Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, who served as Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) during Operation Sindoor, said on Thursday, 7 May 2025, that Pakistan had been "compelled to negotiate" with India and had "requested to stop" strikes during the operation. Ghai was speaking at a press conference in New Delhi marking one year of the military operation, which was launched against Pakistan-based terror infrastructure following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Operation Sindoor: A Defining Strategic Moment

Ghai described Operation Sindoor as potentially a "defining moment" in India's strategic journey. He said the Union government gave the military two clear directions — "clear objectives and the operational ability to achieve it." The objectives, he noted, were to destroy terror ecosystems, disrupt their planning, and deter future aggression from these bases, all of which were "very unambiguously spelt out." The armed forces were simultaneously provided with the resources to plan and execute the operation independently.

He called the balance between firm direction at the top, professional autonomy, and flexibility at the operational level the "key to success" of Operation Sindoor, adding that the operation is now being regarded as a "gold standard" — both militarily and strategically — across the world.

Nine Precision Strikes Across PoK and Pakistan Heartland

Highlighting the joint Tri-services' efforts, Ghai said the operation included nine standoff precision strikes — seven by the Army and two by the Air Force. He stated: "The precisions were timed with perfection and inflicted maximum damage in each established terror hub, deep in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan heartland."

Ghai also credited India's air defence architecture — which he described as "carefully and deliberately laid out" — for ensuring that Pakistan's attempted responses "went in vain."

Indigenous Weapons Proved to Be a Force Multiplier

Underlining the role of domestic defence production, the former DGMO said a significant percentage of the weapon systems, ammunition, rockets, missiles, sensors, and electronic warfare suites deployed were developed and manufactured in India. "The BrahMos, Akash missile system, advanced surveillance and targeting systems along with indigenous ammunition, all played a decisive role," he said.

Ghai added: "Indigenous equipment meant not only just self-reliance but the flexibility to tailor these to our operational requirements." He asserted that Operation Sindoor proved that 'Aatmanirbhar' is not just a slogan but a "force multiplier," noting that over 65 percent of India's defence equipment is now manufactured domestically.

Exit Strategy: India Stopped When Pakistan Sought Halt

On the question of how India chose to end hostilities, Ghai was unambiguous. He clarified that India decided to cease hostilities when Pakistan was "compelled to negotiate and requested us to stop." Referring to the "ill effects" of prolonged conflicts around the globe, he emphasised that the operation's targets were achieved "without locking India into a long-drawn war or conflict."

Multi-Agency Coordination to Serve as Template

Ghai credited all arms of the Indian state for functioning in coordination during the operation. Intelligence agencies provided accurate information critical to precision targeting; cyber and information warfare units maintained information dominance; the government managed the international environment, internal security, and public reassurance; and the armed forces executed the kinetic phase with discipline, precision, and minimal collateral impact. He also significantly credited the Border Security Force (BSF) for its role.

He said this "multi-agency, multi-domain coordination" will remain the template for "future operations," and emphasised that Operation Sindoor was "just the beginning." Concluding with a verse from poet Dushyant Kumar Tyagi — "Sirf hungama khada karna mera maqsad nahi. Meri koshish hai ki yeh soorat badalni chahiye" — Ghai asserted that India's fight against terror will continue.

The press conference was also attended by Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti, who served as Director General of Air Operations (DGAO), and Vice Admiral A.N. Pramod, Director General of Naval Operations (DGNO), both of whom served in their respective roles during Operation Sindoor.