 Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 3: Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Friday delivered a stern warning to Pakistan, cautioning that if Islamabad does not end state-sponsored terrorism, it risks being “erased from the map.”
Speaking at an Army post in Rajasthan’s Anupgarh, Gen Dwivedi said India would show no restraint if forced to respond again, hinting at the possibility of a “second version” of Operation Sindoor.
“This time we will not maintain the restraint that we had in Operation Sindoor 1.0,” he said. “We will do something that will make Pakistan think whether it wants to retain its place in geography or not. If Pakistan wants to retain its place, it must stop state-sponsored terrorism.”
Urging soldiers to stay ready, the Army Chief added, “If God wills, you’ll get an opportunity soon. All the best.”
His remarks came hours after Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh revealed that during Operation Sindoor in May, Indian forces had downed four to five Pakistani fighter jets, including U.S.-made F-16s and Chinese JF-17s.
Operation Sindoor was launched in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack. On May 7, Indian forces struck nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir using long-range precision weapons, targeting hideouts, training centres, and masterminds. The strikes pushed the two countries to the brink of war before a ceasefire was agreed upon on May 10, reportedly after Pakistani commanders sought an end to the offensive.
Gen Dwivedi emphasised that India had exercised restraint during the operation, avoiding civilian casualties and military installations. “We resolved that no innocent lives would be harmed and no military targets would be destroyed. Our focus was only on terrorist infrastructure,” he said, adding that India also presented evidence to the world about the hideouts destroyed.
The Army Chief also honoured three officers for their exemplary service during the operation—BSF 140th Battalion Commandant Prabhakar Singh, Rajputana Rifles Major Ritesh Kumar, and Havildar Mohit Gaira. |
