Op Sindoor: CDS Chauhan recalls massive failure of Pakistan drones, warns against imported defence tech

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said during  Operation Sindoor on May 10, 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..." he said while addressing an exhibition on indigenisation of critical components currently being imported from foreign OEMs in the areas of UAV & C-UAS at the Manekshaw Centre. “Today we will be talking about drones and counter UAS systems. Throughout history if you look, we have witnessed evolutionary as well as revolutionary changes in warfare that have transformed the kind of battles we fight… So evolutionary changes have made weapons and war fighting equipment smaller, faster, lighter, more efficient, more affordable. Long back we had rifles which were much weighty, they were large length. We have now shorter, lighter rifles, longer ranges, they are much more cheaper. We can fight at night. Similarly for tanks and aircrafts, we made them affordable, they are lighter, yet they manoeuvre very fast and they afford more protection."

According to Chauhan, drones proof of reality and recent conflicts demonstrate how they can shift tactical balance disproportionately. “Recent conflicts have shown how drones can disproportionately shift the tactical balance. Their use is not just a possibility — it is a reality we are already facing," he said.

CDS Chauhan also said one "can't win today's warfare with yesterday's weapon systems". "Today's warfare has to be fought with tomorrow's technology... "Can't rely on imported niche tech crucial for our missions; dependence on foreign tech weakens preparedness," the CDS said.

India launched Operation Sindoor in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attackthat claimed 26 lives. The operation involved airstrikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). India also repelled subsequent aggression and targeted Pakistani airbases.