Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai on Monday commended India’s robust multi-layered air defense system, asserting its impenetrability to Pakistani attacks targeting airfields and logistical installations.
During a press briefing, Lt. Gen. Ghai highlighted the unique combination of Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS), air defense weaponry, and electronic warfare capabilities within India’s arsenal, which effectively thwarted the recent Pakistani attempts.
“In our inventory, we possess a distinctive blend of Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems, Air Defence Weapons, and electronic warfare mediums. This is why, when the Pakistan Air Force targeted our airfield and logistic installations on May 9th and 10th, they were unsuccessful in breaching this formidable air defense network,” stated Lt. Gen. Ghai.
He elaborated on the layered structure: “You can observe the multiple tiers: Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems forming the initial layer, followed by shoulder-fired weapons, our legacy air defense systems, and finally, our advanced modern air defense weapon systems. There was unequivocally no possibility for Pakistan to penetrate our multi-layered defense and strike our airfields and logistic installations.”
Drawing an analogy to the renowned Australian bowling duo of Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson, Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai illustrated the layered effectiveness of India’s air defense system in neutralizing attacks.
“Targeting our airfields and logistics is an exceedingly difficult task,” he remarked. “I recall Virat Kohli’s recent retirement from Test cricket; he is a personal favorite. Back in the 1970s, during the Ashes series between Australia and England, two exceptional Australian bowlers decimated the English batting lineup, leading to the famous saying: ‘Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if Thommo don’t get ya, Lillee must.’ If you consider our defensive layers, you’ll understand my point. Even if an adversary were to overcome the initial layers, subsequent layers within this grid system would inevitably engage them.”
Furthermore, he acknowledged the significant contribution of the Border Security Force (BSF) in repelling the Pakistani aggression. “I would also like to commend the BSF. Every single soldier played a vital role in our mission. Their counter-unmanned systems were integral to our multi-tiered grid system. As the saying goes, ‘Jab Hausle Buland ho tab manzile bhi kadam chumti hai’ (When the spirits are high, even destinations bow down). In conclusion, I want to reiterate that across every domain…”
Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7th, targeted numerous terrorist sites within Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir in response to a devastating attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, the previous month, which resulted in the deaths of 26 tourists.
During a joint press conference held at the National Media Centre on Sunday, the senior-most operational commanders from all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces detailed the significant outcomes of India’s Operation Sindoor.
The operation resulted in the elimination of over 100 terrorists and targeted 11 air bases inside Pakistan, inflicting substantial damage on their military capabilities. The air, land, and sea operations were executed with measured restraint, prioritizing the minimization of civilian casualties.
During the briefing, the Indian Armed Forces issued a clear warning to Pakistan, stating, “This time, if Pakistan dares to take any action, Pakistan knows what our response will be.”
