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Indian Express
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Operation Sindoor stood out owing to political, military resolve and Indian forces' precision strikes: Maj Gen Gaurav Bagga in Gandhinagar
Attributing the success of Operation Sindoor to a combined effort of political and military resolve and the ability of Indian Armed Forces to execute such precision strikes using the most indigenous technology, Major General Gaurav Bagga, General Officer Commanding (GOC), Golden Katar Division, on Thursday said that these make this operation different than the ones executed previously. While speaking about the Operation Sindoor, a counter terrorism operation, at Karnavati University in Gandhinagar's Uvarsad on Thursday, Major General Bagga said: 'Unlike a conventional operation that would classically mean that the war is being announced and the army crosses the land, Air Force flies across the enemy territory and the Navy does what it does, there was a contact of forces on the ground, there was another stream of war that was very, very selective. You saw that after the Uri attack, there were surgical strikes, which were precise. This time, we wanted to hit the terrorist camps, which were troubling India.' This was the first time a GOC-rank officer came out in public to talk about the Operation Sindoor in Gujarat. He also said the operation was planned in a manner 'that we hit terrorism, no collateral damage — that means not a single civilian got hit'. 'And the message was very clear that terrorism is what troubles us, terrorism is why Pahalgam happened, and we are going to get back at you. So that is how Operation Sindoor was different. And as Pakistan continued to strike relentlessly for two nights, we again went across the spectrum of the entire country right from north to south. Each air field of theirs was brought down, meaning that the Air Force was grounded. They couldn't fly. And if we had taken it to the next stage, then they would have had to fight the war without their Air Force. No county can do that. That is how different was the political resolve, the military resolve, and the ability of India to execute such precision strikes, using most indigenous technology or technology that we had chosen in collaboration with our friendly countries,' he added. 'The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) was absolutely clear about what he wanted, and had said: 'We will hunt you down and we will do what we want to do.' That was a stern warning. He was representing the emotion of the whole country. And that was a loud statement to make, and therefore, preparation for Operation Sindoor started. Preparations started at political level, which was of CCS (Cabinet Committee on Security), then there was military level, and there were global actions. Blackout drills were carried out in the country. Pakistan had a lot of long missiles. And therefore, the whole nation had to be ready,' he said. Initially, he said, there were '21 targets set as we had decided to target terrorist camps as our fight, in principle, was against terrorism', adding that nine of them were finalised after analysing all. 'It was being planned behind closed doors by the highest planners. Out of the nine targets, seven were hit by the Indian Army, and two by the Indian Air Force and the Navy. After the Pahalgam terror attack, there was a huge amount of cyber attack, he recalled, saying: 'They were all neutralised by our warriors.' Further speaking on how Pakistan changed its strategy each time it failed,, Maj Gen Bagga said that it was the frustration of the nation that was evident in these changed tactics. He went on: '102 terrorists were neutralised. And ultimately, Pakistan had to respond. After this attack, a call was made to the Pakistani DGMO that we had launched an operation, we had finished it and that we had to strike the terrorist camps — to which Pakistan obviously had to respond. We don't have any terrorist camps so they started targeting military infrastructure in Srinagar, Baramulla, Jammu, Rajouri, Avantipora, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur. There were drones, missiles and artillery shelling, apart from unprovoked firing. Every drone which came in was neutralised. So whatever effort they put in could not meet any success. None of our components got hit or destroyed. None of our assets were damaged because of the superior countermeasures that we had instituted. The DGMO then changed tactics. Gurdwaras, madrasas were hit. By the next day, 300-400 drones had hit 36 locations from Leh to Sir Creek. Every artillery shell and civilian airlines they used as a shield failed and the frustration level was going up. Then there were Turkish drones, there were Chinese drones, and some of their indigenous drones. Each one was being neutralised. This was how their attacks were systematically destroyed.' Terming the intervening night of May 9 and 10 as the one that goes in the history in terms of usage of assets in one night during any national operation, he said, 'All the air bases of Pakistan, all airports, assets were destroyed by the Indian army. We were destroying them and showing proofs to people. Most of the airfields had been destroyed. So where does the aircraft take off from? In case the operation went further, it had to go to the next level where the army, Air Force and Navy got engaged. And when their airports started getting destroyed, they knew they had no ability to launch air operations against India in case the war went ahead. Immediately, our DGMO got a call and was told that they were ready for a ceasefire. Our DGMO said: 'Let's talk about ceasefire.' And then we started the next phase of our operations.' Among the challenges that India faced was also countering Pakistan's propaganda of spreading misinformation. 'They just, very subtly, put out that 20 Indian Army bases had been destroyed. They were all fake. During such operations, citizens are expected to look at only authentic sources (for misinformation),' he stated, also adding a word of caution: 'If the source of a message is not authenticated, don't push it forward.'. 'After the operation, the Prime Minister, however, said that Operation Sindoor was not over. He meant that every time there is a terror attack, there will be a response. And for that, we will choose the time, the place and the medium. But there will be a response. It will no more be the status quo. It will no longer be: 'It happens'. We will not show patience. So any act of terrorism will be construed as an act of war,' Major General Bagga added.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
No proof of personal problems, soldier's suicide due to military service, says Armed Forces Tribunal
Chandigarh: The Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has attributed a soldier's suicide to military service and granted special family pension to his widow, noting that there was no evidence of personal problems in his life. "Absence of call data records of the mobile of the deceased has been a handicap even with the court of inquiry (COI). Had there been forensic evidence, the picture would have become clearer. However, with no evidence of personal problems in the life of deceased and his taking own life on the day of 'Vijay Divas', predominately shows linkage of service factors with suicide," the tribunal has held. The soldier, a Naik with Maratha Light Infantry, had served in Army for 13 years before he allegedly shot himself with a service rifle on 'Vijay Divas' on Dec 16, 2018, while being posted at a training unit in Assam. He wrote 'My Vijay Divas' on his forearm and palm before dying by suicide. His wife filed an appeal for family pension with AFT, saying she was struggling to bring up their two children since her husband's death. The ordinary family pension amounting of Rs 19,475 per month wasn't enough, she said in her petition, adding that this amount would be further reduced to Rs.11,685 per month after Dec 17, 2028. She pleaded that her husband was neither unwell nor did he have any suicidal tendency. Shed argued that she is entitled to special family pension because her husband died while on duty and the COI and General Officer Commanding (GOC) had declared his death attributable to military service. A division bench comprising Justice Shailendra Shukla, judicial member, and Vice-Admiral Atul Kumar Jain, administrative member, of the AFT Mumbai bench examined all the records and witnesses, and observed that what is of utmost importance is that the COI itself found the death attributable to military service and the Station Commander and GOC concurred. The tribunal further held that the COI's opinion shows that conditions for awarding special family pension had been fulfilled, meaning thereby that it was established that service factors were responsible for the death. "The onus now shifted on military authorities to prove otherwise and it was their incumbent duty to prove that the writing on the forearm and palm of the deceased was not in his own handwriting which they have not been able to do…In absence of definite opinion, benefit of doubt has to be accorded in favour of the applicant and therefore we are inclined to align with the opinion of COI, Commander and GOC that suicide was attributable to military service. The onus under these conditions was upon military authorities to prove contrary, which has not been discharged. Thus, the applicant is found to be entitled to Special Family pension," the tribunal said in its recent judgment. The tribunal, however, refused to grant an ex gratia amount to the widow.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Indian Army honours kin of Kargil hero
Visakhapatnam: As part of the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas Outreach Programme, a team from the Indian Army , led by Naib Subedar MV Reddy, visited the family of Braveheart SPR Haji Bhasha, Sena Medal (SM) at their residence, Issampetta, Chandol, in Bapatla district, Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday . During the solemn occasion, the team presented a personalised letter from the general officer commanding (GOC) and a memento to Sreemathi Sahera Banu, sister of the late soldier, on behalf of the Indian Army. The event witnessed the participation of state president of Ex-Servicemen Association T Samba Shiva Rao, Association president ex-honorary captain Davood Baig, several ex-servicemen, students of Chandol Madrasa and the family members of the braveheart. TNN
News18
15-07-2025
- Sport
- News18
Kokrajhar Rolls Out Red Carpet For 134th Durand Cup Trophies
This year marks the third consecutive time Kokrajhar has been chosen as one of the tournament's host cities. Chief Guest Nandita Gorlosa, Assam's Minister for Sports & Youth Welfare, Indigenous and Tribal Faith & Culture, highlighted the significance of such events in promoting youth involvement and sporting talent across the state. Senior Indian Army officials, including Major General H.S. Bajaj, VSM (Chief of Staff, Gajraj Corps), Major General Rajesh Arun Moghe, VSM (GOC, Bengal Sub Area), and Major General Rohin Bawa, YSM (GOC, Red Horns Division), also attended the ceremony. Their presence underscored the Indian Army's enduring role in organizing the Durand Cup and fostering civil-military cooperation. The SAI Stadium in Kokrajhar will host six matches this year, featuring teams like Bodoland FC, Punjab FC, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Football Team, and Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC competing for victory. Local fans are eagerly awaiting the action, especially the opening match between ITBP and Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC on July 27. This year's tournament spans six venues across five states – Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, and Manipur — celebrating India's widespread football enthusiasm. As the trophies made their ceremonial journey through Kokrajhar, they represented more than just sporting excellence – they carried hopes, unity, and the promise of unforgettable football moments ahead. What Is The Durand Cup? Established in 1888 in Annadale, Shimla, the Durand Cup is India's premier annual domestic football competition and a tournament of significant historical importance. It is currently hosted by the Durand Football Tournament Society (DFTS) in collaboration with the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
Business Standard
15-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Gmmco and Caterpillar Host Global Operator Challenge 2025-2026
VMPL Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], July 15: Gmmco, a leading Cat® dealer in India and part of the CKA Birla Group, in collaboration with Caterpillar, has successfully hosted the India leg of the 2025 - 2026 Global Operator Challenge (GOC) - the premier construction equipment competition that celebrates operator mastery, precision, and technological excellence. With a record 2,500+ machine operators registering across India, the competition kicked off with local-level engagements and advanced to two semi-final rounds. Gmmco hosted the first semi-final in June at its Butibori facility in Nagpur, followed by the second in July at its Murukancheery facility in Chennai, each featuring 20 skilled operators competing across Cat machine families such as Hydraulic Excavators, Backhoe Loaders, Motor Graders, and Hindustan Wheel Loaders. "The Global Operator Challenge is a celebration of people, precision, and progress. At Gmmco, we believe operators are the heartbeat of this industry and it is our privilege to empower them with the platforms, tools, and training they need to excel. This challenge is not just about competition -- it's about confidence, capability, and community." - Mr. Chandrashekar V, Managing Director & CEO, Gmmco The India finals took place in July in Chennai, culminating in an exclusive customer meet and award ceremony at Radisson Blu, Chennai. From among 40 semi-finalists, 12 outstanding operators advanced to the final round, where their skills were put to the ultimate test through a series of precision-driven machine challenges. The competition culminated with the announcement of one national winner and one runner-up, honoured for their exceptional control, accuracy, and mastery of Cat® equipment. "The Global Operator Challenge is more than a contest -- it's a celebration of the real heroes who shape our infrastructure," said Rahul Shorey, Senior Vice President - Construction Industries, Gmmco. "It gives operators a platform to demonstrate their talent, embrace new technology, and inspire the next generation of professionals in this vital industry." "GOC brings to life Caterpillar's commitment to innovation, safety, and excellence," said Mukul Dixit, Director - Sales & Marketing (GCI), Caterpillar India. "The passion and performance of India's operators this year have been exceptional, proving why they are among the best in the world." "The Global Operator Challenge puts the spotlight on the remarkable skills of our machine operators," said Amit Bansal, Director - Sales & Marketing (BCP), Caterpillar India. "It's inspiring to see how they blend hands-on expertise with advanced Cat® technologies to deliver real-world precision and impact." It was a privilege to have Ms. Nicole Li, Vice President - Caterpillar Excavator Division, join the occasion and address the operators and customers. Her words of encouragement resonated deeply, reinforcing the value Caterpillar places on operator excellence and customer success. We were honoured that she spent time with us, felicitating the winners alongside the Caterpillar and Gmmco leadership team and the GOC India Leads. All participants received certificates, while finalists were awarded medals. The national winner and runner-up were presented with special trophies in recognition of their exemplary performance. This milestone also coincides with Caterpillar's 100-year anniversary, marking a century of engineering excellence, innovation, and service in the heavy equipment industry. About the Global Operator Challenge Organized by Caterpillar, the Global Operator Challenge is a one-of-a-kind global competition that recognizes the world's best heavy equipment operators. Participants showcase their agility, precision, and expertise across a variety of machine challenges. The 2025-2026 competition concludes in March 2026 at CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas, where regional winners will compete for the world title and a grand prize of $10,000 or an exclusive Caterpillar facility tour. About GMMCO GMMCO, a ₹5000+ crore enterprise and part of the CKA Birla Group, has been a trusted partner in the construction, mining, energy, and transportation sectors since 1967. With over three decades as an exclusive Caterpillar partner, GMMCO ranks among the top global Cat® dealers, delivering advanced products and unmatched service excellence. Backed by a team of 2600+ employees, the company is on track to exceed USD 1 billion in revenue by 2028. Strategic alliances with Schneider Electric, JLG, and a joint venture with German firm Hauhinco through GMMCO Technology Services (GTS) strengthen its innovation edge. Recognized as a Great Place to Work for seven consecutive years, GMMCO continues to drive technology-led, people-first growth.
