India’s Wars Now Multi-Domain, Not Over Yet: CDS on Operation Sindoor

New Delhi:

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan reaffirmed on Friday that Operation Sindoor “still continues”, and asserted that India’s military readiness must remain at a “very high” level, round‑the‑clock and throughout the year.

Speaking at a defence seminar held at Subroto Park, General Chauhan stated that in the current environment India cannot afford any complacency. “Military preparedness must be maintained at a very high level, 24×7, all year round,” he told an audience of defence experts and veterans.

Operation Sindoor, India’s calibrated response to the terror attack in Pahalgam in April, has entered what Chauhan described as a “temporary cessation of hostilities”, but not a resolution. The CDS emphasised that the operation remains active across multiple domains including cyber, information and kinetic engagements. He explained that India managed to force Pakistan to cease its planned 48-hour military offensive within just eight hours through swift and precise action.

General Chauhan outlined the evolving nature of modern warfare and the skills required of future defence personnel. He said the armed forces must now cultivate “information warriors, technology warriors and scholar warriors”, and asserted that “a future soldier will need to be a mix of all three” roles to operate effectively in a networked and deceptive battlefield.

He also emphasised the shift from traditional linear conflict to multi-domain operations, noting that nearly 15 per cent of the mission during Operation Sindoor was devoted to combating disinformation and narrative warfare, a recognition of the critical role of communication in modern conflict.

Rejecting Pakistan’s claims of damage to Indian infrastructure, Chauhan clarified that all unarmed drones and loitering munitions launched by Pakistan during the operation were effectively neutralised using both kinetic and non-kinetic measures, and did not cause any harm to military assets or civilian areas.

He urged the military to ramp up deployment of indigenous technologies, warning that “yesterday’s weapons can’t win today’s wars” and underscoring India’s strategy of inward-looking defence modernisation.

Senior Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has echoed similar sentiments, calling peacetime “an illusion” and reiterating that India must remain perpetually ready for uncertainty. Meanwhile Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar recently reiterated India’s sovereign posture, stating that the operation continues in other forms even after kinetic action has paused.

Since May, India has demonstrated operational excellence across its northern and western borders, neutralising nine terror launch pads in Pakistan and PoK. During visits to key military installations, including Suratgarh and Naliya air base, General Chauhan praised the synergy of inter‑service coordination and advanced air defence systems that proved decisive during Operation Sindoor.

Chauhan’s remarks signal a doctrinal shift emphasising preparedness, adaptability, and resilience, with a heightened focus on cyber, disinformation, and integrated battlefield operations. He underscored that morale and strategic clarity matter more than losses: “Losses are not important, outcomes are,” he said at a separate lecture, urging for professional commitment and high operational tempo.

As India grapples with non-linear threats and geopolitical uncertainties, Operation Sindoor stands as a reference point for strategic deterrence below the nuclear threshold. Chauhan’s address makes clear that while direct conflict may have paused, vigilance must remain unwavering, staffed by soldiers prepared not just physically, but intellectually and digitally for modern warfare.