‘Op Sindoor was a shift in India’s defence posture’
Echoing the Union Government and armed forces stance on Operation Sindoor, which on multiple occasions have described it as ‘focused, measured and non-escalatory’, Lt Gen Ajay Chandpuria, a distinguished officer, said the Pahalgam terror attack aftermath saw a measured and precise response by the Indian forces, particularly the air strikes, which marked a shift in India’s counter-terrorism doctrine.
He clarified that the targeting was deliberate and precise, focused solely on terror camps, not the Pakistani military, thereby avoiding escalation while establishing credible deterrence.
Speaking at at Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Amritsar on subject of “India’s War: Case Study on Operation Sindoor”, Lt Gen Chandpuria shared insights into one of India’s recent critical military operations, shedding light on strategic decision-making, national security, and leadership under high-stakes conditions.
The talk began with a video on Operation Sindoor, setting the context for a powerful narrative that explored India’s defence posture and the changing nature of warfare.
Lt Gen Chandpuria drew comparisons from global conflicts like Ukraine-Russia, Israel-Hamas, and highlighted the emergence of flat command structures, the importance of urgency in operations, and the evolving dynamics of kinetic contact (direct physical force) and non-kinetic contact (cyber attacks and sanctions) warfare.
He emphasised the risk of miscalculation, he noted, “India’s neighbourhood continues to remain volatile with 63 active conflict zones globally. From real-time surveillance capabilities to the naval readiness with two unsinkable ships in Lakshadweep, India’s preparedness and strategic restrain has to be top notch,” he said. He also spoke about India’s Atmanirbharta journey, stating that a decade ago, 80 per cent of our defence tech relied on the US; today, India’s global partnerships are more diversified and self-reliant.
Lt Gen Chandpuria reflected on Pakistan’s internal structure, from a weak civilian government to radical groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, emphasising the complexity of hybrid warfare, including social media manipulation, collusively with countries like Turkey and China. He also highlighted the internal challenges that India faces, such as unemployment, drug abuse, separatist ideologies, organised crime and media sensationalism.
He strongly advocated for responsible media, civil defence awareness and perception management as tools for national security. He urged the youth and future managers to be metaphorically and mentally enlisted in national defence, asserting that “managers too are soldiers” in today’s rapidly evolving geopolitical environment.
Prof Samir Kumar Srivastava, Director, IIM, said that the session served as a clarion call to the future leaders of India, to think critically, lead responsibly, and act with purpose in the interest of the nation.
Amritsar