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Time of India
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
The changing perception of India
Saroj served in the Indian Army as a technical officer for 23 years and opted for premature retirement in 1991. Operational service includes 1971 India-Pakistan war in high altitude sector and two years in counterinsurgency operations in northeast. LESS ... MORE Post Operation Sindoor, there is a perceptible change in how the world sees India. There is a newfound confidence that the world has been forced to take note of. To its credit, India is not shouting from tree tops about what it did or can do. Yet, a lot in the world, including thinkers, military experts, historians and media stalwarts, are all jostling for space in media to talk about India and not surprisingly, it is mostly laudatory. What has changed in the country that was always in the news for the wrong reasons for decades? In a matter of days, the narrative on India has shifted from being critical about almost everything Indian to finding many reasons to praise it. India's military capabilities, overall approach to national security, international standing, a full U-turn to paint India as a strong and decisive nation, and broader geopolitical and regional security implications are all part of this new discourse on India. Indian military's precision, professionalism, and the doctrine of SEAD (Suppression of Enemy's Air Defences) have come in for a special mention with awe and admiration from various quarters. The role of locally manufactured military hardware and its effectiveness has made most nations to sit up and take note. In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, India's aggressive diplomatic manoeuvring internationally against terror has been unprecedented. India has been very successful in balancing relations with global powers like USA, Russia, China and other nations, including Islamic nations, on its own terms. Discussions abound on India's growing importance as a global economic driver and innovator, with increasing international engagement and investment. The role of India as a potential counterweight not only to China but also to the USA in the evolving global order and trade interests many. The country seems to have found a unique national interest-based 'Indian Way' to achieve all this. The days of a meek and indecisive India that was always on the lookout for affirmation from others, particularly the western world, are over. The days of taking the less confrontational path are passe. Today, India is decisive without being loud or hypocritical in any manner. Its international relations are guided by participation and mutuality, in the rich traditions of its heritage, without being overbearing or patriarchal. Yet, the message is very clear that it will not tolerate any evil designs on its soil or its people by terrorists or those who support terror and violence. Some of the key happenings and events in the recent past that support India's transformation are: Operation Sindoor May 2025: Operation Sindoor is not only a new chapter in India's doctrine to fight terror but also in the conduct of military operations. The doctrine has made it clear that any act of terror on Indian soil will be viewed as an act of war. The response will be decisive, calibrated and aimed at annihilation of selected targets with a disproportionate response. The operation showed hitherto unseen capabilities of Indian military in terms of use and adoption of technology, the capabilities of indigenously produced military hardware that match or exceed the best in the world, apart from professional skills in coordination and execution of complex military operations. Importantly, India has successfully called out Pakistan's oft-repeated nuclear threat bogey. SCO Meeting 2025: India refused to sign the joint document after the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in Shanghai. The joint document, drafted by China, failed to address concerns about terrorism. It mentioned the Balochistan train hijacking incident but did not include the Pahalgam terrorist attack at the behest of Pakistan. In the end, there was no joint statement. QUAD Meeting 2025: India was very emphatic on its stand on terror and the fight against terror. This was obvious in the joint statement which read as follows: 'The Quad unequivocally condemns all acts of terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism, and renews our commitment to counterterrorism cooperation. We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, 2025, which claimed the lives of 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen, while injuring several others.' BRICS Meeting 2025: The impact of India on the outcomes of this meeting in Rio de Janeiro, in tandem with Brazil, was more than evident in the final declaration released. The stress on the need for developing nations to take a lead in strengthening Global South Cooperation for a more inclusive and sustainable governance in the future was a key takeaway. This was aimed at countering the pressures and influence that the developed world tends to bring to the table on important subjects like climate change, inclusive development, international trade and financing, socio-economic development, international peace and security, among other issues. Tarriff war with USA: India and the US have a complex trade relationship that is often marked by disputes and hard negotiations. India has taken a firm stance in defending its trade interests, including approaching the WTO for resolution and exercising its right to impose retaliatory tariffs. India is also encouraging rupee-based trade to reduce the added pressures and costs imposed by a dollar-denominated international trade. It has already seen some success in this regard. The US sees this as a threat to the supremacy of the dollar but India is committed to pursuing its goals. Export of Military Hardware: Operation Sindoor has showcased some very advanced and effective military hardware produced indigenously. The world, particularly nations like USA and China that arm Pakistan, were in for a rude shock to see the ease with which India neutralised their military hardware and surveillance systems and then operated with impunity in Pakistani airspace. Nations across the world are looking at India with renewed interest in such military hardware. India's growth as an exporter of military hardware with reasonable prices will certainly worry the US and other European nations, who currently have a monopoly in this sector. Today, India is not averse to exporting and is aggressively enhancing its capabilities and capacities in this sector. In the recent past, India has been more forthright and not shied away from taking a hard line on issues of national importance. India's decision to buy oil from Russia and Iran, support to Israel in the Palestinian conflict, and abstaining from voting on the UN general assembly resolution on 'Measures to Combat Islamophobia' moved by Pakistan, are some of the other instances where India's changed approach in international diplomacy was very evident. India is pursuing its candidature for a permanent seat in the UNSC vigorously, as also for instituting reforms in the UNO. The US and other western nations, who are used to seeing a staid and dithering India over the decades, have still to come to terms with the New India that is decisive and is not ready to compromise on its national interests. 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India Today
12-07-2025
- Business
- India Today
India to soon have 5th generation fighter jets in boost to air defence
The Indian defence capabilities are going to get a big boost with the government approving the "execution model" for implementing a major indigenous project to develop fifth-generation, deep-penetration advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) for the Air Force, potentially making us the fourth country to possess such stealth fighter jets. At the moment, the plans are to import them. Designed to execute a wide array of missions, including air superiority, ground strikes, Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD), and electronic warfare (EW). The AMCA will significantly enhance India's aerial combat capabilities. The single-seat, twin-engine aircraft is designed for all-weather operations and is expected to have a maximum takeoff weight of around 25 tonnes. It will be capable of flying at altitudes of up to 55,000 feet. The aircraft will feature an internal weapons bay with a 1,500 kg capacity, support an external payload of up to 5,500 kg, and carry 6,500 kg of fuel. Watch more on Battle Cry.
The Print
29-06-2025
- Politics
- The Print
IAF lost ‘some' jets in Op Sindoor over political constraint to not hit military—Indian Defence Attaché
He made these remarks during a seminar hosted 10 June by Universitas Dirgantara Marsekal Suryadarma in Indonesia, themed 'Analysis of the Pakistan-India Air Battle and Indonesia's Anticipatory Strategies.' Responding to a previous presenter who referenced Pakistan's claim of having downed six aircraft, including three Rafales, during Operation Sindoor, Capt. Kumar of the Indian Navy said, 'I may not agree with him that India lost so many aircraft. But, I do agree that we did lose some aircraft and that happened only because of the constraint given by the political leadership to not attack the military establishments and their air defences.' New Delhi: India's Defence Attaché to Indonesia Captain Shiv Kumar has said that the Indian Air Force (IAF) lost 'some' fighter jets to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor in the early hours of 7 May due to political constraints that limited military targeting to terror camps alone. In his presentation, Capt. Kumar described India's cross-border strikes on 7 May, targeting nine terror training camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), as an act of 'political signalling.' He stated that the 'only constraint the government gave to the armed forces was not to target anything but the terror camps, no military installations.' 'There was an issue of SEAD and DEAD [Suppression and Destruction of Enemy Air Defences] which was not taken earlier because of the constraints given by the political leadership.' Capt. Kumar went on to add that the tactics were changed after the loss. '…and we went for their military installations, before which we carried out SEAD followed by surface-to-air missiles and surface-to-surface missiles like BrahMos,' he said. He identified SEAD and DEAD as a key operational takeaway from Operation Sindoor. The government had made it clear that India's Operation Sindoor targeted only terror camps and was not targeted at the military. This was so because, had India taken out military radars and surface to air missile systems, it would have been seen as an act of war by the world at large. India has been very clear that Pakistan started the escalation ladder and that the Indian military responded with more force each time they did. The defence attaché also touched upon India's nuclear posture, reiterating that India follows a no first use (NFU) policy but maintains credible nuclear deterrence across land, air, sea, and undersea platforms. 'Pakistan has a nuclear first use policy, but if it ever attacks India, it won't exist,' he said. He added that following India's strikes targeting airbases, Pakistan called for a ceasefire on 10 May. Capt. Kumar clarified that India has not agreed to a formal ceasefire, but rather a 'temporary cessation of hostilities.' As earlier reported by ThePrint, Pakistan, which 'brusquely turned down' the request of Indian Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt. Gen. Rajiv Ghai on 7 May 'with an intimation that a severe response was inevitable and, in the offing,' was desperately reaching out to him on 10 May to ensure a ceasefire. Last month, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, had acknowledged IAF losses but dismissed Pakistan's claims of downing six Indian jets, including Rafales, as 'absolutely incorrect.' In a separate interview with Reuters the same day, Gen Chauhan added, 'We rectified tactics and then went back on 7th, 8th and 10th, and on the 10th in large numbers to hit airbases deep inside Pakistan. [We] penetrated all their air defences with impunity and carried out precision strikes.' At a seminar in Pune on 3 June, the CDS, referring to the loss of fighters during Op Sindoor, said that professional militaries are not deterred by losses and that operational objectives remain paramount. Also Read: 'Hydraulic snag' keeps UK's F-35 grounded in Kerala, puts spotlight on stealth jet's track record Oppn calls it a cover-up, demands answers On Sunday, opposition leaders seized on the statements made by the CDS and Capt. Kumar, alleging a cover-up of the scale of Indian losses during the operation. Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh said on 'X', 'First the Chief of Defence Staff makes important revelations in Singapore. Then a senior defence official follows up from Indonesia. But why is the PM refusing to preside over an all-party meeting and take the Opposition into confidence? Why has the demand for a special session of Parliament been rejected?' Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera also joined in to criticise the government's handling of information related to Operation Sindoor on 'X'. '…It was left to Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan to make the first official admission of our attrition in the air while speaking to Bloomberg TV… and now, in another shocking revelation by Capt. Shiv Kumar, it has emerged that the Indian Air Force lost fighter jets to Pakistan on the night of May 7, 2025 during its targeting of Pakistan's terror-linked sites only because of the constraint given by the political leadership… No wonder they are ducking our demand for a Special Session of Parliament,' he said. Later in the day, the Indian embassy in Indonesia issued a statement on 'X', pushing back against how Capt. Shiv Kumar's remarks were being misunderstood. 'We have seen media reports regarding a presentation made by the Defence Attaché at a seminar,' the embassy said. 'His remarks have been quoted out of context, and the media reports are a misrepresentation of the intention and thrust of the presentation made by the speaker,' it added. The embassy clarified that the presentation had highlighted how 'the Indian Armed Forces serve under civilian political leadership unlike some other countries in our neighbourhood,' and that it had emphasised the objective of Operation Sindoor was to target terrorist infrastructure in a 'non-escalatory' manner. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: What are US 'bunker buster' bombs & stealth bombers than can strike Iran's nuclear mountain
The Print
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
India, Pakistan climb escalatory ladder. Anatomy of kinetic response & off-ramp
Before these, however, comes a term used so rarely these days, it sounds exotic: casus belli. I am employing Latin despite my first venerable news editor late D.N. Singh's orders to never use 'foreign' until an English alternative was available. Somehow, cause to justify conflict or war does not sound so convincing. As I finish writing this, fresh fighting has broken out over Jammu, Pathankot and Jaisalmer, and Pakistan has just made a rare admission of the loss of two JF-17 fighter jets, while Indian sources believe they have also shot down an F-16. This is a very fast-moving story and instead of running commentary, I am getting into some key issues arising in the current crisis. The casus belli in this case is Pahalgam and it is astounding—and disappointing—how it has faded from not just international media, but ours too. If that massacre hadn't taken place, we wouldn't be here today. Pahalgam, thus, was the first step on the escalatory ladder. Why did the Pakistani establishment and their proxies choose this action, we will analyse in another article over the next couple of days. This story isn't going anywhere. We are also familiar with the successive steps on this ladder already climbed. The diplomatic staff cuts, vaporising of people-to-people contacts and visas, ban on overflights and finally, the holding of Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance by India, and the Pakistani counter with the threat to respond with 'reserving the right' to do just this with the Simla Agreement. As we climbed these steps on the escalatory ladder, the question often asked was: will there be kinetic action. And if so, when and what kind? Kinetic action implies the use of military force to achieve your objective and deliver a message, as differing from diplomatic, information, economic warfare, lawfare, sanctions and so on. India took that step up the ladder on the intervening night of 6/7 May. Pakistan followed the next night with surprisingly ambitious targeting of Indian airbases across our north and west. They were not trying to carry out any massive damage or hit aircraft yet. The nature of the attacks, instruments used and targets chosen would introduce us to another term you might need to get familiar with. It is SEAD: Suppression of Enemy Air Defence. Sometimes DEAD is preferred, destruction replacing suppression. Also Read: Trump is wrong about Operation Sindoor. Not an ancient battle, it's a war on terror If you can suppress or even partly degrade your rival's air defences, it gives your air power (fighters and missiles) that much greater freedom and safety to operate. Remember on the night of 6/7 May India carried out the attacks without any SEAD action preceding it. It might've made the action safer for the IAF strike forces, but would have been like an air raid alarm waking up the Pakistanis. This should enable us to appreciate the degree of difficulty and danger our strike elements faced. This SEAD is precisely what Pakistan tried last night. If they had succeeded even partly, they would have come with larger attacks. This is the 'compliment' India paid back with its drone attacks. Each was targeted precisely with the same objective: SEAD. If Pakistan responds tonight, it will be the next step on the ladder. That brings us to the concept of 'off-ramp.' It is literally like when you are peering on a highway and want to get off it for rest, a snack and in the strategic discourse, a halt to hostilities or a return to negotiation or peace. It can also apply to a bull continuing to invest breathlessly even as the markets are declining and then, at some point either losing nerve or embracing prudence to stop. Or get off the ramp. In the India-Pakistan situations, off-ramps have come either through foreign mediation (after months of kinetic warfare over Kargil, and a long stand-off with Op Parakram) or when a situation made it possible for both sides to claim a win. Think Pulwama. When India hit a terror base in the Pakistani mainland for the first time, Pakistan had a pilot as a PoW. His return under Indian pressure became the off-ramp for both. The ongoing story does not promise any such dramatic resolutions. On the other hand, every night sees the next step on the escalatory ladder climbed. Given how late action takes place at night, I'd suggest anybody interested in tracking it get some sleep in the day. This is a 'keep your seat belts tightened at all times' juncture. Also Read: This India-Pakistan escalation ladder is new and slippery
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Business Standard
08-05-2025
- Business Standard
Operation Sindoor: What are HAROP drones India has bought from Israel?
The HAROP drone, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), represents a significant shift in the way modern militaries engage high-value targets. Designed as a loitering munition, this hybrid between a drone and a missile is capable of autonomous reconnaissance, target identification, and lethal strikes, all without prior intelligence input. With a growing list of operators, including India and Azerbaijan, the HAROP is rapidly becoming important when it comes to precision warfare. What is the HAROP drone and how does it work? At its core, the HAROP is a long-range loitering munition (also known as a suicide drone) developed by IAI's MBT Missiles Division. It is a second-generation system that builds on earlier platforms like the HARPY. The HAROP acts as both a surveillance tool and a weapon, thanks to its real-time intelligence capabilities and built-in explosive payload. Once launched from a sealed canister mounted on a ground or naval platform, the drone can loiter over an area for up to nine hours. If no target is identified, it can return safely, allowing for reuse under certain conditions. When a target is confirmed—such as a radar installation, command centre, or air defence system—the drone dives into it, destroying the object with its 23-kg warhead. HAROP drone specifications and key features Endurance: Up to 9 hours Operational range: Up to 1,000 km (standoff launch) Effective range (from launch point): Up to 200 km Warhead: 23 kg (51 lb) Launch platform: Ground vehicles, naval vessels (sealed canisters) Navigation: GNSS-resistant systems Sensors: EO/IR/FLIR/CCD camera; anti-radar homing Human oversight in autonomous targeting The HAROP features a 'man-in-the-loop' control system. Operators monitor its flight and targeting in real time via a two-way data link, allowing them to abort or reassign missions mid-flight. This flexibility helps reduce the risk of collateral damage, particularly in urban or sensitive environments. The drone is equipped with electro-optical (EO), infrared (IR), forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensors, and a colour CCD camera. It also has anti-radar homing capability, allowing it to autonomously zero in on electronic emissions—a valuable asset in Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) operations. Combat experience and confirmed use cases The HAROP's efficacy is not theoretical. It has seen combat in multiple conflict zones. Azerbaijan deployed the drone during the 2016 and 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh wars, where it was reportedly used to strike Armenian air defences and fortified positions. The system was also employed in Syria, with a confirmed 2018 strike on a Russian-made SA-22 Greyhound air defence system and an additional use reported in December 2024. While IAI has not officially disclosed the full list of operators, India and Azerbaijan are confirmed buyers. Reports suggest that Türkiye may have also begun deploying the HAROP as early as 2005. How loitering munitions differ from conventional UAVs Loitering munitions like the HAROP differ from conventional UAVs or cruise missiles in both design and function. Unlike UAVs, which typically return after a surveillance mission, and cruise missiles that follow pre-defined routes to fixed targets, loitering munitions hover in contested airspace waiting for opportunities to strike. They require no advanced intelligence, can operate in jammed environments, and cancel or redirect strikes on the fly—capabilities few missile systems or drones offer. What the HAROP drone means for India's military strategy The HAROP is engineered for use across a range of military operations, from urban counter-terror missions to high-intensity conflict zones. Its ability to loiter for extended durations makes it ideal for tracking mobile or time-sensitive targets. The system can be deployed from mobile ground units or aboard naval vessels, making it adaptable to various tactical needs. India has steadily increased its military cooperation with Israel, purchasing approximately $2.9 billion worth of defence equipment over the last decade. The procurement has included radars, drones, and missile systems, with the HAROP being one of the key acquisitions.
