Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jan 13: Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Tuesday revealed two crucial turning points that forced Pakistan to seek a ceasefire with India following heavy losses suffered during Operation Sindoor last year.
Addressing a press conference in the national capital, General Dwivedi said that decisive military actions and clear strategic messaging by India compelled Pakistan to approach New Delhi for a ceasefire on May 10, after the conflict escalated in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.
The Army Chief disclosed that on the morning of May 10, “certain orders” were issued to all three armed forces to prepare for any eventuality in case the conflict intensified. “The message of what would happen if the fighting continued was understood by whoever needed to understand it,” he said, adding that details of the directives could not be made public.
He explained that Pakistan was able to gauge India’s intent through ground-level developments and satellite imagery showing the movement of Indian naval assets, strike corps and air power. “When they connected the dots, they realised that it was the right time to stop the fight,” General Dwivedi said, noting that Pakistan soon contacted India through Director General of Military Operations Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai to seek a ceasefire.
Highlighting the second major turning point, the Army Chief said the precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir dealt a severe blow to the adversary. He said the 22-minute operation targeting terror infrastructure disrupted the enemy’s decision-making cycle.
“They were shaken and took time to understand what had happened. Since they could not comprehend it immediately, they resorted to firing drones, missiles and whatever they had at their disposal,” he said, pointing to chaos and panic within the Pakistani establishment.
General Dwivedi stressed that India responded in a calibrated and measured manner, making it clear that New Delhi did not intend to escalate the conflict further. “We achieved the politico-military aim of the operation,” he said.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 25 tourists and a pony operator.