We were fully prepared to launch ground ops against Pak: Army chief sheds new light on Op Sindoor

“The action we took, especially the kind of firing that took place in Jammu and Kashmir, and the way we addressed it, and how we eliminated approximately 100 of their (Pakistan) personnel, all that action was taken because we expanded the conventional space,” he said.

“In those 88 hours, you saw that the Army’s mobilisation to expand conventional space was such that if Pakistan made any mistake, we were fully prepared to launch ground operations,” he said.
Pakistan’s decision-making cycle, he said, was completely disrupted, and it took them time to understand what was happening.

On May 10, certain instructions, he said, were given to all three services of the military regarding what would happen if the war escalated.

“Those who needed to understand it, understood it. They (Pakistan) had complete information from satellites about which ship, which strike or pivot, which core unit, or which aircraft was moving where. When they connected the dots, they said that the time has come to stop this war here,” he said.

General Dwivedi said eight terror camps are still active across the western borders, of which around two are located opposite the International Border and six opposite the Line of Control and these may be housing 100-150 people.

“That is why we are keeping a close watch on them and trying to gather inputs. If any such activity happens again, we will certainly carry out whatever action we intend to take.”

On Pakistani drones being spotted recently, he said around six drones were seen on January 10, and two-three were seen on January 11 and 12.

“These, I believe, were defensive drones, which were trying to see if any action was being taken against us. It’s possible they also wanted to see if there were any gaps, any laxity in the Indian Army, any gaps through which they could send terrorists,” he said, adding that there is no such gap from where they can send them.

“We had a DGMO (Director General of Military Operations) talk today. This matter was discussed in that talk, and they were told that this is unacceptable to us, and please put a stop to it.”
The situation along the western front and J&K, he said, remains sensitive but firmly under control.

“In 2025, 31 terrorists were eliminated, of which 65% were Pakistan origin, including the three perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack neutralised in Operation Mahadev. Active local terrorists are now in single digits. Terrorist recruitment is almost non-existent, with only two in 2025,” he said.

Regarding the Line of Actual Control with China, he said it needs constant vigilance today. “What is happening is that there is a kind of sense of urgency and a sense of acceptance from both sides to keep the borders as calm and quiet as possible,” he said, adding that various levels of talks are in place for better communication between the two sides, so that minor issues are resolved immediately and not escalated.

He said gradual normalisation of the situation there has also enabled grazing, hydrotherapy camps and other activities along the northern borders.

“With our continued strategic orientation on this front, our deployment along the Line of Actual Control remains balanced and robust. Concurrently, capability development and infrastructure enhancement are progressing through a whole-of-government approach.”

He said as far as force deployment and reduction are concerned, it is a matter of time, space and resources. “The forces should be placed in such a manner that they should be able reach a particular deployment within a stipulated time and numbers.”

He reiterated Delhi’s stand on the Shaksgam Valley, stating that India considers the 1963 agreement between Pakistan and China – when the valley, which lies north of Siachen Glacier, was ceded to Beijing by Islamabad – to be illegal and does not approve of any activity there. Last week, India again objected to Chinese infrastructure build-up in the Trans Karakoram region, prompting Beijing to reaffirm its territorial claim to the valley.

On the situation in Bangladesh, the Army chief said it needs to be seen whether the actions taken by the interim government in Dhaka are meant for the next 4-5 years, or only for the next 4-5 months. He said the Indian Army has multiple channels of communication open, and the intention is to ensure that there is no miscommunication or misunderstanding. “We are closely monitoring the situation there,” he said.

On the Army’s restructuring, he said Operation Sindoor accelerated the commissioning of drone units. For effective use of drones for surveillance, jamming, anti-radiation, force application, there was a need for operators and integration and this gave way to the need for special organisations. He said for infantry battalions, Ashni platoons have been set up comprising drone specialists.

There will be 25 Bhairav battalions, 26 Shaktibaan regiments, 34 Divyastra batteries, nine Rudra brigades, he said, adding that the Armoured and Mechanised Infantry will have similar structures.

He said Integrated Battle Groups have been approved, and each will have about 16 units, commanded by a Major General, as well as a fire support group, also commanded by a Major General.

He underlined the need for a missile force, given that rockets and missiles have become intertwined. “If we want to achieve an impact, both rockets and missiles can deliver it. We are looking towards a rocket missile force because, as you know, Pakistan has established a rocket force, and China has also created such a force. It is the need of the hour that we also establish such a force,” he said.

The Pinaka system with a range of 120 km, he said, has been tested. “We have also signed several other contracts that will explore ranges up to 150 km and later we will see it reaching a range of 300-450 km. You must have also heard about Pralay and BrahMos,” he said.