Former Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan has disclosed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi granted the military “complete freedom of action” before the launch of Operation Sindoor.

He explained that the Prime Minister told the armed forces to decide the timing of the operation themselves, while ensuring there was no possibility of failure. Chauhan made these remarks at the Vivekananda Centre in New Delhi, emphasising that clear political direction was given at the highest level.

He recalled that the political decision to punish the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack and to reject cross-border terrorism was publicly conveyed by Prime Minister Modi in his speech at Patna on 24 April.

Chauhan noted that decisions on diplomacy, economic power and trade were taken on 23 April, while the decision on the application of military force was finalised on 29 April during a meeting between the Chiefs of Staff Committee, Defence Minister and National Security Advisor with the Prime Minister.

Between 23 and 29 April, several meetings were held as the military presented different operational options to the government.

Chauhan explained that the consensus reached was that Pakistan must be taught a decisive lesson, as India would not tolerate cross-border terrorism any longer. He highlighted that the Prime Minister made it clear there was no political pressure to launch the operation immediately, stressing instead that the armed forces should act at their own chosen time.

According to Chauhan, Modi’s instructions were precise. He directed that there must be no failure, whether human or technical, and insisted that evidence of every action be preserved. Most importantly, he granted the military complete freedom of action.

Chauhan described this as the ideal situation for the armed forces, since what they require most is unambiguous political guidance, which was fully provided.

Operation Sindoor was launched on 7 May 2025 as a decisive and targeted response to dismantle terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The operation was aimed at destroying bases linked to the planning of the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack. Following effective Indian strikes that dismantled key launchpads, the operation was paused on 10 May after a formal request from Pakistan.

This revelation by General Chauhan underscores the synergy between political leadership and military execution during one of India’s most significant counter-terror operations.

It also highlights the broader strategic framework in which decisions on diplomacy, trade and military force were synchronised to deliver a calibrated national response.

ANI