Discussing the role of India-made weapons during the operation, Singh said that indigenous systems like Akash and Brahmos Cruise Missile were warned and performed decisively, calling the latter “game changer”. He also said that the government is now focused on starting more competition in major defense programs including advanced medium fighter aircraft (AMCA) to delay procurement and ensure rapid distribution and better capacity.
OP Sindoor and China’s role
On the DGMO talks after Operation Sindoor between India’s Lieutenant General Rajiv Gai and Pakistan’s Major General Kashif Abdullah, Singh said, “They (Pakistan) are those who came forward, who asked for time and then essentially asked for a conflict.”
He also said that tapes and records of discussions between two DGMOS were made and available.
As Earlier information was givenPakistan, which “Brookswali turned down” on 7 May “with a serious response” with a serious response, was unavoidable and, in offing, “was becoming strict to ensure a ceasefire on 10 May.
In his first address of the nation after Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it clear that India had only stopped their anti -counterparts against Pakistan, and would monitor every step of their neighbor. India will not tolerate “nuclear blackmail”, he said.
The Defense Secretary also said that while India has returned some deployment after Operation Sindoor, the objective of this step is to keep the opponents alert. “There is no immediate aggressive posture,” he said, “but the intention is to be aggressive.”
Singh insisted that India’s purpose is known as “dominance of growth” in strategic terms, which maintains the initiative to choose the time of response and location.
He said, “We are not leaving the terrorists to decide it. We will replace the script and ensure that they are never certain what we will do,” he said.
Asked about how on Wednesday afternoon meal is seen between US President Donald Trump and Pakistan Field Marshal Asim Munir at Washington DC, Singh said, “It should be an embarrassment for any country that there should be an embarrassment for any country that the military chief is invited and the Prime Minister is not seen anywhere, I mean it is a very strange thing.”
During the podcast, the news agency also questioned him on the reports of Chinese military and diplomatic officials, which are present in the war rooms of Pakistan.
He replied: “Connivance in the context of equipment, helping them help in various ways, with satellite imagery, but certainly they did not play any active role. We have to be diplomatically attached to China, but at the same time have been prepared for any misunderstanding. The trust is low.”
However, Singh pointed to being “carefully optimistic”, as the interaction with Beijing continues as part of the dispute solution process. India and China arrived in October 2024 on an agreement on patrolling with the Line of Actual Control (LAC), disintegrating from all friction points, which was formed in 2020 after cheek Clash.
In addition, during last month enmity, Pakistan has given JF-17 and J-10C fighter jets, HQ-9B long-range air defense systems variants, HQ-16 Medium-Rage Air Defense Systems, Visual Range Air-to-Ayrams (BVRAM), and Chinese Unwell Aerial Aaryal Arial Arial Ariel Aerial Aerial Aerial Aerial Aaryel Aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial aerial vehicles.
On the other hand, India made a mixture of foreign and indigenous weapons systems. “We used a mixture of completely indigenous, partially indigenous and foreign weapons. Brahmas and Akash performed very well. Our ability to upgrade older air defense systems to combat low-up hazards like drones also works effectively. It was a good mixture of foreign and indigenous systems that was effectively used,” said the lion.
On the situation of the readiness of the armed forces, Singh said, “Services were very well prepared and had access to exact stand-off weapons.”
In addition, several-made-in-India weapons were tested for the first time on Operation Sindor, he said it was well established that he performed well and said, “Actually Brahmos were probably, you can also say it, a game changer”.
During enmity, India had fired several BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles in major Pakistani military establishments. A joint venture between India and Russia was now domesticly manufactured in the air and land variants of the Brahma, it was said that the Pakistani Air Force was central for the destruction of major goals including runways, bunkers and hangers.
On AMCA, improvement and defense modernization
Is India an American F-35A or Russian SU-57e eyeing fighters, the Defense Secretary made it clear that the discussion with the two countries is not yet formal.
He said, “I mean whatever has been discussed is informal. We really have no formal counseling. Our intentions, of course, have to acquire important technologies through selective foreign procurement,” he said.
But Expression of interest (EOI) For India’s indigenously developed fifth generation AMCA prototype development, it was released on Wednesday, which allows partnership with a single company, a joint venture, or a consortium, with technical ability to develop prototypes, support flying tests and manage certification of AMCA, Singh said that the objective is to promote more and more competition. “We want to create a level playground where other people can also bid. They have the first proposer benefits but intention is to bring in some competition because monopoly is never good.”
Asked about the ministry that intensifies the process of protection, which remains a major issue, the Defense Secretary said the maximum time for any purchase, “Even the most complex people should not be more than 2 years”.
As Earlier information was givenSingh revealed last month that “the government has already cut the deadline in several stages of the purchase process, potentially saving up to 69 weeks”. He emphasized the need to move away from traditional enrollment-based, cost-plus purchase models, historically dominated public sector undertakings (PSUs), and adopt competitive bids to create a level playground for both public and private defense manufacturers.
He also earlier also stated that the Ministry is currently the Defense Acquisition Process (DAP) 2020 to better align and accelerate decision making with operational realities, which includes major events such as shipbuilding and AMCA programs.
In March, the Ministry approved an initiative expected to introduce an initiative to present the updated DAP in the estimated DAP later this year.
The introduction of a defined time limit beyond a defined time limit to ensure accountability between changes under consideration in DAP, removal of old practices such as product reservation for defense PSUs and streamlining procedural obstacles that have historically slowed down defense acquisitions.
It comes at a time when delay in defense production and distribution remains a pressure concern.
Indian Air Force (IAF) chief air chief Marshal AP Singh, on several occasions, citing frequent delays in defense projects and citing failure to stick to delivery schedule, especially for fighter jets.
Discussing the defense budget of the country, he said that while India’s defense budget has increased by an average of 7 percent in the last decade, a vital part was often left unintended. However, he referred to a change in recent years. He said, “We have started using at least our revised estimates (RE),” he said that improving the speed of purchase will increase the system’s absorption capacity and strengthen the case for large budget share. “I am confident that there will be no cut in the phase of revised estimates. Singh also emphasized that intensifying the purchase processes remains an important focus.” If we maintain our speed, it will ensure that the budget is allocated to the laboratories accordingly, “he said.
He also confirmed that the sixth round of emergency purchases is going on, the aim is to meet the immediate requirements that emerged after Operation Sindor.
On the question of drones and where India stood in indigenization process, the Defense Secretary admitted that while India is an important manufacturing ecosystem for drones, most of its part currently serves as a civilian section.
He said, “Military-grade drones, not so much. It’s something we have to build quickly,” he said, the gap requires the process of buying widely.
He emphasized the need for government support to expand India’s drone manufacturing ecosystem. “The government should use its purchase power to help the small ecosystem grow up, which will include the transfer of technology. We are looking at three to four manufacturers who will be encouraged through orders and tenders in this domain.”
(Edited by Winnie Mishra)
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