Army Chief: India Fully Prepared to Dominate Escalation in Operation Sindoor

Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Thursday detailed the strategic execution of Operation Sindoor, describing it as a "three-dimensional chess" where Indian forces were prepared to dominate the entire escalation ladder. Speaking at the launch of the book Redlines Redrawn – Operation Sindoor and India’s New Normal, he emphasized that actions in the information domain were carefully coordinated even before the first weapon was fired.

Operation Sindoor, carried out on May 7 last year, targeted over 100 terrorists in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. Gen Dwivedi highlighted that the military, information, economic, and diplomatic domains were all synchronized, demonstrating a full-spectrum response that reflected India’s new approach to modern conflict.

The Army Chief said the operation proved the success of joint forces, noting that India no longer requires long mobilisation cycles or decision-making delays. "Our adversary discovered that India's decision-making loop has become shorter, while theirs has become longer and incoherent," he stated, underlining the efficiency of India’s rapid, pre-positioned, and calibrated response.

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Gen Dwivedi also elaborated on the role of information warfare, citing the viral Army tweet, "#PahalgamTerrorAttack Justice is Served. Jai Hind!" which garnered nearly 23 million views. He emphasized that the credibility of India’s narrative, backed by evidence and precision, was critical in shaping global perception and ensuring a non-escalatory yet powerful response.

Highlighting the economic and industrial support during the operation, the Army Chief noted that India’s self-reliance (Atmanirbharta) and rapid mobilisation of equipment allowed the forces to focus solely on mission success. He described modern warfare as integrated across all domains—diplomatic, informational, military, and economic—requiring a whole-of-nation approach.

Finally, Gen Dwivedi affirmed that India’s responses are now dynamic and unpredictable. "We are no longer debating whether to respond, but how to shape responses without being boxed into pre-declared templates," he said, underscoring a paradigm shift in India’s strategic and operational doctrine.

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