Debunks distorted foreign reportage
New Delhi: National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Friday addressed the convocation ceremony at IIT Madras, delivering a fiery defence of ‘Operation Sindoor’, India’s cross-border air assault on Pakistan in retaliation to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 in which 26 innocent civilians were killed.
Doval said the mission caused extensive damage to Pakistani military installations, specifically airbases. He said India hit 13 spots, including nine terror bases crisscrossing Pakistan and Pak occupied Kashmir (PoK) with precision and missed none of them during Operation Sindoor.
The NSA, while referring to India’s capability and technological abilities in neutralising the threats from across the border, called out the international media for its reportage of the Operation, which was only about the fight against terrorism.
“You tell me one photograph, one image… These are satellite images from across the world,” Doval said, challenging critics to produce any evidence of damage inside India. “Not even a glass pane has been broken in India,” he said while taking a dig at international media coverage.
“We are capable of doing that,” he added, referring to Pakistan’s key air bases like Sargodha, Rahim Yar Khan, Chaklala, and Rawalpindi, which he said were hit during the May 10 operation.
Doval hailed Operation Sindoor as a “precise” and “indigenous” military success. “Some of our best systems were deployed — BrahMos, battlefield surveillance radars, integrated air command and control systems. We hit nine terrorist targets. We missed none,” he said, asserting that the entire operation was completed within 23 minutes.
This is the first time that NSA Doval has spoken about Operation Sindoor. And, it is probably also an answer to the Opposition, especially Rahul Gandhi, who demanded answers on ‘losses’ suffered by the IAF.
With Doval portraying it as a flawless mission, he showcased the Operation as India’s growing military prowess and evolving strategic capabilities.
His remarks reflect the government’s continued focus on promoting indigenous innovation, including in sensitive sectors like defence, under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
Doval delivered a sharp rebuke at the distorted reportage of ‘Operation Sindoor’, by the foreign media and also dared it to come up with any credible image of damages on the Indian side.
“Foreign press said that Pakistan did this and that. You give me one photograph, one image, which shows any damage done to any Indian (structure), even a glass pane having been broken,” he said.
Questioning the credibility of Western media reportage, Doval said the satellite imageries were a resounding proof of what happened between May 6 to May 10 but the foreign outlets kept harping on damages on the Indian side, despite not been able to show images of damages, even a glass pane.
“These satellite imageries are all over the world. They (New York Times and others) brought out images and put out things…The images only showed that 13 air bases in Pakistan before and after May 10 were destroyed, whether it was in Sargodha or Rahim Yar Khan or Chaklala,” he added.
He further said, “I am only telling you what the foreign media put out on the basis of imageries – where are the damages. We are capable of doing that (destroying terror bases and inflicting damages on Pakistani air bases),” he added.
Indian security forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ in the intervening night of May 6-May 7, decimating nine terror camps including the headquarters of LeT and Hizbul Mujahidden, inside Pakistan as well as Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).
The military strikes were in response to ghastly terror strikes in Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, where Pakistan-sponsored terrorists killed 26 people.
The operation triggered an intense military face-off between the two Nuclear-armed nations, with both sides launching drone and military strikes. Indian forces inflicted heavy damages on at least 11 Pakistani air bases, as depicted by the satellite images in ‘before and after’ images.
However, a couple of foreign media outlets reported about ‘serious damages’ on the Indian side including downing of fighter jets, though no visual proof of the same surfaced.
