‘One border, two adversaries': Top Indian Army officer says China provided all possible support to Islamabad
The senior official, in an address at industry chamber FICCI, said China also used the India-Pakistan conflict like a "live lab" available to test various weapon systems.
"Few lessons that I thought I must flag as far as 'Operation Sindoor' is concerned. Firstly, one border, two adversaries. So we saw Pakistan on one side. But the adversaries were two and if I would say actually four, or three actually. So, Pakistan was the front face. We had China providing all possible support," the deputy chief of army staff said during the event, according to news agency ANI.
Also Read: 'A borrowed knife': How China used Pak during Op Sindoor, explains Indian Army deputy chief
The top army general said that 81 per cent of Pakistan's military hardware used during the brief conflict with India was manufactured by the Chinese. He also said Turkey also played an important role in the operation by providing Bayraktar drones to Pakistan.
'If you were to look at statistics, in the last five years, 81 per cent of the military hardware that Pakistan is getting is all Chinese. So, it's no surprise... China perhaps has seen is that he's able to test his weapons against various other weapon systems that are there. It's like a live lab which is available to it,' Singh added.
Also Read: India lost fighter jets during Op Sindoor due to restrictions on hitting military targets: Navy officer
He also emphasised the need for a robust air defence system to combat the China-Pakistan tango.
'Air Defence and how it panned out during the entire operation was important... This time, our population centres were not quite addressed, but next time, we need to be prepared for that. We need a robust air defence system,' he said.
Lt Gen Rahul R Singh also lauded the armed forces for carrying out precision strikes on the terror infrastructure.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 following Pahalgam terrior attack, following which the armed forces struck terror and military installations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The strikes triggered a four-day military confrontation with Pakistan involving fighter jets, missiles, drones, long-range weapons and heavy artillery before the two sides reached an understanding on May 10.
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The Print
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The Print
29 minutes ago
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Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Sindoor to Yogi-Raaj: Blend of creativity, innovation showcased at mango festival in Lucknow
Uniquely named and distinctively grown varieties, ranging from Sindoor to Yogi-Raaj, stole the show at the annual Mango Festival in Lucknow, showcasing creativity, nationalism and horticultural innovation. Mangoes displayed at the fesitval in Lucknow. (Deepak Gupta/HT Photo) Inaugurated by chief minister Yogi Adityanath at Awadh Shilpgram on Friday, the three-day festival displayed hundreds of mango varieties, but it was the unusually named ones among them that drew the attention of one and all. Among them was the red 'Sindoor' mango, named after 'Operation Sindoor', India's military response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Operation Sindoor targeted terror-related sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in May. 'Its vermilion hue symbolises the valour of the Indian Army,' said SC Shukla, a noted mango grower from Lucknow. 'It has excellent shelf life, aroma, and taste making it a tribute to the country's pride.' 'Yogi-Raaj' and 'Modi' mangoes added more flavour to the festival. The Yogi-named variety, weighing around 1.5 kg, was developed by veteran horticulturist and Padma Shri Haji Kalimullah Khan, who said, 'Its weight reflects the impactful personality of Yogi Adityanath.' The 'Modi Mango', weighing around 400 grams, was developed in 2023 by Upendra Kr Singh, a Malihabad-based grower and general secretary of the Awadh Mango Producer Horticulture Committee. 'This variety was inspired by Modi's 56-inch chest metaphor and has been patented through ICAR-CISH (Indian Council of Agricultural Research's Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture),' he told HT. ICAR-CISH's Vineet Singh, a senior research fellow, added: 'It was developed from a seedling and showed superior quality, hence the patent was secured.' Apple-like mango? The 'Aam-Apple', a mango which was so apple-like in appearance that it confused many at first glance, turned heads at the festival. 'This variety was sourced from Goa and is now being grown in Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar,' said Sanjay Singh, who showcased the fruit. 'It thrives in most climates and tastes incredibly sweet.'
