Web desk: Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi has admitted that the Modi government gave the armed forces full freedom to act against Pakistan during “Operation Sindoor.”
His remarks contradict earlier claims that the government had ordered troops not to attack Pakistani military sites.
Speaking at IIT Madras, Dwivedi said it was the first time Defence Minister Rajnath Singh declared, “Enough is enough.”
According to him, all three service chiefs agreed that “something had to be done.”
He confirmed, “We were given complete free hand and told, ‘You decide what to do.’ We saw such trust and clarity from the political leadership for the first time.”
Operation Sindoor began on May 7 in response to an April 22 false-flag attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people.
India claimed its forces targeted militant infrastructure in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.
Dwivedi also claimed Pakistan responded with shelling, attempted drone strikes and air defence actions.
In retaliation, he said Indian forces destroyed radar systems, communication centres and air bases at more than 11 Pakistani military sites, including Islamabad’s Noor Khan Air Base.
A day earlier, Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal A P Singh also praised the government’s “political support” as a key factor in the operation.
At an event in Bengaluru, Singh said, “One important reason was that we had clear political support from the government. We faced no external hurdles. Any restrictions were self-imposed.”
Dwivedi mocked Pakistan’s claim of success in the clashes.
Referring to the promotion of Pakistan’s Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir, he said, “If you ask any Pakistani whether they won or lost, they will say, ‘Our chief became field marshal, so we must have won.’”
These statements from India’s top military leadership differ sharply from earlier narratives that the government had kept the operation limited to avoid hitting Pakistani military installations.
#WATCH | Speaking on Operation, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi says, "…On 23rd, we all sat down. This is the first time that RM (Defence Minister Rajnath Singh) said, 'enough is enough'. All three chiefs were very clear that something had to be done. The… pic.twitter.com/aSFRXsS2qn
— ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2025
Analysts say the new admissions show a shift in India’s strategic approach.
They also expose contradictions within India’s own military leadership, raising questions over competence.
Defence observers point out that if the army had full freedom to act against Pakistan, then the failure of the operation would be even more glaring.
They say the continued false claims are an attempt to deflect public criticism over the poor outcome.
Read more: Field Marshal Asim Munir meets senior political, military leadership during official visit to US
