Operation Sindoor: India’s Triple Threat from China, Pakistan and Türkiye

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Lt Gen Rahul R Singh, Dy Army Chief.

Lt Gen Rahul R Singh, Dy Army Chief.

Operation Sindoor: China Gave Live Input to Pakistan, Turkish drone used against India: NEW DELHI, India – India’s recent military engagement with Pakistan, dubbed “Operation Sindoor,” has unveiled a complex and alarming geopolitical reality: India is now contending with a formidable axis of adversaries, with China and Turkey providing significant support to Pakistan. This revelation, made by Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Capability Development and Sustenance) Lieutenant General Rahul R Singh, has sent ripples through strategic circles, underscoring the urgent need for India to bolster its defense capabilities against a multi-front, technologically advanced threat.

Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 in retaliation for a terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that claimed 26 lives, was initially perceived as a targeted strike against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). However, Lt Gen Singh’s candid remarks at a recent FICCI seminar on “New Age Military Technologies” have painted a far more intricate picture. He asserted that during the four-day conflict (May 7-10), India faced “one border and two adversaries, actually three,” with Pakistan acting as the “front face,” while China provided “all possible support,” and Turkey supplied critical military hardware, including advanced drones.

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China’s ‘Live Lab’ and Real-Time Intelligence

One of the most startling revelations from Lt Gen Singh was China’s deep involvement, which he described as using Pakistan as a “live lab” to test its weaponry against India’s systems. “China perhaps has seen that it’s able to test its weapons against various other weapon systems that are there. It’s like a live lab which is available to it,” General Singh emphasized. This assertion is bolstered by the staggering statistic that 81% of Pakistan’s military hardware acquired in the last five years is Chinese-made.

Furthermore, China’s support extended beyond mere equipment. Lt Gen Singh disclosed that Pakistan received “live inputs” on Indian military deployments and “important vectors” from China during the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO)-level talks. This real-time intelligence sharing allowed Pakistan to track Indian movements, a critical vulnerability that India must address swiftly. “When the DGMO-level talks were on, Pakistan actually was mentioning that we know that your such and such vector is primed and ready for action, and we would request you to perhaps pull it back. So he was getting live inputs from China,” Singh revealed, highlighting a significant intelligence breach.

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Baykar Technologies' Bayraktar TB3 System.

Baykar Technologies’ Bayraktar TB3 System.

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Turkey’s Drone used against India

Beyond the China-Pakistan nexus, Turkey’s role in supplying advanced drones, including Bayraktar and other models, to Pakistan during the conflict was also highlighted. These drones provided Pakistan with enhanced surveillance and strike capabilities, adding another layer of complexity to the operational environment. This emerging Turkey-Pakistan defense cooperation, facilitated by Chinese backing, presents a new dimension to regional security challenges for India.

Lessons from Operation Sindoor: A Call for Robust Defense

Operation Sindoor, though short-lived, offered crucial lessons for India’s defense preparedness. Lt Gen Singh stressed the urgent need for a robust air defense system. While Indian population centers were not targeted in this instance, he warned that future conflicts could see such attacks, necessitating heightened readiness. “This time, our population centres were not quite addressed, but next time, we need to be prepared for that,” he cautioned.

The conflict also underscored the importance of an effective C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) network and greater civil-military fusion. India’s strategic messaging during the operation was “unambiguous,” according to Singh, demonstrating a clear shift in India’s approach to cross-border terrorism – “There is no scope of absorbing the pain the way we did a few years ago.”

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The planning and selection of targets during Operation Sindoor were based on extensive data collected through a combination of technology and human intelligence. Out of 21 identified targets, nine were prudently selected for engagement, with the final decision made in the “final day or the final hour.” This calibrated, tri-services approach, involving the Army, Navy, and Air Force, aimed to send a decisive message of India’s integrated military strength.

The Future of Warfare: Preparing for the Fifth Generation

Looking ahead, Lt Gen Singh emphasized India’s need to prepare for “fifth-generation warfare,” a concept that transcends traditional battlefield engagements to include cyber warfare, information warfare, and the remote control of weapon systems by “computer nerds.” This necessitates rapid technological advancement, robust indigenous defense manufacturing, and resilient supply chains.

The revelations from Operation Sindoor underscore a stark reality: India faces a complex and evolving threat landscape. The deepening military ties between China, Pakistan, and Turkey, coupled with the leveraging of advanced technologies for real-time intelligence and weapon testing, demand a comprehensive and accelerated response from India. The emphasis on strengthening air defense, enhancing intelligence capabilities, and fostering indigenous defense production will be paramount as India navigates this challenging geopolitical environment and strives to secure its national interests in the face of a multi-adversary threat.

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