any other matter,' Dhami said. 'If such a deployment had happened, devotees present at the shrine would have seen and noted it….The Indian government should clarify why such statements are being made by Army officials,' he added. ' Head Granthi Giani Raghbir Singh, who was abroad at the time, said, 'No one from the Army contacted me about deployment of any guns, and no such event took place at Sri Darbar Sahib. The Army officer's statement is surprising.' The Indian Army had said on Monday that it had 'mobilised additional modern air defence assets' to neutralise Pakistan's aerial threats aimed at critical sites, including the Golden Temple and cities across Punjab.
Mint
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Indian Army guns were deployed at Golden Temple during Op Sindoor, Head Granthi cooperated: Lt Gen Sumer Ivan D'Cunha
Indian Army's incharge of air defence Lt Gen Sumer Ivan D'Cunha recently revealed that during Operation Sindoor, the Golden Temple management allowed the Indian Army to deploy air defence guns within the shrine to counter potential drone and missile threats from Pakistan. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D'Cunha said, "It was very nice that the Head Granthi of the Golden Temple allowed us to deploy our guns." "It is possibly for the first time in many years that they switched off the Golden Temple lights so that we could see the drone coming," Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D'Cunha, the Director General of Army Air Defence, noted. He said the unprecedented cooperation from the Golden Temple authorities came after they were briefed on the gravity of the threat, following which Indian Army guns were deployed. The Director General said, "The Golden Temple hierarchy realised there was possibly a threat when it was explained to them. They allowed us to deploy guns to secure and protect the monument of international fame which is visited by hundreds and thousands of people every day." "Hence, these guns were deployed, and the golden temple lights were switched off so that we could clearly visualise the drones as they were coming in. That gave us a greater clarity in the sky because as and when you saw the light, you knew what to engage," the Director General explained. Earlier on Monday, Major General Kartik C Seshadri told news agency ANI that Pakistan engaged in an air assault with aerial weapons, including drones and long-range missiles, targeting the Golden Temple. Major General Kartik C Seshadri, GOC (General Officer Commanding) 15 Infantry Division, said that armed forces anticipated that Pakistan would target Indian military installations, civilian targets, including religious places. 'Of these, the Golden Temple appeared to be the most prominent," he said. '...alert army air defence gunners thwarted Pakistan Army's nefarious designs and shot down all drones and missiles targeted at the Golden Temple," he added. Pakistan military had resorted to firing and shelling cities along borders with India after India launched precision attacks on at least nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir Operation Sindoor on May 7. Operation Sindoor was launched in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan retaliated by using drones to target Indian cities. India then conducted retaliatory strikes in Pakistan, destroying nearly 20 per cent of Pakistan's air force infrastructure.
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First Post
20-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
'Whole of Pakistan within range... they'll have to find a deep hole:' Top Indian Army officer on Op Sindoor
Top army official said India has the military capability to strike anywhere in Pakistan. Emphasising the success of Operation Sindoor, he added that even if Pakistan moves its headquarters from Rawalpindi to other locations, it would still have to 'find a deep hole' to hide. read more From Left to Right: Air Marshal AK Bharti, Director General (DG) of Air Force Operations, DG of Military Operations Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, and DG of Naval Operations, Vice Admiral AN Pramod at a press briefing for Operation Sindoor. Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D'Cunha, Director General of Army Air Defence, said India has the military strength to strike targets anywhere in Pakistan following the success of Operation Sindoor, which involved precise strikes on terror hubs at nine locations backed by Islamabad. In an interview with news agency ANI, Lieutenant General D'Cunha stated, 'The whole of Pakistan is within range.' He added that even if Pakistan relocates its Army General Headquarters (GHQ) from Rawalpindi to regions like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), it would still have to 'find a deep hole'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD #WATCH | Delhi: DG Army Air Defence Lt Gen Sumer Ivan D'Cunha says, "India has an adequate arsenal of weapons to take on Pakistan right across its depth. So, from its broadest to its narrowest, wherever it is, the whole of Pakistan is within range... The GHQ (General… — ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2025 India's offensive strikes during Operation Sindoor targeted key Pakistani airbases with precision, utilising loitering munitions to destroy high-value targets. 'I would like to emphasise that India has an adequate arsenal of weapons to take on Pakistan right across its depth. So, from its broadest to its narrowest points, wherever it is, the whole of Pakistan is within range. We are absolutely capable, from our borders or even deep inside, of targeting the entire country,' Lt Gen D'Cunha said. 'And the GHQ can move from Rawalpindi to KPK or wherever they want, but they are all within range, so they will have to really find a deep hole,' the senior Indian Army officer told PTI. Modern indigenous technology, including long-range drones and guided weapons, was key to the operation's success. Operation Sindoor was launched in response to the 22 April terror attack in Pahalgam, where terrorists backed by Islamabad killed 26 innocent people, mostly tourists. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
