Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth has directed officers to prioritise combat readiness and prepare for Operation Sindoor 2.0 and Operation Snow Leopard 2.0, underlining that operational preparedness must remain the foremost focus of the Indian Army.

During his maiden visit to Northern Command, General Seth issued a letter titled “Together Towards Excellence” on 6 July 2026, outlining his vision for operational effectiveness, leadership, technological adaptation, ethics, and the Army’s role in supporting India’s long-term national objectives.

He instructed officers to continuously validate preparedness through “spot reviews” and ensure readiness across equipment, ammunition, logistics, sustainment, and human resources.

Combat readiness was emphasised as the top priority. General Seth clarified that preparedness is not limited to weapons and ammunition but must also encompass sustainment, logistics, human resource intangibles, and overall operational capability. He directed officers to remain mission-ready for both Operation Sindoor 2.0 and Operation Snow Leopard 2.0.

Operation Sindoor refers to the rapid tri-services campaign launched in May 2025 following the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 civilian lives. Between 7 and 10 May 2025, India conducted precision missile and air strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, targeting Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed camps. Six Indian military personnel, including five soldiers and one Air Force officer, lost their lives, and their names were inscribed on the National War Memorial.

Operation Snow Leopard was India’s tactical response to Chinese incursions in Eastern Ladakh during the 2020 standoff. Beginning in May 2020, it included the Galwan Valley clashes of 15 June and culminated in India’s rapid counter-deployment on 29–30 August, when specialised troops secured strategic heights such as Rechin La and Rezang La, overlooking Chinese positions near Pangong Tso.

General Seth urged officers to adopt pragmatic solutions and battlefield adaptability. He advised against waiting for ideal solutions, stressing that incremental improvements can yield significant operational gains. At the same time, he highlighted the importance of preserving battle-tested procedures and maintaining accountability and quality.

He noted that warfare is undergoing rapid transformation, transitioning towards a man-unmanned concept driven by artificial intelligence, machine learning, and new domains of conflict. He wrote that the Army stands at an inflection point, where future wars will be shaped by these technologies and concepts.

The Army Chief also linked military responsibilities to India’s national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. He said achieving this goal requires professional competence, maturity, and the ability to view challenges from a broader perspective. Officers were urged to enhance professional standards, remain intellectually ahead, and develop solutions at the unit level rather than relying solely on higher echelons.

Leadership by example was stressed. General Seth called on officers to maintain physical fitness, share hardships with troops, and foster a culture of mutual respect. He encouraged subordinates to innovate and learn, while allowing limited mistakes in a safe environment.

He cautioned that the cognitive domain, particularly social media, has become a new battlefield where adversaries conduct grey-zone activities. Officers were instructed to exercise restraint and prudence in their online conduct.

Concluding his letter, General Seth reminded officers to uphold ethics and empathy, especially towards veterans, and to balance professional duties with family, health, and personal growth. He described soldiering as more than a profession, calling it a way of life, and expressed full confidence in the judgment, competence, and resilience of the Army’s officers.

Agencies