Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday said that 'Operation Sindoor' remains ongoing and that all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces are maintaining a high level of preparedness for any future contingency, including what he described as 'Operation Sindoor 2.0', if the situation demands.
Addressing a press conference after the Passing Out Parade (POP) of the 150th Course of the National Defence Academy (NDA) in Pune, General Dwivedi said that while there is currently a temporary cessation of hostilities, the armed forces continue to remain vigilant and operationally prepared.
"Operation Sindoor is still continuing. There is a temporary cessation of hostilities. Therefore, the Indian Army, along with all three services, is preparing well for 'Operation Sindoor 2.0', if it takes place. Presently, we are focused on enhancing synergy among the three services. We are also equipping ourselves for the next generation of warfare," he said.
The Army Chief emphasised that the character of warfare is changing rapidly and future conflicts will extend beyond the traditional domains of land, sea and air.
"The future warfare will not be limited to land, maritime and air domains alone. The new domains — space, cyber and cognitive warfare — will play a very important role," he said.
General Dwivedi noted that technological advancements have made modern battlefields increasingly transparent, where troop movements and activities are visible to adversaries in real time.
"What we have observed over time is that the battlefield operates 24/7 and has become highly transparent, with every movement being visible to the other side. Therefore, we have to be very cautious in terms of deployment, employment and the protection required to safeguard our troops as well as civilians living in border areas," he added.
Highlighting the importance of information warfare, the Army Chief said national unity and public trust play a decisive role in determining the outcome of conflicts.
"Victory is always in the mind, not on the ground. Therefore, information warfare is only successful if the whole nation comes together and trusts the people who are providing information. If that happens, I can assure you that a nation whose people trust one another and all the stakeholders involved will always prevail in war," he said.
Referring to Operation Sindoor, General Dwivedi said the operation demonstrated India's ability to respond with precision and resolve when required.
"Operation Sindoor demonstrated India's resolve and the Armed Forces' ability to deliver a calibrated, precise and purposeful response. This operation underlined the importance of integrated planning, real-time intelligence, precision targeting, strong air defence, secure communications and synergy across domains," he said.
The Army Chief also stressed the growing importance of drone warfare, stating that every soldier should be capable of operating drones and understanding counter-drone systems.
Replying to a question during the press conference, he recalled introducing the concept of "Eagle on the Arm" soon after taking over as Army Chief.
"When I say Eagle on the Arm, I am not referring to a bird. I am talking about drones. Every soldier should have the capability to operate a drone," he said.
General Dwivedi revealed that military academies and training institutions are being equipped with drones, simulators and related infrastructure to ensure cadets gain hands-on experience before joining active service.
"It is important for every soldier to have knowledge about drones and counter-drone equipment. When a soldier goes onto the battlefield, drones will be used extensively and responding to them will require significant expertise. That is why we are providing training to every cadet using live drones and simulators," he said.
The Army Chief also spoke about the progress of military theatreisation, describing the initiative as being on the "right track". He said all discussions within the Chiefs of Staff Committee have been completed and recommendations have already been submitted to the government for review.
According to General Dwivedi, the proposed structure will enhance integration and synergy among the three services, with Service Chiefs responsible for raising, training and sustaining forces, while theatre commanders will oversee operational deployment and orchestration of military assets.
He expressed confidence that the ongoing reforms, combined with technological modernisation and greater jointness among the services, would help transform the Indian Armed Forces into a future-ready force capable of addressing emerging security challenges across multiple domains.
