"DRDO Chief Confirms BrahMos Missile as Key Offensive Arsenal in Operation Sindoor"
India Demonstrates Indigenous Military Power in Operation Sindoor
In a significant display of its military capabilities, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 6-7, 2025. This coordinated military campaign aimed to strike terror infrastructure within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoK), degrading terrorist capabilities and sending a strategic deterrent message against state-sponsored terrorism.
The operation, a calibrated response involving tri-service operations (Army, Navy, Air Force) without escalating into full-scale war, emphasized precision, self-defense, and minimal collateral damage to civilians.
Operation Sindoor's role in India's defense was multifaceted:
- To punish terrorists and their facilitators, especially groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen, which are supported by Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies.
- To demonstrate India’s evolved warfighting capabilities and strategic maturity, discouraging future cross-border terrorism.
- To showcase India’s integrated use of military, diplomatic, economic, and informational instruments as part of Comprehensive National Power (CNP), applying sustained pressure on Pakistan at multiple levels.
- To assert India’s strategic autonomy and military self-reliance by avoiding dependence on foreign platforms or logistics.
- To degrade Pakistan’s aerial and terror infrastructure, including key airbases, radars, command centers, and nuclear facilities, thus impacting its military readiness and deterrence.
Technology Used in Operation Sindoor
The operation featured a suite of advanced, largely indigenous or domestically assembled systems integral to the success of precision strikes and air defense.
- Akash Missile System: An indigenous medium-range surface-to-air missile system crucial in India’s layered air defense, credited with neutralizing aerial threats during Pakistan’s retaliatory attacks.
- D-4 System: While specific details on a "D-4 system" in this context are limited, it is likely related to India’s missile or defense command and control infrastructure that supports integrated strike and air defense operations.
- MR-SAM (Multi-Role Surface-to-Air Missile): Often known as the MRSAM or Barak-8, jointly developed by India and Israel, this system provides a versatile defense against aerial threats.
- BrahMos Missile: A supersonic cruise missile developed jointly by India and Russia, extensively used for precise standoff strikes during Operation Sindoor.
- Akashteer: A variant or upgraded form of the Akash missile system, used for enhanced air defense with improved targeting and interception capabilities.
- IACCS (Indigenous Air Command and Control System): A domestically developed system that integrates radar inputs, weapon control, and command decisions to provide real-time situational awareness and coordinate effective air defense.
Additionally, India employed:
- S-400 Air Defense System: Supplied by Russia, this long-range, multi-layered surface-to-air missile system played a pivotal role in neutralizing Pakistan’s aerial offensive and safeguarding Indian airbases.
- Loitering munitions and stand-off weapons like SCALP missiles, demonstrating India’s advanced offensive strike capability.
- Multi-layered counter-UAV and electronic warfare systems were also instrumental in foiling Pakistan’s drone attacks and missile barrages.
Together, these technologies enabled the Indian Armed Forces to execute a rapid, precise, and effective campaign, degrading enemy capabilities while minimizing collateral damage, and underscored India’s strategic shift toward indigenous defense capabilities and operational autonomy.
The IACCS and Akashteer System
The IACCS was the tip of the spear in the air defence component of Operation Sindoor, providing real-time situational awareness and coordinating effective air defence. The Akashteer system, an AI-based network for sensors and weapons, was instrumental in identifying threats and deploying appropriate weapons during the operation. The Akashteer system allows decision-making on which weapon would be the most appropriate to use based on the threats coming.
Operation Sindoor: A Statement of Self-Reliance
According to Dr. Samir Kamat, the DRDO chairman, Operation Sindoor was more than a mission; it was a declaration of India's self-reliance, strategic foresight, and indigenous technological strength. The operation showcased India's ability to defend itself using homegrown technology, marking a significant step forward in India's quest for military self-reliance.
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh described Operation Sindoor as the largest-ever recorded surface-to-air kill by India. He stated that during the operation, the Indian Air Force shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and a large aircraft. These successes underscored India's growing military capabilities and its commitment to protecting its borders.
- The Akashteer system, an artificial-intelligence-based network for sensors and weapons, was instrumental in identifying threats and deploying appropriate weapons during Operation Sindoor.
- Air Chief Marshal AP Singh described Operation Sindoor as the largest-ever recorded surface-to-air kill by India, showcasing its growing military capabilities in football (as a metaphor for battle) matches like this one, just as the premier league represents a pinnacle of achievement in sports-betting and European leagues.
- The IACCS was the tip of the spear in the air defense component of Operation Sindoor, much like artificial-intelligence plays a crucial role in the development and advancement of technologies in fields such as sports-betting and football prediction algorithms.
