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NDTV
10-08-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
"Pahalgam Shocked The Nation": Army Chief Narrates What Forces Did Next
Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi has narrated the turn of events that followed the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam, which culminated in the 'Operation Sindoor' mega military offensive in May. While addressing a gathering at IIT-Madras on August 4, he also explained the strategic calls that the force had to take, comparing the four days of conflict with Pakistan with a game of chess. The April 22 attack had claimed 26 innocent lives. The very next day, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), along with the heads of Air Force and Navy, met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and were given a clear message: They were free to decide their line of action. "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 (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'," recounted the COAS. He hailed "political clarity" as a deciding factor that boosted the forces' morale and helped them achieve their targets. "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," the Army chief underlined. Then came the planning phase. As the nation swelled with grief and anger, awaiting decisive action by the armed forces to avenge the massacre, the military brass engaged in high-level meetings to conceptualise the offensive. "On (April) 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," he said. The tri-services chiefs then presented their plan to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The PM came up with the name 'Operation Sindoor', which not only dealt a massive blow to the terror infrastructure across the border but also galvanised the entire nation. "On April 29, we met the Prime Minister for the first time. It is important that how a small name, Op Sindoor, connected 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," Gen Dwivedi said. Operation Sindoor was activated early May 7 morning with aerial strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Over 100 terrorists were eliminated in the offensive. The hostilities ended May 10 after Pakistan sought a ceasefire. Speaking at the IIT-M event, Gen Dwivedi compared the military operation with the game of chess, where the enemy's next move could not be guessed. "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 the (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 (what) life is all about," the COAS told the gathering.
News18
20-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Field Marshall Asim Munir: What Power Does This Title Confer On Pakistan's Army Chief?
Last Updated: Day-to-day control stays with Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir. If he steps down, his successor takes over, he retains the honorary Field Marshal title. Pakistan government on Tuesday announced that its army chief General Asim Munir will be promoted to the rank of field marshal. The announcement was made by the office of the Pakistan Prime Minister and was approved by the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The promotion came shortly after Pakistan Army suffered huge losses in the recent conflict with India. Indian armed forces struck terror bases as part of Operation Sindoor to avenge the deaths of innocent tourists in Pahalgam but had to attack military installations of the Pakistan Army after it intervened on behalf of terrorists. Pakistan Army suffered casualties and damages to its air bases and other military installations. However, the Pakistan government said that the ceremonial ranking was awarded for showing 'courageous leadership". 'It is not individual, but an honour for the armed forced of Pakistan and the whole nation," Munir said in a statement issued by the army public relations wing. A Pakistani official told news agency Reuters that field marshal was a ceremonial five-star rank that usually signifies extraordinary leadership and wartime achievement. Field Marshal (FM) is the Pakistan Army's highest possible rank, represented by five stars and is one step above a four-star general (the Chief of Army Staff, or COAS). It is not part of the routine command ladder. The only other individual to hold this rank was General Ayub Khan, who appointed himself Field Marshal in 1959. Shortly after, he became Pakistan's first military dictator, ruling the country until 1969. His tenure marked the beginning of the military's significant influence over Pakistan's political landscape. General Asim Munir's elevation to Field Marshal, approved by Pakistan's cabinet on May 20, 2025, comes amid heightened tensions with India, following Munir's active support for terrorist groups and recent violent rhetoric surrounding the two-nation theory that led to the 1947 Partition of India on the basis of religion. With the new ceremonial rank, Munir will remain the army chief. The Field Marshall title is lifelong once conferred. Its seat in the command chain is above the hierarchy overall, symbolically and goes on to show the enduring prominence of the military in Pakistan's governance. The cabinet did not say whether Munir's promotion to the rank of field marshal will mean that he has no retirement date. Munir started his job as army chief in November 2022. A parliamentary legal amendment extended Munir's term to five years in November 2023, from the usual three years for the role of army chief. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: May 20, 2025, 20:31 IST
