Latest news with #RajivGhai
Hindustan Times
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Pak turned terror into statecraft': India trashes OIC's statement on Op Sindoor
NEW DELHI: India on Monday rubbished references to last month's military clashes with Pakistan and the status of Jammu and Kashmir in a statement issued by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and accused Pakistan of turning 'terrorism into statecraft' and misusing the grouping for narrow political ends. FILE PHOTO: Director General of Military Operations Lt General Rajiv Ghai with Air Marshal AK Bharti during a press conference on 'Operation Sindoor' in New Delhi on May 11 (PTI) The external affairs ministry's response came a day after a meeting of OIC foreign ministers in Istanbul, Turkiye, expressed solidarity with Pakistan following what it said were India's 'unjustified' military strikes last month and called for adherence to bilateral agreements such as the Indus Waters Treaty. A declaration adopted at the OIC meeting also backed the right to self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The external affairs ministry rejected the 'unwarranted and factually incorrect references' to India at the OIC meeting and said such 'statements, driven by Pakistan, which has turned terrorism into statecraft, reflect the continued misuse of the OIC platform for narrow political ends'. While rejecting Pakistan's baseless allegation of 'unprovoked and unjustified military aggression', the external affairs ministry said in a statement that India's Operation Sindoor was conducted in response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 and was a 'precise and legitimate act of self-defence against terrorist camps operating from Pakistani territory'. 'It is absurd for Pakistan to speak of targeting only Indian military installations when its retaliatory attempts not only failed but recklessly endangered civilian lives and property and ended up causing several deaths and injuries among the civilian population,' the ministry said. Following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 to target terrorist infrastructure at nine locations in territories controlled by Pakistan. Islamabad retaliated with strikes on Indian military installations, triggering four days of clashes that ended when the two sides reached an understanding on halting military actions on May 10. A day after the Pahalgam attack, India also unveiled a slew of diplomatic and economic punitive measures, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. The Indian side also highlighted the OIC's 'repeated failure to acknowledge the real and documented threat of terrorism emanating from Pakistan', including the heinous attack at Pahalgam, and said this 'reflects a wilful disregard for facts and the global consensus on the fight against terrorism'. 'The OIC has no locus standi to comment on India's internal affairs, including Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral and sovereign part of India - a fact enshrined in the Indian Constitution and irreversibly settled,' the external affairs ministry said. 'The OIC should reflect deeply on the perils of allowing Pakistan's propaganda to hijack and politicise its agenda. Any other course can only undermine the OIC's credibility and relevance,' it said. The statement noted that comments made by Pakistan at the OIC meeting are 'nothing more than a desperate attempt to deflect international attention from its own appalling record of state-sponsored terrorism, minority persecution and sectarian violence, apart from failure of governance'. It added, 'It is also ironic that Pakistan, a country with an abysmal human rights record and a history of sheltering, breeding and empowering terrorists, should lecture others on counter-terrorism and human rights.' The declaration adopted at the OIC foreign ministers meeting called for adherence to bilateral agreements, including Indus Waters Treaty, and a dialogue for peaceful settlement of all outstanding disputes between Pakistan and India. Besides expressing solidarity with the government of Pakistan, it expressed concern at the 'military escalation' in South Asia, 'including the unjustified strikes carried out on multiple locations' in Pakistan and called for maximum restraint and avoiding actions that would destabilise the region.
India Today
10-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai appointed Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy)
Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, a highly decorated officer known for his leadership in counter-insurgency operations and as the former Director General of Military Operations, has been appointed as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) on June 9, 2025. This pivotal role, described by the Ministry of Defence as one of the most strategic in the Indian Army, oversees both Operations and Intelligence Directorates. Lt Gen Ghai, who was recently conferred the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal by the President, will also continue his duties as DGMO. His appointment highlights his extensive experience and critical role in India's military strategy. #RajivGhai #Defense #DeputyChief #IndiaNews #DGMO #OperationSindoor
Hindustan Times
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai promoted as army deputy chief
Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, the face of the army during Operation Sindoor, has been promoted as the deputy chief of army staff (strategy) and will continue to hold the post of director general military operations (DGMO), officials aware of the matter said on Monday. Ghai was among the top officials who briefed the media after the four-day military clash with Pakistan under Operation Sindoor --- India's strikes on terror and military installations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) following the Pahalgam terror strike in which 26 people were shot dead. The verticals that will come under him in the new role include military operations, military intelligence, strategic planning and information warfare, the officials said, asking not to be named. Last week, President Droupadi Murmu awarded Ghai the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal for distinguished service during conflict, a recognition of his work as the commander of Srinagar-based HQs 15 Corps. Ghai, along with his air force and navy counterparts, briefed the media twice, on May 11 and 12. The understanding between India and Pakistan to cease military hostilities was announced on May 10 evening, after Ghai and his Pakistani counterpart Major General Kashif Abdullah talked over the hotline and agreed to stop all military actions against each other --- on land, in the air and sea. The two DGMOs spoke again on May 12 to uphold the truce. The confidence building measures then discussed included continuing the May 10 commitment that both sides 'must not fire a single shot' or initiate any aggressive action against each other and consider troop reduction in forward areas. Between the launch of the operation in the early hours of May 7 and the ceasefire on the evening of May 10, Indian forces bombed nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK and killed at least 100 terrorists, and the Indian Air Force struck targets at 13 Pakistani air bases and military installations. Last week, it emerged that India's targeting of locations within Pakistan during the May 7-10 clash was more extensive than was previously known, with a Pakistani document acknowledging that Indian drones had struck locations ranging from Peshawar in the northwest to Hyderabad in the south. Pakistan's Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, which was mounted in response to Operation Sindoor, 'folded in eight hours' on May 10 belying Islamabad's ambitious target of bringing India to its knees in 48 hours, chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan said on June 3. In the May 11 briefing, Ghai said Indian forces had exercised immense restraint and their actions were 'focused, measured and non-escalatory,' but any threat to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, or safety of the country's citizens will be met with decisive force.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Lt General Rajiv Ghai, Air Marshal Bharti take over as deputy chiefs
NEW DELHI: Army's director-general of military operations Lt General Rajiv Ghai and IAF's director-general of air operations Air Marshal A K Bharti, both of whom conducted media briefings of Operation Sindoor , have been promoted as deputy chiefs of their services. While the IAF has only one Deputy Chief of Air Staff, who is tasked with modernisation of the service, Lt Gen Ghai is the new deputy chief of Army Staff (Strategy), a post that was created in 2020 to synergise military operations, military intelligence, operational logistics, perspective planning and information warfare. The Army has two other DCOAS posts - one handling capability development and sustenance, and the other, in charge of information systems and coordination.
NDTV
09-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Lt General Rajiv Ghai, Officer Behind Ceasefire Talks, Gets This Key Post
New Delhi: Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, whom Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) had called while India was striking Pakistani airbases during Operation Sindoor, pleading for a ceasefire, was on Monday appointed as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy). He will continue to hold the post of DGMO. The Deputy Chief (Strategy) is a relatively new vertical created to oversee the Indian Army's Operations and Intelligence Directorates, among other important branches. It is considered one of the most crucial appointments within the Indian Army, according to an official statement from the Ministry of Defence. On June 4, Lt Gen Ghai was also awarded the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM) during the Defence Investiture Ceremony 2025 (Phase-II), recognising his distinguished service. In a press briefing on May 12, two days after the cessation of hostilities was announced with Pakistan following Operation Sindoor, Lt Gen Ghai underlined the preparedness and coordinated response of the Indian armed forces. The operation involved precision strikes against terrorist targets without crossing the Line of Control or the International Boundary. Interestingly, the now Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) had used a cricket analogy, "Ashes to Ashes", to describe how India employed its multi-layered air defence systems to neutralise incoming aerial threats from Pakistan. Earlier this year, Lt Gen Ghai had also visited Manipur around February 25 to assess the security situation in the state, especially along the Indo-Myanmar Border (IMB). During his visit, he held meetings with key state officials, including the Governor of Manipur, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, the State Security Advisor, the Chief Secretary, and the Director General of Police. The visit to the conflict-marred region aimed to review the operational preparedness of the Indian Army and assess the status of ongoing border infrastructure projects. Lt Gen Ghai, during his Manipur visit, stressed the importance of a "whole-of-government approach" to manage security challenges in the region. Discussions focused on normalising the prevailing situation, enhancing border management, and strengthening security infrastructure along the IMB, according to a prior statement from the Ministry of Defence. Lt Gen Ghai, a senior officer from the Kumaon Regiment, has held several key operational roles in his military career. As the GOC of the Chinar Corps before becoming DGMO, he was at the forefront of counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir. On October 25, last year, Lt Gen Ghai assumed his role as DGMO.
