In a candid and powerful assessment of India's current military posture, top commanders from the Air Force, Navy, and Army emphasized the evolution of modern warfare, the strength of India’s defence grid, and the challenges posed by asymmetric threats.
Air Marshal AK Bharti likened the ongoing confrontations to a high-stakes strategic chase. “This was a different kind of warfare and is bound to happen. God forbid, but if we fight another war, that would be completely different from this one. It is a cat-and-mouse game, and we need to be ahead of the curve to beat the adversary,” he said, underlining the necessity for adaptive and predictive tactics.
Vice Admiral AN Pramod elaborated on the Indian Navy’s surveillance and defence capabilities, asserting that layered security systems are fully active across domains. “Effectively using multiple sensors and inputs, we are maintaining continuous surveillance to degrade or neutralise threats as they emerge or manifest to ensure targeting at extended ranges. All these are conducted under the umbrella of a comprehensive and effective layered fleet air defence mechanism that caters for all threats—be it drones, high-speed missiles or aircraft,” he stated.
DGMO Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, known for his candid commentary, drew a powerful analogy to express the resilience of India’s defensive grid. Referring to cricket, he said: “Targeting our airfields and logistics is way too tough... I saw that Virat Kohli has just retired from Test cricket; he is one of my favourites. In the 1970s, during the Ashes between Australia and England, two Australian bowlers destroyed the batting lineup of England, and then Australia gave a proverb—‘Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if Thommo don't get ya, Lillee must’. If you see the layers, you’ll understand what I am trying to say. Even if you crossed all the layers, one of the layers of this grid system will hit you.”
Ghai also reflected on the changing nature of terrorism in the region, citing the recent Pahalgam terror attack as a tipping point. “In the last few years, the character of terrorist activities has changed. Innocent civilians were being attacked… ‘Pahalgam tak paap ka ye ghada bhar chuka tha’,” he said, indicating a threshold that necessitated forceful retaliation.
India’s latest military response, dubbed Operation Sindoor, was launched following the Pahalgam attack. It targeted terror infrastructure across the border in a precision operation that underscored India's advanced reconnaissance, deterrence, and strike capabilities.
