'Victory is not declared by mere rhetoric': CDS Gen Anil Chauhan takes swipe at Pakistan

NEW DELHI: Chief of defence unit General Anil Chauhan connected Saturday took a swipe astatine neighbouring Pakistan portion referring to Operation Sindoor, saying “victory is not declared by specified rhetoric.” He made the remarks portion reflecting connected India’s defence preparedness and stressing the request to fortify nationalist information systems.

He besides said that a consciousness of triumph cannot beryllium built connected “dysfunctional aerial defence systems.”Speaking astatine the opening league of the ‘JAI Se Vijay’ seminar successful Pune, Gen Chauhan referred to India’s occurrence successful Operation Sindoor and emphasised that “actual vijay lies successful demonstrated evidence.” He said India indispensable transportation retired a “sober assessment” of its defence systems to hole for contiguous and aboriginal challenges.

Without straight naming Pakistan, the CDS highlighted the harm it suffered during India’s counterterror cognition successful May, launched aft Pakistan-sponsored Pahalgam panic onslaught successful April 2025.“With respect to the defence forces, triumph is not declared by specified rhetoric. As immoderate entities successful our neighbourhood person done so, but demonstrated done evidence, similar what we showcased during Operation Sindoor. A consciousness of triumph cannot beryllium built connected demolished panic infrastructure, damaged runways, crippled airfields, and dysfunctional aerial defence systems. Such kinds of victories oregon slogans bash not endure.

Actual Vijay lies successful demonstrated grounds alternatively than verifiable outcomes...,” the CDS said.Highlighting aboriginal risks, General Chauhan said India’s defence posture implicit the adjacent decennary indispensable beryllium based connected a realistic valuation of emerging threats.“Why this is important is due to the fact that currently, India's defence posture for the adjacent decennary is required to beryllium shaped by a sober appraisal of what lies ahead, what benignant of challenges prevarication ahead.

And I judge it's progressively becoming precise competitive, confrontational, combative, fragile, and technologically precise disruptive,” helium added.He besides said that successful today’s changing planetary environment, countries tin nary longer presume imperishable friendships oregon rivalries, and India indispensable beryllium acceptable to enactment independently if needed.“Assumptions astir imperishable friends oregon adversaries are progressively becoming unreliable.

In today's world, it is hard to specify who your friends are, who your allies are, who your enemies are and who your adversaries are. India indispensable truthful beryllium prepared mentally, structurally and materially to enactment independently erstwhile required,” helium said.The CDS said partnerships stay important but cannot regenerate India’s ain capabilities oregon state to marque autarkic decisions. He stressed the request to fortify home defence capableness to guarantee strategical autonomy.Explaining the taxable ‘JAI Se Vijay,’ Gen Chauhan said that successful modern warfare, triumph cannot beryllium based connected rhetoric oregon symbolic claims but indispensable remainder connected “demonstrated grounds and verifiable outcomes.” He warned that damaging infrastructure oregon airfields unsocial does not warrant lasting victory.Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s thought of JAI -- which stands for Jointness, Aatmanirbharta and Innovation -- Gen Chauhan said it reflects state from overseas dependence and outdated thinking. “It is not conscionable triumph implicit an adversary, but arsenic triumph implicit inertia, prejudices, and organization comfort,” helium said.