New Delhi, May 31, 2025 — In a rare moment of candid military reflection, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan has publicly acknowledged that tactical errors were made during Operation Sindoor, India’s recent military response to a deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir. He asserted, however, that these shortcomings have been addressed and corrected to prevent future operational setbacks.
Operation Sindoor was initiated following a terrorist ambush in Pahalgam earlier this month that claimed the lives of 26 Indian citizens. In retaliation, Indian forces carried out a series of airstrikes targeting militant infrastructure across the Line of Control. The mission, although effective in reaching deep strategic targets, faced certain operational hurdles early on.
General Chauhan stated, “We understood our tactical mistakes, remedied and rectified them.” While not directly commenting on Pakistani claims that several Indian fighter jets, including Rafale aircraft, were shot down during the conflict, his remarks implied a strategic recalibration by Indian forces midway through the operation.
One of the pressing issues identified during the military engagement was the impact of misinformation and propaganda. General Chauhan disclosed that a significant portion of the operation—approximately 15 percent—was diverted to countering false narratives circulating on social media and other platforms. This, he stressed, underscored the evolving nature of modern warfare, where digital misinformation can influence public perception and operational effectiveness.
Supporting these insights, Lt. Gen. (Retd) Vinod Khandare, former principal advisor to the Ministry of Defence, noted that the planning for Operation Sindoor involved multiple contingency strategies. He emphasized that the operation was executed with an advanced degree of automation and remote coordination to minimize risk, especially after lessons learned from past incidents such as the capture of Indian personnel during the Balakot airstrikes.
Khandare also pointed out that the terrorist attack in Pahalgam exploited a security vacuum during a transition period in local deployment, even though surveillance and intelligence protocols were in place. This revelation has spurred calls for tighter coordination between civil administration and security forces during vulnerable transition phases.
Technologically, the Indian military made noteworthy adaptations during the course of Operation Sindoor. Legacy air defense systems such as the L70 and Zu-23 were upgraded with modern targeting and detonation technologies, including proximity fuses and improved fragmentation munitions. These enhancements reportedly increased their effectiveness against low-flying aerial threats.
General Chauhan further emphasized the importance of maintaining readiness in conventional warfare, even amid ongoing regional tensions. He described the current era of combat as “networked and deceptive,” noting that much of India’s military innovation is now domestically developed. He also downplayed the threat of nuclear escalation, reaffirming India’s focus on targeted, proportionate responses to security threats.
The admission of tactical flaws, coupled with swift strategic reforms, marks a shift toward greater accountability and modernization in India’s defense posture. With regional instability and asymmetric threats on the rise, military leaders appear increasingly committed to continuous learning and adaptation in safeguarding national security.
