Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan
NEW DELHI: Chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan on Wednesday said India cannot win modern wars with outdated weapons, stressing the need to adopt future-ready technology, with a focus on indigenous weapons. The CDS also offered new insights into Operation Sindoor, describing how India successfully thwarted Pakistan’s use of drones and loitering munitions without sustaining any damage. Speaking at a defence workshop in Delhi, Chauhan said, “During Operation Sindoor, on 10th May, Pakistan used unarmed drones and loitering munitions. None of them inflicted any damage to the Indian military or civil infrastructure. Most were neutralised through a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic means, and some were even recovered in almost intact condition.”“Yesterday’s weapons can’t win today’s wars, tomorrow’s technology is needed to fight today’s battles,” he said, as reported by PTI.
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“Can’t rely on imported niche tech crucial for our missions; dependence on foreign tech weakens preparedness,” the CDS further added.Operation Sindoor was India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack and involved airstrikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). India also repelled subsequent aggression and targeted Pakistani airbases.
Chauhan also addressed the strategic use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and the need to develop indigenous counter-drone technologies.“When we talk about drones, what do you think these are — are they bringing an evolutionary change or a revolutionary change in warfare?” he said. “I think their development is evolutionary and their employment has been very revolutionary in warfare. As the realisation of their deployment and scope increased, the Army started using drones in a revolutionary manner — you have seen this in a number of wars fought by us.”Chauhan was speaking at a workshop and exhibition titled ‘Indigenisation of critical components currently being imported from foreign OEMs in the areas of UAV & C-UAS’, organised by the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff and the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies. Highlighting the broader historical shift in warfare, Chauhan added, “Evolutionary changes have made weapons and war fighting equipment smaller, faster, lighter, more efficient, more affordable… We had large, weighty rifles; now they are shorter, lighter, with longer ranges. The same applies to tanks and aircraft — they are now lighter, faster, and offer greater protection.”Also Read: India’s Operation Sindoor not just a warning to Pakistan, but a signal to the world about India’s military strength, says international security expert John SpencerA statement from the defence ministry said the event is intended to support India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision and will likely result in a strategic policy document focused on indigenisation. Chauhan’s comments underscored the pressing need to develop indigenous systems suited to Indian terrain.“Recognising the importance of reducing the dependency on OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) for critical UAV and C-UAS components, the upcoming workshop-cum-exhibition aims to bring together all relevant stakeholders, including defence experts, policymakers, military leaders, scientists, and private industry, to develop a strategic roadmap for indigenisation,” the ministry said.
