Delving deep into Operation Sindoor, where India had targeted terrorist infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in retaliation against the April 22 Pahalgam attack, CDS Chauhan said that the armed forces had full operational freedom during the operation and the aim was to “draw a red line to our patience”.
“We had full operational freedom, including planning and selection of targets, during Operation Sindoor. The aim was not to avenge the terrorist attack, but to draw a red line of our patience,” he added. He went on to say that Operation Sindoor was a multi-domain operation, which included cyber warfare and coordination among military wings.
While addressing a session on ‘National Security Challenges in front of India,’ General Chauhan felt that war and geopolitics could not be treated in isolation, as war was a medium to fulfil the political ambitions. “In Prussia, now Germany, a famous political scientist said that war is an extension of politics. War and geopolitics cannot be seen in isolation. War is a medium to achieve political ambitions,” he said.
He laid stress on the government and the military working in tandem for securing country’s national interest. He said that in a democracy, “the military works under political leadership.”