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India Gazette
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Welcome celebration of Ayodhya Ram Lalla held in Trinidad & Tobago
Port of Spain [Trinidad and Tobago], May 29 (ANI): A grand welcome celebration for Ayodhya Shri Ram Lalla was organized by the Ayodhya Shri Ram Organisation of Trinidad & Tobago, in collaboration with Overseas Friends of Ram Mandir, New York, and supported by over 40 local organizations. The event coincided with the commemoration of 180 years since the arrival of East Indians to Trinidad & Tobago. Thousands gathered to witness the unveiling of a replica of the Ram Lalla murti from Ayodhya, which had arrived from India especially for the occasion. In a press release, Amit Alagh, Chairman of the Ayodhya Shri Ram Organisation, expressed pride in the massive turnout and the spiritual significance of the event. The murti was jointly unveiled by: Pradeep Singh Rajpurohit, Indian High Commissioner to Trinidad & Tobago, Prem Bhandari, Founder of Overseas Friends of Ram Mandir, New York & Chairman of Jaipur Foot USA, Swami Brahmswaroopanand Ji, who specially blessed the event and Sieunarine Coosal, prominent local leader and philanthropist. Rajpurohit, who served as the Chief Guest, delivered a heartfelt address referencing numerous verses from the Ramcharitmanas and Ramayan, emphasizing the eternal relevance of Shri Ram. He also congratulated newly re-elected Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India was the first global leader to congratulate her on her second term earlier this month, according to the release. In a major announcement, Rajpurohit shared that an artificial limb fitment camp (Jaipur Foot) will soon be organized in Trinidad & Tobago under the 'India for Humanity' initiative by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. The camp, conducted by Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS) -- the parent body of Jaipur Foot USA -- will benefit over 800 differently-abled (Divyang) individuals across the country. Prem Bhandari, who traveled from New York to attend the ceremony, stated, 'It doesn't feel like I am in Trinidad -- it feels like I am in Ayodhya. Even after 180 years, the faith of Indians in Trinidad in Sanatan Dharma is as deep and strong as that of Indians living in India or anywhere else in the world.' He also highlighted that Trinidad is perhaps the only country where Ramayan chanting takes place daily, and noted the presence of one of the world's tallest Hanuman Murtis, standing 85 feet tall, located right in Trinidad, according to the release. The celebrations included vibrant devotional singing by local groups as well as performers from India, creating an atmosphere of divine joy and unity. The press release also recalled the massive turnout for previous spiritual events organized in collaboration with Overseas Friends of Ram Mandir, New York, including the Ayodhya Pran Pratishtha celebrations in January and Hanuman Chalisa chanting in April, both of which drew thousands of devotees. (ANI)
News18
23-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Operation Sindoor: India's Saga Of Steel-Forged Resolve
Last Updated: Operation Sindoor marks a decisive chapter in India's fight against terrorism, showcasing strength, precision, and an unbreakable will to defend sovereignty WHEN PATIENCE TURNS TO POWER In this sacred verse of the Ramcharitmanas, we find a truth both eternal and elemental: that forbearance, though noble and enduring, when taken for granted or mistaken for weakness, transforms into a righteous and unrelenting force. India has always drawn strength from its deep well of patience, but history warns that even the Himalayas erupt when provoked beyond limit. And so began a chapter in India's destiny where dharma was no longer whispered but declared with fire. On the fateful day of 22 April 2025, the serene and sacred valleys of Pahalgam were defiled by the blood of 26 innocent civilians; victims not of a war, but of a cowardly terrorist ambush. Across the length and breadth of India, grief rippled into resolve; the vermilion of our sorrow became the banner of our justice. Thus began Operation Sindoor, named for the sacred mark that terrorists sought to erase but which India now bore proudly — a promise etched in steel and fire. THE CLOCK TICKS TOWARD JUSTICE In the hours following that atrocity, India's Cabinet Committee on Security moved decisively: the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, the Attari checkpoint sealed with a 1 May deadline for stranded travellers, SAARC visa exemptions for Pakistani nationals revoked, and military attachés in New Delhi declared persona non grata. With those diplomatic levers shifted, India signalled that no bloodletting on its soil would go unanswered. Intelligence agencies, weaving satellite imagery with intercepted communications and human networks, mapped out nine terror camps where JeM, LeT, and Hizbul Mujahideen cadres trained, indoctrinated, and plotted mayhem. Guided by unbreakable rules of engagement — no civilian targets, only confirmed terror infrastructure — our armed forces prepared to deliver retribution with surgical precision. In the pre-dawn hours of 7 May, between 1:04 and 1:28 AM, Indian missiles cut through Pakistani skies; swift, precise, and unstoppable, long before the first vermilion streaks of sunrise touched the horizon. India's indigenous BrahMos missiles roared with precision, turning Pakistan's terror camps into smouldering ruins, killing hundreds of terrorists — a testament to our technological supremacy and strategic will. Munitions obliterated workshops of violence at Bahawalpur's Markaz Subhan Allah, Muridke's Markaz Taiba, Tehra Kalan's Sarjal, Sialkot's Mehmoona Joya, Barnala's Markaz Ahle Hadith, Kotli's Markaz Abbas and Maskar Raheel Shahid, Muzaffarabad's Shawai Nalla and Syedna Bilal Camp. Each strike erased a nucleus of terror, striking at the ideological heartbeats that had sent killers across our border. ESCALATION MET WITH IRON RESOLVE On 8 May, ignoring India's clear warning against escalation, humiliated Pakistan launched drone strikes across 28 Indian border cities, including Amritsar and Srinagar, targeting civilian zones — all of which were intercepted mid-air with 100 per cent accuracy by made-in-India air defence systems like Akash batteries, Russian-made S-400, medium-range SAM Barak-8, older AD systems like Pechora missiles, low-level anti-aircraft guns, shoulder-fired precision interceptors, and a multi-layered air defence with indigenous integrated drone detection and interdiction systems. Not a single Pakistani drone managed to inflict harm. Every one of them was neutralised mid-air, intercepted with surgical precision. No civilian lives lost due to drones, no structures breached. This isn't just the triumph of radar and firepower; it is the triumph of discipline, of invisible sleepless eyes watching the skies. For those in Jammu, Pathankot, Akhnoor, Udhampur, and other cities who heard the shrill alarms and saw missiles arc into the night, this wasn't a headline, it was hard-earned breath. What the rest of India reads as a statistic, the borderland citizens experience as survival. And behind that survival stands the unwavering brilliance of our Armed Forces, whose calm precision in chaos deserves not just our applause, but our awe. OVERCOMING THE DRAGON'S SHIELD India's response was punishing: Pakistan's HQ-9 air defence system in Lahore was neutralised, and strategic hits were delivered on Sialkot, Rawalpindi, Islamabad and other cities. As precautionary civilian evacuations began along the border, 9 May marked yet another day of disruption across Indian border cities; schools were shut, tension ran high, and unidentified drones loomed over multiple regions, signalling a deepening phase of vigilance and volatility. Before neutralising Pakistan's airbases, India executed yet another decisive move: blinding the enemy's radar and air defence shield. Lockheed Martin's TPS-77 long-range arrays, capable of scanning over 450 km, were obliterated. Alongside them, Chinese-supplied LY-80, HQ-9P, FN-6, and PL-15 surface-to-air systems were rendered inert, collapsing Pakistan's layered air defence and exposing China's defence tech globally. Six frontline fighter jets, including Chinese JF-17s, J-10Cs, and American F-16s, were downed in the opening hours. With early warning sensors silenced and widespread cyber disruption crippling command hubs in Rawalpindi and Karachi, Indian missiles swept through once-protected skies. The operational core of global jihad had been surgically removed. IAF BLITZ CRIPPLED PAF'S AIRBASES By 10 May, repeated LoC violations and Pakistan's audacity — and failed attempts to target Indian military establishments — triggered an even more brutal response. The cost of provocation was clear: India dismantled critical Pakistani air bases, runway strips, air defence systems, and key military infrastructure, neutralising hundreds of Pakistan's military personnel. The message was unmissable: no depth, no distance, no defence can shield Pakistan from India's resolve and reach. Eleven Pakistan Air Force bases — Nur Khan, Rafiqi, Murid, Sukkur, Sialkot, Pasrur, Chunian, Sargodha, Skardu, Bholari and Jacobabad — were cratered beyond immediate repair. Their airbase runways lay in ruins, hangars smouldering, while Indian Air Force jets patrolled assertively along the border; unmoved, unchallenged, unshaken. The message was clear: 'We don't need to cross the line to break your spine." MINDS BEHIND THE MISSILES Not to mention, behind every missile's roar stands the quiet sweat of our defence scientists and engineers. From DRDO's labs emerged the Akash-NG system that intercepted hostile drones, HAL's upgraded radars that guided our aircraft through electronic warfare's maelstrom, to BEL's Akashteer: India's first fully indigenous AI war-cloud, satellite-free and foreign-proof. Above it all, ISRO's 10 satellites still working round the clock, beamed back live damage assessments, ensuring that every strike counted. In those hidden crucibles of innovation, India's strategic edge was forged. INDIAN NAVY'S SILENT SUPREMACY From the panic-laced waves in Pakistan to the occupied valleys of PoK and trembling waters of the Arabian Sea, India's resolve soared. The Indian Navy too was not behind; within ninety-six hours of Pahalgam, the Carrier Battle Group — INS Vikramaditya and its MiG-29K wing, escorted by destroyers, frigates, and submarines — held the Northern Arabian Sea in iron embrace. Live weapon firings validated layered fleet-air defences, while Airborne Early Warning helicopters screened the skies. Pakistani warships cowered in port, knowing that India's maritime fist could shatter any threat. This tri-service ballet, choreographed by the Navy, Army, and Air Force under a unified resolution, compelled Pakistan to plead for a halt on 10 May: for India, a tactical pause, not a ceasefire. PAKISTAN PLEADS FOR CEASEFIRE At 15:35 hours IST on 10 May, India's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, received a hotline call from his Pakistani counterpart: reeling under the weight of devastation, a desperate plea for ceasefire. India, firmly in command and unswayed by Pakistan's theatrics, made no mention of a ceasefire. Instead, it conveyed a measured understanding of a 'stoppage of firing": a subtle yet sharp reminder — a distinction that underscored who controlled the battlefield and who begged for mercy. Even after the agreed-upon understanding of 'stoppage of firing", Pakistan, true to its treacherous instincts, couldn't resist testing India's resolve. EYE-IN-THE-SKY EVIDENCE Within hours, swarms of low-grade Chinese and Turkish drones dared to probe Indian defences, only to be shredded mid-air by our indigenous air defence systems. Meanwhile, the Pakistani establishment cloaked itself in denial, spinning propaganda-laced press briefings and offering not a shred of credible proof to back its empty boasts. Satellite images of their gutted airbases and their silence on other already destroyed significant military assets screamed louder than any statement. In stark contrast, India responded with military dignity, releasing full-motion video proof of each strike, reinforcing not just the accuracy of its operations, but the transparency and professional pride of its armed forces. THE ENEMY'S EXTENDED HAND Indian Armed Forces roared in PoK and deep inside Pakistan, but let us not forget: the combat does not end with the last missile fired. Pakistan did not fight this combat alone. Behind its crumbling bunkers and burnt radar towers stood the silent machinery of its enablers, China and Turkey. Both nations didn't just cheer from the sidelines; they supplied drones, missile systems, battlefield surveillance — emboldening a regime that thrives on blood, deceit, and jihad. Let us call it what it is: complicity in terrorism. Every drone that flew from a Pakistani terror hub had names stamped from Ankara. Every encrypted transmission shielded from our jammers had roots in Beijing. And as Indian airbases were put on alert, Islamabad found confidence in the distant echo of Baku's government support. TIME TO CUT THE STRINGS Is this acceptable to us as a sovereign nation? Absolutely not. It is time we weaponise not just our armed forces but also our economic muscle and cultural consciousness. We Indians must boycott their goods, cut down student exchanges, and cancel our trips to these nations that help their economies flourish while they finance our wounds. For too long, we have been silent consumers while our enemies cashed in on our markets and minds. India must declare in no uncertain terms: those who assist our enemies, even by stealth, will face the full weight of Indian resolve. STEEL IN THEIR VOICE, FIRE IN THEIR VOW On the evening of 10 May, as the guns fell silent across the Line of Control, India's military leadership stepped forward not with humility, but with measured steel. In New Delhi, at the tri-service press briefing, Commodore R. N. Nair spoke for every sailor, soldier, and airman when he affirmed that 'we remain ever prepared, ever vigilant; any misadventure will meet decisive response." His words, carried on the assured tenor of Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and echoed by officers such as Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofia Qureshi, wove together a singular truth: India may choose to speak softly, but its instruments of power roar with unerring precision. Less than twenty-four hours later, on 11 May, the tone sharpened further. At another tri-service briefing, Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai issued a cold warning that 'cost escalation is left to your imagination; it will be fierce and punitive." Vice Admiral A. N. Pramod followed with equal gravity: 'This time, if Pakistan dares take any action — and Pakistan knows what we are going to do — that's all," while Air Marshal A.K. Bharti reminded the world that IAF's job is to 'hit the targets, not to count the body bags." In those few sentences, India's military high command crystallised a framework of calibrated deterrence: unflinching resolve backed by unassailable capability. PM MODI'S MANIFESTO OF RESOLVE On the evening of 12 May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the people of India was nothing less than a manifesto of India's sovereign will. Standing before the Tricolour, he declared with unshakeable resolve that 'Operation Sindoor has redefined the fight against terror, setting a new benchmark, a new normal." Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid down a blistering triad that now defines India's new security paradigm: a red line etched in fire. First, Decisive Retaliation: No act of terrorism against India will go unanswered. The response will be swift, surgical, and crushing: not limited by geography or convention. Terror camps, launchpads, or handlers — wherever they are — will be struck at their source at India's choosing of time, place, and force. Second, No Tolerance for Nuclear Blackmail: The era of Pakistan hiding behind its nuclear bluff is over. India will no longer be held hostage to the illusion of deterrence when the enemy sponsors cowardly acts of proxy war. If you shield your terrorists with nuclear threats, be prepared — India will pierce through that veil with precision and unflinching resolve. Third, No Distinction Between Terrorists and Their Sponsors: The mask has fallen. Be it Lashkar, Jaish, TRF, or their army and political overlords in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, India now sees no line between terrorists and the states that protect them. Anyone providing safe haven, funding, or ideological cover to terror groups will be treated as direct combatants. Those who aid terror will fall with terror. AMONG THE GUARDIANS OF THE SKIES The next morning, at Adampur Air Force Station on 13 May, the Prime Minister took the pulse of the warriors who had struck so swiftly and so surely. ''Bharat Mata ki Jai' is not just a slogan, it is the oath of every soldier who risks his life for the nation," he proclaimed, asserting that our chants 'send shivers down the enemy's spine." He hailed the operation as 'a trinity of India's policy, intent, and decisive capability," and praised the flawless execution that saw our missiles and drones 'demolish fortifications; the enemy never even saw it coming." His words carried an unambiguous warning: 'Not just terrorist bases and airbases, but even Pakistan's malicious intent and audacity have been destroyed." ECHOES OF A BROADER CAMPAIGN In the quiet that has followed, one truth resonated: Operation Sindoor is not an isolated chapter, but the opening salvo of a broader campaign to reaffirm India's rightful dominion over every inch that falls within its constitutional and historical map. We refrained from deep occupation in PoK not from weakness, but from wisdom; understanding that true victory lies in sustainable security, not transient conquest. By dismantling terror hubs and exposing nuclear pretensions, we forged the conditions for eventual restoration without igniting a continental war. Concluding this saga of calibrated force and moral clarity, India stands at a new dawn. Our armed forces — Army, Navy and Air Force, BSF, Paramilitary forces, and the entire constellation of defence scientists and engineers — have proven that the vermilion of Sindoor is the colour of our resolve. We mourned the fallen in Pahalgam with candle-lit vigils, and we answered their sacrifice with thunderous retribution that will echo through the pages of history. Yet our mission remains unfinished: to secure every valley, every ridge, and every sliver of our sovereignty, until PoK once again thrives under the embrace of the Indian Constitution. In the end, the legacy of Operation Sindoor will be its demonstration that India can be both compassionate and unyielding, principled and powerful, moral and militarily masterful. We have shown that for India, justice is not a slogan, but a strategy; and that when the nation's courage is tested, we will not ask for permission to defend ourselves. We will simply act, with the indomitable spirit of a civilisation that has long held the banner of dharma aloft, ensuring that no aggression ever finds sanctuary on our sacred soil. IN MEMORY OF THEIR COURAGE To the bravehearts martyred during Operation Sindoor — soldiers who wore the uniform of our nation: Jawan Murali Nayak, Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar Sharma, IAF Sergeant Surendra Kumar Moga, Rifleman Sunil Kumar, BSF Sub-Inspector Mohammed Imtiaz, and BSF Constable Deepak Chingakham — your supreme sacrifice is why we breathe in freedom today. We also bow our heads to innocent civilians who lost their lives to cowardly attacks in Pahalgam and during Operation Sindoor. And to the unsung citizens of Jammu, Poonch, Akhnoor, Udhampur, Pathankot, Amritsar and beyond: you endured drone strikes, missile assaults, shelling, and sleepless nights. Your homes were shattered, families torn apart, yet you chose to stay — resilient in the face of terror. While we watched from comfort, you lived every second under fire. To the emergency responders, civil defence volunteers, doctors, and health workers: your courage may not wear medals, but it holds the country together. India remembers. India salutes. India owes you all. top videos View all For in the land of Lord Rama, when the vermilion is smeared by blood, patience is not silence — it is the breath before the roar. Operation Sindoor was that roar. Deeply interested in India's geopolitical and internal security discourse, Deepak Singh is currently functioning as the Divisional Incharge of the BJYM, BJP, Jharkhand. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. tags : Indian Army Narendra Modi Operation Sindoor pahalgam terror attack Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: May 23, 2025, 17:47 IST News opinion Opinion | Operation Sindoor: India's Saga Of Steel-Forged Resolve
News18
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Amitabh Bachchan Posts THIS As Aishwarya Rai Flaunts Saree, Sindoor At Cannes
Last Updated: Amitabh Bachchan often takes to social media to hype his family and share insights into his life. Aishwarya Rai, dubbed the 'Queen of Cannes', finally made an appearance on the famous red carpet on Wednesday. Aishwarya Rai looked stunning in a white saree with gold detailing, exuding a royal charm. As fans admired Aishwarya's look, her bold red sindoor particularly caught everyone's attention. Meanwhile, Amitabh Bachchan, who usually takes to social media to support his family and give insights into his life, has kept his streak of blank X posts going. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been attending the Cannes Film Festival for more than two decades now. As a L'Oréal Paris brand ambassador, she is a regular on the French red carpet. This year, Aishwarya Rai arrived in a regal white saree with gold details. She accessorised her look with a stunning red emerald necklace and bright red sindoor. Her sindoor wasn't just a style statement, it came amid persistent rumours of trouble in her marriage to actor Abhishek Bachchan. Aishwarya Rai looks beautiful at Cannes. — ???????????? ???????? ???? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????? (@yourfavnook) May 21, 2025 Since many saw Aishwarya's sindoor as a reply to those who doubted her marriage, they turned to Amitabh Bachchan's social media accounts to see what the actor wrote in his signature X posts after his daughter-in-law walked the Cannes red carpet. However, Amitabh Bachchan continued his streak of blank posts on the social site. T 5286 –— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) May 21, 2025 The veteran actor has been posting numbered blank posts on X for a while now. His last worded post before his streak began was on April 22, the day the Pahalgam attack took place. Amitabh Bachchan has only broken his streak a few times. In a heartfelt X post in May, he condemned the killing of innocent tourists in the name of religion and concluded with a poignant poem by his father, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, the legendary Hindi poet, whose verses often echoed themes of resilience and humanity. He also shared words from the Ramcharitmanas, penned by the saint-poet Tulsidas. In another post, Bachchan shared an image of a poem that saluted the bravery of the Indian Army. Later, in his blog, he mentioned that he is now keeping busy with work after a brief pause. First Published:
The Print
17-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Pakistan has a 7-year terror itch. Here's a two-minus-one-front idea to cure it
That higher purpose is to prevent wars. The stronger the nation, the stronger the army it needs. Not to conquer territory or bully others, but to keep out distractions from its sovereign spaces. In one word: deterrence. Is it to fight wars? Only morons and some teenagers with testosterone overload can say that. Self-defence? That's for small nations. A great nation arms itself for a higher purpose. A question then follows: have we achieved deterrence vis-à-vis Pakistan? Pahalgam attack showed starkly that we lacked it. Did we achieve it when time was called after the skirmishes? There is much celebration of revenge, especially on social media, which conducted its own private war with the Pakistanis and where cessation of hostilities is yet to be called. It is understandable if after the Pahalgam outrage, our debate was overtaken by anger. All sides, it seemed, were baying for revenge. Sovereign nations cannot reduce themselves to mere revenge. They need more. Deterrence, we said early on. Add to it a punitive ability. That is also the essence of the 'bhay bin hoye na preet' (nobody loves you until they fear you) line from Ramcharitmanas that Air Marshal A.K. Bharti quoted at the tri-service briefing. Pakistani response to the initial Indian strikes on terror bases showed that deterrence was not yet in place. The punitive power was underlined on the morning of 10 May, with humiliating targeting of the PAF's most vaunted bases, air defences and missile batteries. This was a formidable punitive package. And whatever keyboard warriors and prime time gladiators might say, at top levels, the government messaging wasn't 'revenge' but deterrence: every terror act will henceforth be an act of war, our response will be quick and disproportionate, so cease and desist. Also Read: What is Asim Munir thinking? The facts and history, however, do not convince us that an Indian deterrence against use of terror as state policy has been established. We need to assess what India has achieved by continuously upping the kinetic response level since 2016. Uri, Pulwama-Balakote in 2019 and Pahalgam-Operation Sindoor in 2025. We should, in fact, begin earlier, with the Parliament attack on 13 December, 2001. That was the beginning of the Pakistani Army/ISI proxies, inaptly described as non-state actors, creating warlike crises. India countered it with full military mobilisation. It brought India relative peace till 26/11, 2008. A deterrent with a seven-year use-by date. That India caught Ajmal Amir Kasab alive and produced phone recordings, American citizens were killed and Jews specifically targeted shamed Pakistan and brought global opprobrium. Another eight years of patchy peace. The next round then came with Pathankot and Uri in 2016. The response was surgical strikes. It gave Pakistan the escape route, or what is now called off-ramp, to say that nothing happened. And Pulwama in 2019 drew PAF's response, after the Balakot Jaish-e-Mohammed seminary raid. Yet, the point of visible and undeniable Indian military response was made. But Pakistan also got a POW to flaunt. See the pattern. Pakistan and its proxies are prone to a severe, and predictable seven-year itch. You can check out the dates again. Will this near-war, India's strongest military response so far, buy India another seven years of deterrence? India can do better. Soon enough, the ISI and its proxies will again be here. They dream of a jihad with jets, tanks and 'hopefully' (for them), nukes. It's their fantasy and 'destiny'. A war with India is inevitable, it is 'written', so why not now? Why leave it for when the power gap becomes wider? Two sides of the same coin need looking at: what will they do in these 5-7 years of respite and will we prepare to fight back, or deter? This is how they will see it: strengthen ourselves in critical areas, game India's response when the 'next time' comes. Deny India its planned, predictable response. And how does India respond? We keep upping the risk level, just to buy some more time? It is like constantly running around the same circle, or continuously hopping in and out of the same square one. This is not how an aspiring big power and a bountiful economy plans security for its future generations. It can't leave them prisoners to this same seven-year itch. Also Read: Pakistan ISI is killing Hindus for 45 years. To turn India into a nation at war with itself That's why, after this is over, look generations ahead. Spend more on defence, taking it up to 2.5 percent of your rising GDP in the next three years. This year's 1.9 percent of GDP is even lower, hold your breath, than under Jawaharlal Nehru in the year before the 1962 war. Every 0.10 percent increase will give you another about Rs 35,000 crore to spend today. Invest this additional money in whatever will build critical abilities to punish and deter the next time, without leaving Pakistan any scope to retaliate. Potential to block Malacca Strait can wait. In any case, we must watch whether the Quad outlives Donald Trump. The central point is, we can't always keep ruing our two-front situation and spreading ourselves thin. Focus all fresh, additional spending on just one front for five years. The IAF must get more and even longer range stand-off weapons, fill up its number-plated squadrons. The target has to be to switch more than half its fighter forces into genuine beyond-visual-range (BVR) capability. Swadeshi or imported doesn't matter. India can't wait, because the bad guys won't. If long-range artillery is to be an instrument of punishment, stop buying a hundred pieces at a time like kids at Hamleys. Buy a thousand. When the Pakistanis fire 10 guns across the LOC, you fire 200. The fear of massed, long-range artillery is a frightening deterrent. India can afford it. And it isn't even escalatory, because it will only be in response to the gravest provocation. If you do this right, this one front would cease to matter. That will be one way out of our two-front situation, or triangulation between Pakistan and China. The other option, which our successive prime ministers have been searching for more than 50 years post Simla Accord, of resolving our differences with one of the two adversaries has resulted in frustration of this crippling strategic burden. The Chinese see no reason to make permanent peace with us because Pakistan is their cheap instrument to keep us off balance. Pakistan has increasingly been taken over by 'its written in our destiny' walas. India has to change the game with additional defence spending singularly focused on making the Pakistan 'front' inconsequential. It will also impose a cost on Pakistan if they want to compete. Remember also, that in the India-Pakistan power balance, the only deterrence that's relevant is conventional. By the time we talk nuclear, we are all vapourised anyway. It is unlikely the Americans will give Pakistan anything new. The Chinese and Turks will, but unlike the US, they don't give gifts. Where will Pakistan find that money in a stalled economy with a fast-growing large population? India does not hanker for any Pakistani territory. It just needs to de-triangulate itself. That's the cost India must impose on Pakistan. Not for one year, but for the next 25. Or this will be a perpetual roadblock to Viksit Bharat. A big economy with faith in its future needs defence that isn't just impregnable, but deters at least one of its two adversaries. So far, the Modi government has choreographed this well. Next time, however, a new playbook will be needed. Because, be sure, there will be a next time. The lesson of Operation Sindoor is to promise ourselves that 'that' next time will never come. Also Read: Trick or retreat: There's a grand deception behind Indian military shortfalls, and in this column
NDTV
12-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
"Bhay Binu Hoi Na Preeti": Air Marshal Quotes Ramcharitmanas On Op Sindoor
New Delhi: At a serious military briefing, one doesn't expect high literature and text from epics to be quoted by a battle-hardened air warrior to drive home a point. Director General of Air Operations, IAF, Air Marshal A K Bharti, though stunned and captivated a large gathering of generally cynical journalists by quoting a couplet from Ramcharitmanas to expound on Lord Ram's patience and anger at the Sea God. Without reading from any paper, the Air Marshal fluently recited the couplet -- 'Vinay Na Manat Jaldhi Jad, Bhaye Teen Din Beet, Bole Ram Sakop Tab, Bhay Binu Hoi Na Preeti'. Translated in English, the couplet reads, "The ocean remained unmoved by humble requests, three days passed. Then Lord Rama, with rising anger, declared without fear, there can be no love." This couplet refers to the time when Lord Rama waiting for the Sea God to grant him the passage to Lanka loses patience after three days and becomes angry. He declares that love does not exist without fear and lifts his bow. Only then does the Sea God appears and helps Lord Ram. "What message is being given... So, a hint is enough for an intelligent person," Mr Bharti said, as the room broke into applause. The display of literary prowess was triggered by a reporter's question whether there was any symbolism or messaging in using the Sanskrit hymn dedicated to Lord Shiva in the briefing on Sunday and a famed poetry of 'Rashtrakavi' Ramdhari Singh Dinkar on epic Mahabharata on Monday. Before the briefing started, the military played on a big screen, a key verse from 'Krishna ki Chetavani', part of Dinkar's timeless classic 'Rashmirathi' in a rock music style rendition, juxtaposed with the images of the Indian military assets -- missiles, naval platforms, weapon system, air defence system -- with subtitles. "Jab nash manuj pe chhata hai, pehle vivek mar jata tune nahin maana, maitri ka mulya nahin pehchana,.... Antim sankalp sunaata hun. Yachana nahin ab rann hoga, jeevan jai ya ki maran hoga," the lyrics played out with subtitles carrying words -- 'Prepared', 'Each move detected', 'Every step watched', 'Tracked', 'Monitored'. In English, it roughly translates as -- "When doom hovers over a man, the first thing that vanishes is did not heed wise words, did not recognise value of last resolve. There will be war and not pleading, glory to life or death it will be". Before the briefing by the military on Sunday, Shiva Tandava Stotram was played on the big screen, setting the tone for the press conference. A montage of images showing damage inflicted by the Indian military under Operation Sindoor played with subtitles such as -- 'heed our advice', 'terrorism will have a cost for Pakistan', 'heavy', 'inevitable', 'unaffordable'. During Monday's briefing, sounds of a powerful rendition of 'Krishna ki Chetavani' poem echoed through the hall -- a metaphor-laden message delivered to Pakistan by the Indian military with a poetic precision. A collage of images of wreckage of Pakistani drones destroyed by the Indian armed forces under Operation Sindoor and a montage of videos showcasing India's military's prowess in all three domains -- land, air and sea -- played on a large screen along with music. The message was loud and clear -- India's zero-tolerance for terrorism and its resolute stand to protect the nation's sovereignty and integrity and ensure safety of its citizens. Director General Military Operations (DGMO), Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, and Director General of Naval Operations, Vice Admiral A N Pramod, also briefed the media on Operation Sindoor that was launched early May 7 to destroy nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack. The top IAF officer pointed to footage of wreckage of Turkish drones and other aerial assets destroyed by the Indian armed forces and the robust air defence posture maintained by the forces. "Our counter-UAS, our trained air defence operators are fully capable and our indigenous capabilities have demonstrated that whichever technology may come, we are prepared to counter. And I don't need to say much, you have seen with your very eyes, what eventuality they have met with," he said.
