Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai on Thursday said Operation Sindoor demonstrated that “Atmanirbhar is not just a slogan, it is indeed a force multiplier”, highlighting the role of indigenous defence systems and coordinated multi-agency operations during the conflict.Addressing a press conference marking the first anniversary of the operation, Ghai said more than 65 per cent of India’s defence equipment is now manufactured domestically, and described the military response as a calibrated operation that achieved its objectives without escalating into a prolonged conflict.“Operation Sindoor proved that Atmanirbhar is not just a slogan, it is indeed a force multiplier. Today, over 65% of our defence equipment is being manufactured domestically,” he said.Ghai said that Operation Sindoor marked the beginning of India’s continued fight against terrorism, asserting that the country would defend its sovereignty and security “decisively, professionally and with the utmost responsibility.”He also invoked poet Dushyant Kumar’s poetry to claim that the operation was not an end, but just the beginning.“Sirf hungama khada karna mera maqsad nahi. Meri koshish hai ki yeh soorat badalni chahiye. Operation Sindoor was not an end. It was just the beginning. India’s fight against terror will go on. A year on, we remember not just the operation but also the principle behind it. India will defend its sovereignty, its security, and its people decisively, professionally and with the utmost responsibility,” Ghai added.Speaking about the operation’s strategy, he said India had adopted a measured approach that combined decisive military action with escalation control.“In an era of prolonged conflicts around the world, we struck hard, achieved clearly defined objectives and then decided to cease hostilities when the Pakistanis were compelled to negotiate and requested us to stop,” Lt Gen Ghai said.Also read: How Operation Sindoor unfolded, one strike at a time“The objectives were achieved through a calibrated shot and sharp shock that altered the enemy’s risk appetite and disrupted his commHow Operation Sindoor unfolded, one strike at a timeand and control without locking India into a long-drawn war or conflict, the ill effects of which we are seeing in ongoing conflicts around the world,” he added.Ghai also underlined the role played by intelligence, cyber and electronic warfare units, along with diplomatic and internal coordination during the operation.
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“Intelligence agencies provided the accurate information that is so critical to precision targeting. Cyber and electronic warfare units maintained information dominance. The government managed the international environment as also the internal security and public reassurance,” he said.He added the armed forces carried out the operation with precision and limited collateral damage, adding that the coordinated effort across multiple agencies and domains would serve as a model for future operations.Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, 2025, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed.As part of the operation, Indian armed forces carried out strikes on terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.Indian forces targeted and destroyed nine terror launchpads linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hizbul Mujahideen, killing more than 100 terrorists during the operation.
