Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi has sharply criticized Pakistan's propaganda machinery for falsely claiming victory in Operation Sindoor, while describing the complex military engagement as a strategic chess game that resulted in India delivering a crushing checkmate. During his address at IIT Madras, the senior military officer exposed Pakistan's narrative manipulation while detailing the intricate nature of the grey zone warfare operation.

The Army chief drew parallels between the anti-terrorism campaign and a high-stakes chess match, highlighting how both nations operated under extreme uncertainty throughout the conflict. He emphasized that the unpredictable nature of moves from both sides characterized this as a textbook grey zone operation, which operates in the space between peace and full-scale conventional war. Despite accepting significant operational risks, including potential casualties among Indian personnel, General Dwivedi confirmed that India's strategic planning proved superior and achieved complete success.

Pakistan's disinformation campaign came under particularly harsh scrutiny from the Army chief, who specifically criticized Islamabad's decision to elevate General Asim Munir to field marshal rank as a desperate attempt to manufacture an appearance of victory. General Dwivedi mockingly observed how Pakistani citizens would naturally assume their military achieved success based solely on their Army chief's promotion, demonstrating the effectiveness of strategic narrative control in shaping public opinion about military conflicts.

The retaliatory operation commenced on May 7 following the devastating Pahalgam terrorist incident, where Pakistan-sponsored militants brutally murdered 26 innocent civilians in Jammu and Kashmir. General Dwivedi expressed deep appreciation for the government's unwavering political resolve and crystal-clear strategic direction, especially praising the decision to grant complete operational autonomy to military leadership. He disclosed that during crucial April 23 meetings involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the political leadership firmly declared that tolerance for cross-border terrorism had reached its limit, authorizing the military to determine and execute appropriate response measures.

The Army chief particularly emphasized the unprecedented nature of political support and confidence demonstrated by the current government. He detailed how all three service chiefs unanimously agreed on the necessity for decisive military action, while the political leadership's absolute trust in military expertise facilitated seamless mission execution without bureaucratic interference.

Discussing the operation's nomenclature, General Dwivedi explained how the name "Operation Sindoor" struck a powerful chord across the nation, generating unprecedented public unity and support. He noted that the overwhelming national enthusiasm for the mission led to widespread public questioning about why the operation was terminated, reflecting the population's strong appetite for decisive action against cross-border terrorism.

The precisely executed military campaign targeted terrorist training facilities and operational bases across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir through coordinated air and missile strikes against nine carefully selected objectives. Indian military forces, operating under complete governmental authority, maintained that their strikes remained focused, proportionate, and deliberately non-escalatory in nature. Pakistan's attempted retaliation through drone and missile attacks was comprehensively defeated by India's advanced air defense networks.

Defense experts universally regard Operation Sindoor as an unqualified strategic triumph for India across multiple dimensions, including tactical military success and significant psychological impact. The mission effectively showcased India's advanced capabilities in executing precision-guided, multi-domain military operations while systematically destroying terrorist infrastructure and reestablishing credible deterrence against state-sponsored cross-border terrorism.

General Dwivedi's public statements highlight the critical role of information warfare in contemporary military conflicts, where controlling narratives can be as important as battlefield victories. His pointed criticism of Pakistan's propaganda apparatus illustrates how competing nations systematically manipulate the same events to serve their respective domestic and international strategic objectives, often sacrificing factual accuracy for political convenience.