Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Friday emphasized the ongoing nature of Operation Sindoor, asserting that India’s armed forces must maintain peak readiness 24/7, throughout the year. His remarks came during a defence seminar held at Subroto Park, New Delhi, highlighting the evolving dimensions of modern warfare.
"An example is Operation Sindoor, which is ongoing even now. Our level of preparedness has to be extremely high, 24x7, 365 days (a year)," Gen Chauhan explained, emphasizing the need for continuous watchfulness in the backdrop of constant threats.
The seminar is titled 'Aerospace Power: Preserving India's Sovereignty and Furthering National Interests' and is part of the No.4 Warfare and Aerospace Strategy Programme. The seminar brought together military leaders, strategists, and defence experts to outline the future trajectory of aerospace and defence capabilities.
Looking to the future, the CDS discussed the evolution of the role of the soldier in the digital age. He envisioned the military of the future will need people who are not only physically fit but also mentally capable.
In the future, we will require information warriors, technology warriors, and scholar warriors," he said. With the evolving nature of warfare, "a future soldier will have to be a combination of all three — info, tech and scholar warriors," he added, in a call for a comprehensive approach to training and capability development.
Operation Sindoor was initiated by India on May 7 against growing cross-border tensions. The operation caused the destruction of various terrorist facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK). Pakistan retaliated with its own strikes, to which India reacted with additional operations under the same codename.
Even though active military action between the two nuclear powers ceased after a mutual agreement was arrived at on the night of May 10, General Chauhan's assertion confirms that the overall strategic and operational stance under Operation Sindoor is still on.
He also underlined the importance of integrating ancient and contemporary knowledge in defence strategy. "It's essential to learn about Shastra (the art of war) as well as Shaastra (systems of knowledge)," said the CDS, urging military leadership to maintain a balance of intellectual and battle-fighting capability.
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