16 July 2025 (Punjab Khabarnama Bureau) : Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Wednesday said that during India’s Operation Sindoor, Pakistan used unarmed drones and loiter munitions on May 10. However, “none of them could actually inflict any damage to Indian military or civilian infrastructure”, he said.
“Most of them were neutralised through a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic means. Some of them could be recovered in almost intact conditions,” General Chauhan said while addressing an event held at Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi.
The top military officer emphasised that Operation Sindoor has “shown us as to why indigenously developed UAS and C-UAS built for our terrain and our needs are crucial”.
General Anil Chauhan also said recent conflicts globally have demonstrated how drones can “shift tactical balance disproportionately”, and asserted that self-reliance in UAVs and Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) is a “strategic imperative” for India.
According to Chauhan, Operation Sindoor has shown why indigenously developed Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and C-UAS “built for our terrain and our needs are crucial”.
A day-long workshop on ‘Indigenisation of Critical Components Currently Being Imported from Foreign OEMs in the Areas of UAV & C-UAS’ was hosted by Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff, in collaboration with the think-tank Centre for Joint Warfare Studies.
The event comes against the backdrop of recent India-Pakistan hostilities, including Operation Sindoor, which highlighted the strategic importance and operational effectiveness of UAVs and C-UAS, the defence ministry said on Tuesday.
Underlying the ethos of Atmanirbharta, Gen Chauhan asserted that “we cannot rely on imported niche technologies that are crucial for our offensive and defensive missions; we must invest, build and safeguard ourselves”.
“Dependence on foreign technologies weakens our preparedness, limits our ability to scale up production, results in a shortfall of critical spares for sustenance and round-the-clock availability.”
Summary:
CDS Anil Chauhan stated that all Pakistani drones used in Operation Sindoor were neutralised or recovered, causing no damage, highlighting India’s effective drone defense strategy.