— Army commanders were able to make their own decisions and act according to their judgement

New Delhi, August 10 — Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Sunday credited the success of Operation ‘Sindoor’ to the “unprecedented” complete freedom granted by the political leadership during the recent aerial conflict with Pakistan. Speaking at a program in IIT Madras on August 4 — details of which were officially released today — the General said that, for the first time, there was absolute political clarity, with no restrictions on military decision-making.

“The government gave us complete freedom. Army commanders were able to make decisions based on their own judgment and intelligence,” he said, adding that this trust from the leadership allowed the Commanders-in-Chief to operate confidently on the ground.

Recalling the operation’s timeline, General Dwivedi said the April 22 incident in Pahalgam had “shaken the entire nation.” The very next day, April 23, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told military chiefs, “Enough is enough” — a statement backed unanimously by the three service heads. By April 25, military forces had visited Northern Command, planned and executed strikes on seven out of nine selected targets, eliminating numerous terrorists. On April 29, the service chiefs briefed the Prime Minister on the mission.

Describing the nature of Operation ‘Sindoor, General Dwivedi likened it to playing a game of chess in the “grey zone” — a realm short of conventional warfare where both sides made unpredictable moves. “At times we checkmated them, and at times we struck at the risk of our own lives — but that is the real meaning of life,” he remarked.

The Army Chief said the operation not only achieved its military objectives but also united the nation. “It inspired the whole country, which is why many asked why it was stopped. That question has now been answered,” he concluded.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar