Former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has revealed that Pakistan had called on the morning of May 10 last year and requested a ceasefire during Operation Sindoor, but India deliberately delayed its response as it had “not even executed half” of their planned strikes.&nbsp;As India was determined to achieve its military objectives with additional waves of strikes already plannedPakistan contacted India through the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) hotline in the morning, but New Delhi deliberately kept Islamabad waiting till the afternoon, Gen Chauhan said, while speaking at a media event.&nbsp;<h2>‘We had not even executed half of our plans’</h2>&nbsp;“The biggest surprise to me was on 10 May, when Pakistan picked up the phone and said they wanted to talk. This was because, on 9 May, the kind of rhetoric emerging from their side was that they would sort India out in 48 hours. Within about eight hours, they picked up the phone. We had not even executed half of our plans,” General Chauhan recalled.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pentagon-draws-up-new-nuclear-strategy-in-the-event-of-war-with-russia-and-china-1785952387235">Pentagon draws up new nuclear strategy in the event of war with Russia and China</a>&nbsp;The former CDS said India was determined to achieve its military objectives before considering a ceasefire, with additional waves of strikes already planned to demonstrate that no military installation inside Pakistan was beyond reach for the Indian Armed Forces.&nbsp;He said Indian operations were still in progress when Pakistan initiated contact through the DGMO hotline.“I think the reason why they picked up the phone around 9 or 9.30 on the morning of 10 May was because of the air power,” he said.&nbsp;<h2>IAF strikes on key airbases severely disrupted Pakistan Air Force operations</h2>&nbsp;General Chauhan said the IAF struck key Pakistani airbases, including Sargodha and Noor Khan, in the early hours of 10 May, severely disrupting Pakistan Air Force operations.“A couple of these airfields were hit around midnight, 4 or 5 in the morning,” he added, noting that with airstrips gone, they could no longer generate sorties.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/strait-of-hormuz-deal-with-oman-being-finalised-iran-s-foreign-ministry-1785945741501">Strait of Hormuz deal with Oman being ‘finalised’: Iran’s foreign ministry</a>&nbsp;Pakistan realised that its ability to sustain air operations was rapidly diminishing, said the former CDS, adding that the Pakistani military planners believed that the attacks they had launched between 1 am and about 9 am had inflicted significant damage on India.“They thought they would have done enough damage, and now it was better to talk. Otherwise, it would go beyond that,” General Chauhan said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pakistan-army-discards-whatsapp-over-spying-and-data-breach-fears-switches-to-china-s-wechat-1785933108236">Pakistan Army discards WhatsApp over spying and data breach fears, switches to China’s WeChat</a>&nbsp;Operation Sindoor was launched as India’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 last year, when at least 26 civilians, of which 25 were Indian, were gunned down by Pakistan-linked terrorists after segregating them on religious lines.&nbsp;Indian security forces later gunned down the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack.&nbsp;During the tri-forces operation, the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force carried out strikes on nine terror camps across the border. The military operation led to a four-day standoff between India and Pakistan, triggering blackouts and air raid sirens along the LoC and International Border.

India was determined to achieve its military objectives before considering a ceasefire, with additional waves of strikes already planned to demonstrate that no military installation inside Pakistan was beyond reach for the Indian Armed Forces, former CDS General Anil Chauhan said.

Former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has revealed that Pakistan had called on the morning of May 10 last year and requested a ceasefire during Operation Sindoor, but India deliberately delayed its response as it had “not even executed half” of their planned strikes. As India was determined to achieve its military objectives with additional waves of strikes already planned Pakistan contacted India through the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) hotline in the morning, but New Delhi deliberately kept Islamabad waiting till the afternoon, Gen Chauhan said, while speaking at a media event. ‘We had not even executed half of our plans’ “The biggest surprise to me was on 10 May, when Pakistan picked up the phone and said they wanted to talk. This was because, on 9 May, the kind of rhetoric emerging from their side was that they would sort India out in 48 hours. Within about eight hours, they picked up the phone. We had not even executed half of our plans,” General Chauhan recalled. Also Read: Pentagon draws up new nuclear strategy in the event of war with Russia and China The former CDS said India was determined to achieve its military objectives before considering a ceasefire, with additional waves of strikes already planned to demonstrate that no military installation inside Pakistan was beyond reach for the Indian Armed Forces. He said Indian operations were still in progress when Pakistan initiated contact through the DGMO hotline. “I think the reason why they picked up the phone around 9 or 9.30 on the morning of 10 May was because of the air power,” he said. IAF strikes on key airbases severely disrupted Pakistan Air Force operations General Chauhan said the IAF struck key Pakistani airbases, including Sargodha and Noor Khan, in the early hours of 10 May, severely disrupting Pakistan Air Force operations. “A couple of these airfields were hit around midnight, 4 or 5 in the morning,” he added, noting that with airstrips gone, they could no longer generate sorties. Also Read: Strait of Hormuz deal with Oman being ‘finalised’: Iran’s foreign ministry Pakistan realised that its ability to sustain air operations was rapidly diminishing, said the former CDS, adding that the Pakistani military planners believed that the attacks they had launched between 1 am and about 9 am had inflicted significant damage on India. “They thought they would have done enough damage, and now it was better to talk. Otherwise, it would go beyond that,” General Chauhan said. Also Read: Pakistan Army discards WhatsApp over spying and data breach fears, switches to China’s WeChat Operation Sindoor was launched as India’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 last year, when at least 26 civilians, of which 25 were Indian, were gunned down by Pakistan-linked terrorists after segregating them on religious lines. Indian security forces later gunned down the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack. During the tri-forces operation, the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force carried out strikes on nine terror camps across the border. The military operation led to a four-day standoff between India and Pakistan, triggering blackouts and air raid sirens along the LoC and International Border.

India was determined to achieve its military objectives before considering a ceasefire, with additional waves of strikes already planned to demonstrate that no military installation inside Pakistan was beyond reach for the Indian Armed Forces, former CDS General Anil Chauhan said.

‘Pakistan called for ceasefire, we kept them waiting’: Ex-CDS Anil Chauhan recalls Operation Sindoor

Taking a dig at Pakistan without making a direct reference, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said on Saturday that “victory is not declared by mere rhetoric but demonstrated through evidence, like what we showcased during Operation Sindoor". Speaking at the opening session of the ‘JAI Se Vijay’ seminar in Pune, Gen Chauhan referred to India’s success in Operation Sindoor and emphasised that “actual vijay lies in demonstrated evidence.”&nbsp;Without naming Pakistan, CDS Chauhan highlighted the damage it suffered during India’s counterterror operation in May, launched after Pakistan-sponsored Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025.&nbsp;&nbsp;“With respect to the defence forces, victory is not declared by mere rhetoric. As some entities in our neighbourhood have done so, but demonstrated through evidence, like what we showcased during Operation Sindoor,” the CDS said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Pune, Maharashtra: Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan says, &quot;With respect to the defence forces, victory is not declared by mere rhetoric. As some entities in our neighbourhood have done so, but demonstrated through evidence, like what we showcased during… <a href="https://t.co/MOmGur3x2M">pic.twitter.com/MOmGur3x2M</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2022604078522732905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-us-and-europe-belong-together-but-allies-should-defend-themselves-says-rubio-at-munich-security-conference-1771068794871">‘US and Europe belong together, but allies should defend themselves,’ says Rubio at Munich Security Conference</a><h2>‘Damaged runways, crippled airfields, dysfunctional air defence systems…’</h2>&nbsp;“A sense of victory cannot be built on demolished terror infrastructure, damaged runways, crippled airfields, and dysfunctional air defence systems. Such kinds of victories or slogans do not endure. Actual Vijay lies in demonstrated evidence rather than verifiable outcomes...,” he added.&nbsp;Reflecting on India’s defence preparedness and stressing the need to strengthen national security systems, General Chauhan said India must carry out a “sober assessment” of its defence systems to prepare for present and future challenges.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/major-nato-countries-think-us-doesn-t-help-deter-enemies-anymore-reveals-poll-1771007585790">Major NATO countries think US doesn’t help deter enemies anymore, reveals poll</a><h2>‘Our defence posture must be based on realistic evaluation of emerging threats’</h2>&nbsp;Emphasising continued risks, the CDS said India’s defence posture over the next decade must be based on a realistic evaluation of emerging threats. “Why this is important is because currently, India’s defence posture for the next decade is required to be shaped by a sober assessment of what lies ahead, what kind of challenges lie ahead. And I believe it’s increasingly becoming very competitive, confrontational, combative, fragile, and technologically very disruptive,” he added.&nbsp;He further said that India must be ready to act independently if needed since countries can no longer assume permanent friendships or rivalries in today’s changing global environment.“Assumptions about permanent friends or adversaries are increasingly becoming unreliable. In today’s world, it is difficult to define who your friends are, who your allies are, who your enemies are and who your adversaries are. India must therefore be prepared mentally, structurally and materially to act independently when required,” he said.&nbsp;<h2>‘Partnerships are important but cannot replace our capabilities’</h2>&nbsp;Partnerships are important but cannot replace India’s own capabilities or freedom to make independent decisions, the CDS said.He stressed the need to strengthen domestic defence capacity to ensure strategic autonomy.&nbsp;Explaining the theme ‘JAI Se Vijay,’ Gen Chauhan said that in modern warfare, victory cannot be based on rhetoric or symbolic claims but must rest on “demonstrated evidence and verifiable outcomes.” He warned that damaging infrastructure or airfields alone does not guarantee lasting victory.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/valentine-s-day-horror-in-noida-man-kills-girlfriend-then-shoots-self-in-parked-car-1771079335853">Valentine’s Day horror in Noida: Man kills girlfriend, then shoots self in parked car</a>&nbsp;Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s idea of JAI—which stands for Jointness, Aatmanirbharta and Innovation—Gen Chauhan said it reflects freedom from foreign dependence and outdated thinking.“It is not just victory over an adversary, but equally victory over inertia, prejudices, and institutional comfort,” he said.

Stressing the need to strengthen national security systems for India’s defence preparedness, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said India must carry out a “sober assessment” of its defence systems to prepare for present and future challenges.

Taking a dig at Pakistan without making a direct reference, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said on Saturday that “victory is not declared by mere rhetoric but demonstrated through evidence, like what we showcased during Operation Sindoor". Speaking at the opening session of the ‘JAI Se Vijay’ seminar in Pune, Gen Chauhan referred to India’s success in Operation Sindoor and emphasised that “actual vijay lies in demonstrated evidence.” Without naming Pakistan, CDS Chauhan highlighted the damage it suffered during India’s counterterror operation in May, launched after Pakistan-sponsored Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025. “With respect to the defence forces, victory is not declared by mere rhetoric. As some entities in our neighbourhood have done so, but demonstrated through evidence, like what we showcased during Operation Sindoor,” the CDS said.

Stressing the need to strengthen national security systems for India’s defence preparedness, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said India must carry out a “sober assessment” of its defence systems to prepare for present and future challenges.

‘Victory is not declared by mere rhetoric as our neighbourhood entities do,’ says CDS Gen Anil Chauhan

cds-gen-anil-chauhan

Cds Gen Anil Chauhan, News on Cds Gen Anil Chauhan, stories on Cds Gen Anil Chauhan, articles on Cds Gen Anil Chauhan, Cds Gen Anil Chauhan stories at Wion, Cds Gen Anil Chauhan news, Cds Gen Anil Chauhan latest news

cds gen-anil-chauhan

‘Pakistan called for ceasefire, we kept them waiting’: Ex-CDS Anil Chauhan recalls Operation Sindoor

‘Victory is not declared by mere rhetoric as our neighbourhood entities do’: CDS