NEW DELHI: Chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan on Saturday took a swipe at neighbouring Pakistan while referring to Operation Sindoor, saying “victory is not declared by mere rhetoric.” He made the remarks while reflecting on India’s defence preparedness and stressing the need to strengthen national security systems. He also said that a sense of victory cannot be built on “dysfunctional air defence systems.”Speaking at the opening session of the ‘JAI Se Vijay’ seminar in Pune, Gen Chauhan referred to India’s success in Operation Sindoor and emphasised that “actual vijay lies in demonstrated evidence.” He said India must carry out a “sober assessment” of its defence systems to prepare for present and future challenges.
Without directly naming Pakistan, the CDS highlighted the damage it suffered during India’s counterterror operation in May, launched after Pakistan-sponsored Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025.“With respect to the defence forces, victory is not declared by mere rhetoric. As some entities in our neighbourhood have done so, but demonstrated through evidence, like what we showcased during Operation Sindoor. A sense of victory cannot be built on demolished terror infrastructure, damaged runways, crippled airfields, and dysfunctional air defence systems. Such kinds of victories or slogans do not endure. Actual Vijay lies in demonstrated evidence rather than verifiable outcomes…,” the CDS said.Highlighting future risks, General Chauhan said India’s defence posture over the next decade must be based on a realistic evaluation of emerging threats.“Why this is important is because currently, India’s defence posture for the next decade is required to be shaped by a sober assessment of what lies ahead, what kind of challenges lie ahead. And I believe it’s increasingly becoming very competitive, confrontational, combative, fragile, and technologically very disruptive,” he added.He also said that in today’s changing global environment, countries can no longer assume permanent friendships or rivalries, and India must be ready to act independently if needed.“Assumptions about permanent friends or adversaries are increasingly becoming unreliable. In today’s world, it is difficult to define who your friends are, who your allies are, who your enemies are and who your adversaries are. India must therefore be prepared mentally, structurally and materially to act independently when required,” he said.The CDS said partnerships remain important but cannot replace India’s own capabilities or freedom to make independent decisions. He stressed the need to strengthen domestic defence capacity to ensure strategic autonomy.Explaining the theme ‘JAI Se Vijay,’ Gen Chauhan said that in modern warfare, victory cannot be based on rhetoric or symbolic claims but must rest on “demonstrated evidence and verifiable outcomes.” He warned that damaging infrastructure or airfields alone does not guarantee lasting victory.Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s idea of JAI — which stands for Jointness, Aatmanirbharta and Innovation — Gen Chauhan said it reflects freedom from foreign dependence and outdated thinking. “It is not just victory over an adversary, but equally victory over inertia, prejudices, and institutional comfort,” he said.
