Former Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt. Gen. Photo credit: PTI
On the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, senior military officials said India’s response to cross-border terrorism had fundamentally changed the security environment, with Lt. Gen. Rajiv Ghai declaring that no terrorist sanctuary in Pakistan was safe anymore.
At a joint press conference in Jaipur with senior officers of the Indian Army, Air Force and Navy, Lt Gen Ghai, who served as Director General of Military Operations during Operation Sindoor, said it was “not the end but just the beginning”.
He said the operation was continuing in terms of readiness and strategic planning. “We have learned several lessons during Operation Sindoor and that is why the changes are being made. The operation will continue for as long as it takes,” he said.
Conducted from May 7 to 10, 2025, Operation Sindoor was launched in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists. The operation targeted terrorist camps and military infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Operation Sindoor is a defining testament to India’s unwavering resolve against terrorism: The President
Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti, detailing the scale of the military action, said that the Indian Air Force had destroyed nine terrorist camps on May 7 and later struck 11 Pakistani airfields.
“We have destroyed 13 of their aircraft, either on the ground or in the air, including one high-value aircraft at a record range of over 300 kilometers,” he said, adding that evidence of the attacks was available to the world.
Vice Admiral AN Pramod said Operation Sindoor exposed the limitations of Pakistan’s nuclear deterrence narrative. He said India’s use of long-range precision weapons has demonstrated its ability to strike deep inside enemy territory while maintaining a calibrated escalation.
He also highlighted the growing importance of unmanned and autonomous systems in modern warfare and stressed the need for expedited integration of these technologies into India’s operational framework.
Appreciating the performance of the indigenous naval platforms, including the aircraft carriers INS Vikrant and Kolkata and the Visakhapatnam class destroyers, the vice admiral said they reaffirmed the importance of the Atmanirbhar Bharat in enhancing operational readiness.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday confirmed that India’s position on the Indus Waters Treaty (IET) is consistent. Inland waterways have been kept quiet in response to Pakistan’s continued sponsorship of cross-border terrorism. Pakistan must credibly and irrevocably renounce its support for cross-border terrorism.
Speaking on the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “Today marks the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor. The whole world saw the Pahalgam terror attack for what it was. We have given a befitting reply to Pakistan for sponsoring cross-border terrorism.”
He added, “The world knows that cross-border terrorism has long been an instrument of state policy for Pakistan. We in India have every right to defend ourselves against terrorism. We will continue to work to strengthen the global fight against terrorism.”
Published – 07 May 2026 15:09 IST
