Operation Sindoor, India’s massive air and missile strike deep inside Pakistan, was not just a military response to terror — it was a bold declaration of the country’s self-reliant defence capabilities, said DRDO Chairman Samir V. Kamat on Friday. His remarks came hours after Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh confirmed the destruction of five Pakistani fighter jets and one large surveillance aircraft — marking the longest-ever surface-to-air kill by India at 300 km.
Speaking at the 4th convocation of the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) in Pune, Mr. Kamat said, "Operation Sindoor was more than a mission. It was a declaration of India’s ability to stand tall through self-reliance, strategic foresight, and indigenous technological strength. It showed the world we can defend our borders with homegrown technology."
Launched on May 7 in response to the deadly April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 Indian lives, Operation Sindoor saw the Indian Armed Forces launch precision strikes on terror camps and military infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Over 100 terrorists from groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen were reportedly neutralised.
Highlighting the technology behind the mission, Mr. Kamat revealed that air-launched BrahMos cruise missiles, developed jointly with Russia, played a key offensive role. On the defensive side, systems like Akash, D-4 (anti-drone), and MR-SAM were deployed. Crucially, the AI-based Akashteer system — part of the Indian Air Force’s Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) — enabled real-time threat assessment and response coordination.
"All sensors were networked using Akashteer. It helped us identify incoming threats and deploy the most appropriate weapons. This seamless integration was vital to our success," Kamat explained.
Earlier in the day, Air Chief Marshal Singh, addressing the LM Katre Memorial Lecture in Bengaluru, described Operation Sindoor as a “vindication” of India’s strategic capability, especially after the 2019 Balakot airstrikes where lack of visual evidence sparked domestic scepticism.
India's coordinated strikes also damaged key Pakistani assets: command centres in Murid and Chaklala, multiple radars, air defence systems, and strategic hangars housing UAVs and F-16s. The operation marked a new chapter in India’s defence narrative — one powered by courage, clarity, and cutting-edge indigenous technology.
(PTI inputs)
