Situation in J&K improved after abrogation of Article 370 in 2019
New Delhi: With Operation Sindoor, “only a trailer was shown” and after 88 hours it was over, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi said on Monday and asserted that if Pakistan “gives us any chance”, India would like to teach a befitting lesson as to how a responsible nation should behave with its neighbours.
In an interactive session here, he said India will treat terrorists and their supporters alike.
He said Operation Sindoor has taught that time is very little to take decisions, and each level has to be prepared and take action.
“So, I feel theaterisation will play an important role. If a fight happens for 88 hours, we will have to deploy all our strengths. We cannot say let us use the air force first, and then start or use the navy first, then see what happens. If we have to defeat someone and tell them about the might of India, then we will have to deploy all our strengths together. At that time, we will not have time to discuss,” the Army chief said.
At that time, the “theatre commanders” will be handed resources and responsibility to initiate action, he said.
The Army held a curtain-raiser event ahead of the Chanakya Defence Dialogue to be hosted later this month.
Gen Dwivedi was asked about the lessons from India’s decisive action on May 7 on terror-related infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the subsequent military conflict with Pakistan that ended with an understanding reached on May 10.
“On Operation Sindoor 1.0, I would say that the movie had not even begun, only a trailer was shown, and after 88 hours the trailer was over. So, how will the situation be in future, on this we are fully prepared. And, if Pakistan gives us any chance, then we would like to teach a befitting lesson as to how a responsible nation should behave with their neighbours,” the general officer said.
Asked if the new normal set by India is a big warning to Pakistan, he said, “I think it will serve as a big warning, because when state-sponsored terrorism is promoted, it becomes a matter of concern for us, for India.”
Because India speaks of development, of taking everyone together. So, those who will “put roadblocks in our work, for that we will have to do something”, the Army said.
As far as the “new normal” is concerned, “we have said that water and blood cannot flow together, talks and terror can’t be together. We are for a peaceful process, which we will cooperate with. Until then, we will treat terrorists and their sponsors alike,” the Army chief asserted.
“Secondly, those who will promote terrorists, we will respond to them. And, even if we get a ‘berang chitthi’, we know whom to respond to. We are not concerned about it.
“Thirdly, as far as blackmailing us is concerned for anything, in my view, India is so prosperous that we are not going to be threatened by any blackmail,” he said, apparently referring to Pakistan’s nuclear threat.
The term ‘berang chitthi’ (literally improperly stamped letter) is an apparent reference to unclaimed attacks.
The Army Chief asserted that today’s warfare is multi-domain, and an army cannot fight it alone.
“How long a war will be fought, we don’t know today. We fought for 88 hours; tomorrow it could be four months or four years. We will have to equip ourselves even for four years,” he said.
The officer emphasised the integration of all domains to boost operational preparedness.
On deterrence, he said, it works when you can have faith on it, that “yes, some action will be taken if anything wrong is done”.
“Our new normal in combating terrorism will be a challenge to Pakistan,” he said.
The Army Chief said India’s political brass has the will to strengthen the country’s deterrence capabilities.
“In today’s time, our deterrence is very strong. Our deterrence is working,” he said.
Gen Dwivedi also said that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir has improved significantly following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
“After this, political clarity has come. There has been a huge decline in terrorism,” he said. The Chief of Army Staff also indicated that President Droupadi Murmu may consider visiting Manipur as the situation in the state is improving.
The Army Chief also broadly said that there has been an improvement in India’s relations with China in the last one year following talks between the leadership of the two countries.
