Precision weapons altered the relationship between distance and vulnerability: Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit
Precision weapons, such as ones used by India against Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, have rendered geographical barriers 'almost meaningless' and 'altered the relationship between distance and vulnerability,' a top Indian Air Force officer said on Wednesday.
'Today, precision-guided munitions like Scalp and BrahMos (missiles) have rendered geographical barriers almost meaningless as strikes with beyond visual range air-to-air missiles and supersonic air-to-ground missiles have become commonplace,' Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, chief of integrated defence staff, said at a seminar on surveillance and electro-optics.
'The lessons from Operation Sindoor have reinforced what military strategists have long understood but perhaps not fully appreciated until now. Modern warfare --- thanks to technology --- has fundamentally altered the relationship between distance and vulnerability.'
Earlier, the horizon marked the limit of immediate threat, he said.
The launch of Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7 --- India's strikes on terror and military installations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) following the Pahalgam terror strike in which 26 people were shot dead --- triggered a four-day military confrontation with the neighbouring country involving fighter jets, missiles, drones, long-range weapons and heavy artillery.
The standoff weapons deployed by India during the operation included the Scalp deep-strike cruise missiles, the Hammer smart weapon and BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.
'When weapons can strike targets hundreds of kilometres away with pinpoint accuracy, the traditional concepts of front, rear and flanks, combat zones, and depth areas all become irrelevant. What we call the front and the theatre merge into one. This new reality demands that we extend our surveillance envelope far beyond what previous generations could have even imagined,'Dixit said.
The domain of surveillance and electro-optics systems was earlier a force enhancer but has now become the foundation on which modern military operations will take place, he added.
'Today we stand on the cusp of a revolution that will redefine how we perceive, process and project power in the 21st century. When we look at global conflicts commencing from Armenia-Azerbaijan to Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas, and to our own experiences in Operation Sindoor; one truth emerges with crystal clarity --- the side that sees first, sees farthest and sees most accurately, prevails.'
Between the launch of the operation in the early hours of May 7 and the ceasefire on the evening of May 10, Indian forces bombed nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK and killed at least 100 terrorists, and the IAF struck targets at 13 Pakistani air bases and military installations.
In the early hours of May 7, the IAF struck two terror sites at Markaz Subhanallah in Bahawalpur and Markaz Taiba near Muridke, both in Pakistan's Punjab province, while the army hit targets at seven places, including Mehmoona Joya in Sialkot, Sawai Nala and Syed Na Bilal in Muzaffarabad, Gulpur and Abbas in Kotli, Barnala in Bhimber, and Sarjal.
The Markaz Subhanallah camp was the farthest target for Indian forces. Located around 100 km from the international border, it is the headquarters of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and has been used for recruitment, indoctrinating and training terrorists.
Markaz Taiba is the headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founded by Hafiz Saeed. Terrorists trained at this camp were linked to many attacks in India, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Ajmal Kasab, the only terrorist captured alive at the time, received training here and so did David Coleman Headley. It is located 25 km inside Pakistan.
During May 9-10, the IAF struck military targets in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Chunian, Pasrur, Sialkot, Skardu, Sargodha, Jacobabad, Bholari and Malir Cantt in Karachi.
Later it emerged that India's targeting of locations within Pakistan during the May 7-10 clash was more extensive than was previously known, with a Pakistani document acknowledging that Indian drones had struck locations ranging from Peshawar in the northwest to Hyderabad in the south.
The graphics in the May 18 Pakistani document detailing India's drone strikes on May 8, 9 and 10 listed seven locations -- Peshawar in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, Attock, Bahawalnagar, Gujrat and Jhang in Punjab province, and Chhor and Hyderabad in Sindh province -- that were not acknowledged as targets by Indian officials at any briefings held during or after the hostilities.
Pakistan's Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, which was mounted in response to Operation Sindoor, 'folded in eight hours' on May 10 belying Islamabad's ambitious target of bringing India to its knees in 48 hours, chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan said on June 3.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Army veterans share thoughts on India's security challenges after Operation Sindoor
Two Army veterans shared their thoughts on the internal and external threats to India's security, especially after Operation Sindoor. Lieutenant General P.R. Shankar and Major General Rajiv Narayanan shared their thoughts during the event 'Internal and External Threats to India's Security post Op Sindoor' organised by 'We the People of Chennai' in Narada Gana Sabha in Chennai on Sunday. Lt. Gen. Shankar said Pakistan was a 'familiar enemy' and China was a 'difficult enemy' because not much was known about it. Post Operation Sindoor, the whole game has changed, he said. 'When Operation Sindoor happened, what did we do? Everyone thought we beat Pakistan. We did not [only] beat Pakistan. We beat China also. Because Pakistan is fully supported by China. And we beat China'. Recalling from the past, he said that India pushed China back by 15 km. 'We will take Aksai Chin back. It is only a matter of time. It might not be during my generation but before the next generation.' Expressing his observations on Pakistan, Lt. Gen. Shankar said every time Pakistan lost militarily, its Army became 'politically strong'. 'With every political defeat, it strengthens its military that much more.' Sharing his thoughts on the threat from China, Maj. Gen. Rajiv Narayanan underlined the domestic issues being faced by China and contended that demography was the major challenge being faced by that country. China 'lost trust' from the rest of the world, he said, contending that Beijing said one thing but did something else. In the prevailing tensions between Israel and Iran, its influence in West Asia and other areas was 'collapsing', he contended. 'What is going on now within China? Tremendous power struggle. Out in the open!' he said and went on to contend that Chinese president Xi Jinping was being sidelined. People in China were totally opposed to the Community Party and wanted democracy, he said. 'But, what you have to realise is that a decline in China is very dangerous. They strike out to externalise their internal problems.' Convenor of 'We the People of Chennai,' Ramaswamy Meyyappan, said that the event was organised also to rekindle a sense of national pride. 'We need to foster, create awareness and support for our armed forces, paramilitary forces and internal security institutions.' Lieutenant Colonel S.V. Sundar was the compere of the event attended by students from various schools in the city. The event commenced with the Sanskrit invocation song 'Maithreem Bhajata' and concluded with a national anthem.
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
"Pakistan will not dare": Eknath Shinde lauds Modi govt's efforts against terrorism
Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], June 22 (ANI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday asserted that Pakistan or terrorists would 'never dare' to orchestrate terrorist attacks given the 'reaction' by India against the ghastly attack in Pahalgam. He said that India and its armed forces are against the killings of civilians and, thus, targeted only terrorist outfits during Operation Sindoor. 'The way centre gave action to the have also understood. Terrorists or Pakistan will not dare do this again. Our armed forces carried out a very precise attack on the terrorist outfits. We are always against killing innocents,' Shinde told ANI. He said that even Pakistan has learned that it would get a strong response for its misadventures. 'We responded strongly during Operation Sindoor. Ab Pakistan bhi jaan gaya hai ki pehle ki tarah yeh Congress ka haath nahi hai, yeh Modi ka hathora (hammer) hai (Pakistan has also learned that this is not Congress' hand, but Modi's hammer),' Shinde said. He further lauded the central government for sending seven multi-party parliamentary delegations across 32 countries to present India's stand against terrorism. 'Our government sent seven delegations to 32 different countries to present India's stand and its role (against cross-border terrorism). 32 countries have supported us,' the Maharashtra CM said. Shinde, who came to flag off the Sarhad Shauryathon in Kargil's Dras, said he was apprehensive about the marathon being organised, given the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, but was glad people showed up. 'I came here to flag off the Sarhad Shauryathon in Dras, Kargil. I thought that because of the Pahalgam incident, the marathon might not have taken place, but many people had gathered there for the marathon. Organising such a marathon in a remote and hilly area like this is a very big thing. This will give a positive message as people were scared after the Pahalgam incident,' he added. (ANI)
India.com
2 hours ago
- India.com
Pakistan finally breaks silence over US strikes on Iran nuclear sites, leaves everyone in shock, says...
New Delhi: America's entry in the war between Israel and Iran has increased the stir in the Middle East. America carried out rapid attacks on three major nuclear bases of Iran. Meanwhile, Pakistan has strongly condemned the US attack on Iran's nuclear bases. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry posted on its official social media account that America has violated all the rules of international law by carrying out airstrikes. Under the United Nations Charter, Iran has full right to defend itself. The statement said that we have expressed deep concern about the current tense situation in the Middle East. The situation arising from this is very worrying because it will have dire effects in the Middle East and beyond. These attacks are a violation of international law and Iran has full right to defend itself. Let us tell you that Pakistan shares its border with Iran. Pakistan shares a 900 km long border with Iran. Pakistan had also called upon Israel and Iran to end this war as soon as possible. Pakistan had said that diplomacy is the only way to peace, not military conflict. Pakistan had lobbied for the Nobel Prize for Trump Pakistan had lobbied for the Nobel Peace Prize for US President Donald Trump a day earlier. The Pakistan government had formally proposed Trump's name for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. The Pakistan government had said that the way Trump resolved the war with India in 2025 through diplomatic intervention and important leadership, it has been decided to propose Trump's name for the Nobel Peace Prize. The neighbouring country had said that it was because of Trump's efforts that a ceasefire took place between India and Pakistan, which averted the major threat of war. For this reason, Trump is the most deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize. After the Pahalgam terrorist attack, Islamabad started Operation Bunyan Un Marsoos in response to India's Operation Sindoor.
