Latest news with #MMNaravane
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Lesson Learnt: Operation Sindoor a 'new normal', but resurgence possible
NEW DELHI: India's decisive multi-day joint military offensive -- 'Operation Sindoor' -- signals a fundamental doctrinal shift in how the country deals with cross-border terrorism. The strikes on nine high-value targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) between May 7 and May 10 were a direct retaliation to the killing of 26 tourists in Pahalgam on April 22. While the mission was deemed successful in hitting terrorist infrastructure, defence experts say it's real significance lies in the message it sends and the evolving military strategy it represents. Former Indian Army Chief Gen. MM Naravane put it succinctly: 'While the military operations might have come to a stop, it is not a ceasefire.' The operations, though complete for now, are likely just a phase in an ongoing recalibration of India's security posture—one that experts believe marks a new normal, albeit with the caveat that future flare-ups remain a distinct possibility. Strategic targeting, symbolic messaging India has long maintained that it possesses irrefutable evidence of Pakistan's state-backed support for terrorism. Groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), both designated terror organisations, have been accused of receiving training, weapons, and financial support from Pakistani state actors. Operation Sindoor's target selection was deeply symbolic and strategically precise. The Indian Air Force and Army struck Bahawalpur and Muridke—respectively the headquarters of JeM and LeT—both located deep within Pakistan's territory. 'This operation has yet again reinforced that India will not spare the enemies of the Indian state,' General Naravane told TNIE. The strikes underscored a clear doctrinal message: geography is no longer a protective shield for those orchestrating terror attacks on Indian soil.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
India does not need a written National Security Strategy, structures are in place: CDS General Anil Chauhan
NEW DELHI: Dismissing the need for a written National Security Strategy, chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan has said India has the requisite organisational structures, processes and policies in place to secure the nation. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In his new book "Ready, Relevant and Resurgent: A Blueprint for the Transformation of India's Military", the CDS said strategic analysts and political pundits often state that India does not have a NSS. "That is incorrect and a myopic understanding of the issue. What we don't have is a written document called NSS, which is published periodically by Western nations," he said. Israel, the "most threatened nation on earth", does not have a written policy document or NSS. "On the contrary, Pakistan issued a written National Security Policy in 2022 and ran into economic problems, political instability, rift between the Armed Forces and the citizens and problems on its western borders," he added. Pakistan had the written document but lacked organisational structures, processes and policies to secure itself, the CDS said. In 2022, after retiring as Army chief, Gen M M Naravane had argued that India needed to have a NSS that lays down long-term national and geopolitical objectives in the face of myriad threats, stating it would be a folly to create theatre commands without a policy in place.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
CDS dismisses case for a written National Security Strategy
NEW DELHI: Dismissing the need for a written National Security Strategy (NSS), chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan has said India has the requisite organisational structures, processes and policies in place to to secure the nation. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In his new book 'Ready, Relevant and Resurgent: A Blueprint for the Transformation of India's Military', the CDS said strategic analysts and political pundits in India and abroad often state that India does not have a NSS. 'That is incorrect and a myopic understanding of the issue. What we don't have is a written document called NSS, which is published periodically by some Western nations,' he said. Israel, the 'most threatened nation on earth', does not have a written policy document or NSS. 'On the contrary, Pakistan issued a written National Security Policy in 2022 and soon ran into economic problems, political instability, rift between the Armed Forces and the citizens and problems on its western borders,' he said. Pakistan had the written document but lacked the organisational structures, processes and policies to secure itself, the CDS said. In 2022, soon after retiring as the Army chief, Gen M M Naravane had argued that India urgently needed to have a NSS that lays down long-term national and geopolitical objectives in the face of myriad threats, stating it would be a folly to create theatre commands without such a policy in place. 'Unless there is a NSS in place, just to keep talking of `theaterisation' is to actually put the cart before the horse,' Gen Naravane had said. A primary task before the CDS is the long-delayed creation of tri-Service unified theatre commands to ensure India gets an integrated war fighting machinery within budgetary constraints.
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
War not a Bollywood movie but a serious and expensive last resort: Former army chief MM Naravane
Pune: Former army chief General MM Naravane has said that a war is not a "romantic" or "Bollywood" movie but a very serious and expensive last resort. "War or violence should be the last thing that we resort to. And that is why our Prime Minister said that this is not an era of war," he was addressing a diamond jubilee function of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (Pune Chapter) on Sunday. "Unwise people will force us into wars, but it should not be what you cheer for, and again, people are asking why we did not go for all-out war. As a military man, if ordered, I will go to war, but that will not be my first choice. My first choice will always be diplomacy, how to settle differences through dialogue, and not let it reach the stage of armed conflict. We should try to resolve all our differences through dialogue, not only between countries but even amongst ourselves," he a war breaks out, there is death and destruction, Naravane said. "It has its own costs, the cost of rebuilding, but also the cost of the military equipment that is lost." He further said war and warfare are an expensive business. "If we have long, drawn-out conflict stretching into weeks and months, then imagine what each loss would mean in the immediate terms. And what each of these losses cumulatively added up to would mean when you have to recoup that at the end of the war." Naravane said when the Kargil conflict occurred, the total cost was close to Rs1,500 crore out of which Rs800 crore was of the Indian Air Force. "The reconstruction cost in the bunkers in the border regions and remaking of roads was hundreds of crores of rupees." On the social aspects, Naravane said the scars of the war remain in the minds of families for generations. "The lives that are lost. The children who lose their parents. Children who themselves are killed in indiscriminate shelling in the border areas. Nobody takes that into account. The displacement of the population that is happening. It leads to trauma among adults and children. There is trauma among the children in the border areas, who have seen the shelling, who have run for shelter every night, and those who have lost their loved ones. That trauma carries on for generations. There is post-traumatic stress disorder. People subjected to intense combat and combat conditions, witnessed gruesome acts, wake even 20 years later, bathed in sweat and need psychiatric care," he he said the Indian armed forces, by carrying out strikes deep within Pakistan, have proved that Pakistan would have to bear a very "heavy cost" if they wish to continue on their "foolish path". "Our forces not only targeted Pakistani terrorists' camps but also damaged their airfields deep down. If they continued their foolish path, it would cost them too much. This forced their hands to call for cessation, and that is why their Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called our DGMO to discuss cessation," the former army chief to questions from members in the audience, Naravane said, "Nuclear weapons have always been a cause for concern but we have a nuclear doctrine of no first use, especially against non-nuclear nations and history has shown that nuclear weapons work very well as a deterrent but have never been used actually except for the first two times against Japan at the closing stages of World War II.""Even now, if you see the conflict in Ukraine, it is actually between nuclear powers — Russia on one side and the whole of NATO on the other side, which has two, three of the major nuclear powers of the world, but nobody talks about nuclear weapons. They are used for posturing; whenever some reverses are there, you dangle that nuclear card, but everybody knows in their hearts of hearts, it is only a threat," he added. Pune: Former army chief General MM Naravane has said that a war is not a "romantic" or "Bollywood" movie but a very serious and expensive last resort. "War or violence should be the last thing that we resort to. And that is why our Prime Minister said that this is not an era of war," he was addressing a diamond jubilee function of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (Pune Chapter) on Sunday. "Unwise people will force us into wars, but it should not be what you cheer for, and again, people are asking why we did not go for all-out war. As a military man, if ordered, I will go to war, but that will not be my first choice. My first choice will always be diplomacy, how to settle differences through dialogue, and not let it reach the stage of armed conflict. We should try to resolve all our differences through dialogue, not only between countries but even amongst ourselves," he a war breaks out, there is death and destruction, Naravane said. "It has its own costs, the cost of rebuilding, but also the cost of the military equipment that is lost." He further said war and warfare are an expensive business. "If we have long, drawn-out conflict stretching into weeks and months, then imagine what each loss would mean in the immediate terms. And what each of these losses cumulatively added up to would mean when you have to recoup that at the end of the war." Naravane said when the Kargil conflict occurred, the total cost was close to Rs1,500 crore out of which Rs800 crore was of the Indian Air Force. "The reconstruction cost in the bunkers in the border regions and remaking of roads was hundreds of crores of rupees." On the social aspects, Naravane said the scars of the war remain in the minds of families for generations. "The lives that are lost. The children who lose their parents. Children who themselves are killed in indiscriminate shelling in the border areas. Nobody takes that into account. The displacement of the population that is happening. It leads to trauma among adults and children. There is trauma among the children in the border areas, who have seen the shelling, who have run for shelter every night, and those who have lost their loved ones. That trauma carries on for generations. There is post-traumatic stress disorder. People subjected to intense combat and combat conditions, witnessed gruesome acts, wake even 20 years later, bathed in sweat and need psychiatric care," he he said the Indian armed forces, by carrying out strikes deep within Pakistan, have proved that Pakistan would have to bear a very "heavy cost" if they wish to continue on their "foolish path". "Our forces not only targeted Pakistani terrorists' camps but also damaged their airfields deep down. If they continued their foolish path, it would cost them too much. This forced their hands to call for cessation, and that is why their Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called our DGMO to discuss cessation," the former army chief to questions from members in the audience, Naravane said, "Nuclear weapons have always been a cause for concern but we have a nuclear doctrine of no first use, especially against non-nuclear nations and history has shown that nuclear weapons work very well as a deterrent but have never been used actually except for the first two times against Japan at the closing stages of World War II.""Even now, if you see the conflict in Ukraine, it is actually between nuclear powers — Russia on one side and the whole of NATO on the other side, which has two, three of the major nuclear powers of the world, but nobody talks about nuclear weapons. They are used for posturing; whenever some reverses are there, you dangle that nuclear card, but everybody knows in their hearts of hearts, it is only a threat," he added.
Economic Times
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
'Abhi picture baki hai…': Ex-Indian Army Chief MM Naravane's cryptic message
India's bold Operation Sindoor, executed by the Army, Navy, and Air Force, struck terror camps in PoK and Pakistan on May 7, dramatically escalating tensions with Islamabad. As the region reacts, former Army Chief Gen. MM Naravane's cryptic tweet – 'Picture abhi baaki hai…' – has gone viral, sparking widespread speculation and national curiosity. Show more 03:32 04:39 03:34 06:04 05:56 09:40 03:32 03:19 08:02 03:29 03:06 02:13 03:36 09:20 03:04 17:01 03:04 03:13 02:59 07:47 08:30 03:26 03:42 03:22 03:16 04:08 03:38 02:48 04:57 03:10 03:18 01:24 02:14 11:52 03:17
