‘Operation Sindoor’ Was Like Playing Chess in the Grey Zone: Army Chief
Chennai, August 10: Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday described Operation Sindoor as an unconventional, high-stakes mission, likening it to a strategic chess game where every move had to be calculated without knowing the enemy’s next step.
Speaking at a function at IIT-Madras, Gen Dwivedi recalled the May 2025 military action against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, launched in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
“In Operation Sindoor, we played chess. We didn’t know the enemy’s next move or our next move until the situation unfolded. This is what we call the grey zone—operations just short of a full-scale conventional offensive,” he explained.
Highlighting the difference, he said a conventional operation involves deploying all available resources in one go, while the grey zone strategy relies on targeted, multi-domain actions. “Somewhere we were giving the enemy a checkmate, somewhere going in for the kill at great risk,” the Army Chief noted.
Under Operation Sindoor, the Indian Air Force conducted precision strikes on multiple terror-linked targets, aiming to destroy infrastructure and neutralise key operatives. The mission, Gen Dwivedi said, underscored the evolving nature of modern warfare, where adaptability and strategic depth are as critical as firepower. (Agencies)
