Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai said on Thursday Operation Sindoor Highlighting the role of indigenous defense systems and coordinated multi-agency operations during the conflict, it demonstrated that “Atmanirbhar is not just a slogan, it is truly a force multiplier”.Addressing a press conference to mark the first anniversary of the operation, Ghai said more than 65 percent of India’s defense equipment is now manufactured domestically, and described the military response as a calibrated operation that achieved its objectives without escalating the conflict into a prolonged conflict.He said, “Operation Sindoor proved that Aatmanirbhar is not just a slogan, it is actually a force multiplier. Today, more than 65% of our defense equipment is being manufactured domestically.”Ghai said Operation Sindoor marked the beginning of India’s continued fight against terrorism, adding that the country will defend its sovereignty and security “decisively, professionally and with the utmost responsibility”.He also cited poet Dushyant Kumar’s poetry to claim that the operation was not the end, but just the beginning.Ghai said, “It is not my intention to just create a ruckus. My effort is to change this. Operation Sindoor was not the end. It was just the beginning. India’s fight against terror will continue. One year later, we remember not only the operation but also the principle behind it. India will defend its sovereignty, its security and its people decisively, professionally and with utmost responsibility.”Speaking about the strategy of the operation, he said India had adopted a measured approach that included decisive military action coupled with escalation control.“In an era of protracted conflicts around the world, we worked hard, achieved clearly defined objectives and then when the Pakistanis were forced to negotiate and requested us to stop, they decided to cease hostilities,” Lt Gen Ghai said.Also read: How Operation Sindoor began, one attack at a timeHe said, “The objectives were achieved through a calibrated shot and sharp blow, which altered the enemy’s risk appetite and disrupted its operations. Operation Sindoor was one attack at a time and contained India without locking it into a long-term war or conflict, the consequences of which we are seeing in ongoing conflicts around the world.”Ghai also underlined the role played by diplomatic and internal coordination as well as intelligence, cyber and electronic warfare units during the operation.

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“Intelligence agencies provided accurate information which is very important for precise targeting. Cyber ​​and electronic warfare units maintained information dominance. The government managed the international environment as well as internal security and public assurance,” he said.The armed forces executed the operation with precision and limited damage, he said, adding that the coordinated effort across multiple agencies and domains will serve as a model for future operations.Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, 2025, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed.As part of the operation, indian armed forces Attacked terrorist launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir.Indian forces targeted and destroyed nine terrorist launchpads linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hizbul Mujahideen, killing more than 100 terrorists during the operation.