National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has firmly defended the integrity and precision of Operation Sindoor, calling it a moment of national pride and brushing aside international allegations of collateral damage.
Speaking at the 62nd Convocation of IIT Madras on Friday, Doval delivered a powerful rebuttal to foreign media reports that suggested the operation may have caused unintended destruction on Indian soil. With unwavering confidence, he threw down a challenge:
“Show me even one photo of Indian damage — even a glass being broken,” he said, dismissing such claims as baseless.
Launched on May 7, Operation Sindoor was India’s forceful response to a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives. The attack, allegedly orchestrated by Pakistan-backed militants, triggered one of India’s most significant and precisely executed cross-border operations in recent memory.
Doval revealed that the meticulously planned 23-minute airstrike targeted nine high-value locations deep inside Pakistan, all struck in a criss-cross pattern — far from the border.
“We missed none, and hit nowhere else,” he emphasized, underlining the accuracy and discipline with which the operation was executed.
#WATCH | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | Speaking on Operation Sindoor, at IIT Madras, NSA Ajit Doval slams the foreign media for their reportage on the operation.
“Foreign press said that Pakistan did that and this…You tell me one photograph, one image, which shows any damage to any… pic.twitter.com/v13Pr8RuRf
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2025
Taking aim at reports published by global outlets like The New York Times, Doval noted that much of what was shared internationally relied on satellite imagery of Pakistani air bases before and after May 10.
“They talked about air bases in Sargodha, Rahim Yar Khan, Chaklala… I’m only repeating what the foreign media reported based on their own satellite images,” he added. “We are capable of doing that kind of damage to Pakistani air bases.”
Doval also spotlighted a key aspect of the mission that’s drawn wide praise — the extensive use of indigenous technology. “We’re proud of how much of it was made in India. The operation wasn’t just precise — it showcased our technological self-reliance,” he said.
The Indian Air Force’s strike zeroed in on strategic terror hubs, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad headquarters in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba’s base in Muridke, both located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Pakistan’s attempted retaliation through drone and missile strikes was swiftly neutralized, as India’s air defence systems intercepted every incoming threat. The standoff escalated further, culminating in a decisive strike by India on 11 Pakistani air bases — a move that underscored the nation’s military resolve and technological capability.
In a world where narratives often blur facts, Doval’s challenge stands out: if the operation caused the damage some claim, where is the proof?
