<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the armed forces "complete freedom of action" ahead of Operation Sindoor and made it clear there was no pressure to launch the operation immediately, former Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan has said.</p><p>Speaking at the Vivekananda Centre in New Delhi on Tuesday (Aug 25), Chauhan said the political message was clear: those responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack would not be spared, and India would not accept cross-border terrorism.</p><h2><strong>PM told military to choose the timing</strong></h2><p>Chauhan said the political decision was conveyed by Modi during his speech in Patna on April 24.</p><p>"The political decision that the perpetrators of this particular strike will not be spared, and we'll not tolerate cross-border terrorism. This was conveyed by none other than the honourable Prime Minister in his speech in Patna on the 24th," Chauhan said.</p><p>According to the former CDS, discussions on India's diplomatic, economic, and trade response began on April 23. The military options were then discussed in a series of meetings before a key meeting with the Prime Minister on April 29 involving the Chiefs of Staff Committee, Defence Minister, and National Security Advisor.</p><p>Chauhan said the armed forces presented multiple options after discussions with the NSA.</p><h2><strong>'Do it at your own time'</strong></h2><p>At the April 29 meeting, Chauhan said the larger objective was to ensure that Pakistan understood India would not tolerate cross-border terrorism. He said Modi then gave the military considerable operational freedom while setting clear conditions. "The Prime Minister told us only one thing: that he is not under any kind of political pressure to do it immediately," Chauhan said.</p><p>He added that Modi told the military: "Do it at your own time, but ensure that there is no reason for failure, either human or because of technical reasons, and we should have evidence of whatever we do." Chauhan said the fourth instruction was "complete freedom of action".</p><p>"For the military, actually, this could be nothing better than this," he said, explaining that what the armed forces need is clear political direction, which he said was available in this case.</p><p>He also noted that "one of the couple of principles which we thought in the escalation matrix which we laid for ourselves was that the last strike or the winning note will always be delivered by us and not by the Pakistanis...".</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://x.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Delhi | &quot;One of the couple of principles which we thought in the escalation matrix which we laid for ourselves was that the last strike or the winning note will always be delivered by us and not by the Pakistanis...,&quot; says former CDS Anil Chauhan as he describes the… <a href="https://t.co/THbbhDIO6Z">pic.twitter.com/THbbhDIO6Z</a></p>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://x.com/ANI/status/2092260925550285263?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2><strong>What was Operation Sindoor?</strong></h2><p>India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025. The military operation was a targeted response aimed at terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. It was intended to dismantle terror bases allegedly used to plan the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.</p><p>After Indian strikes against the targeted terror infrastructure, the operation was paused on May 10 following a formal request from Pakistan.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

What exactly did PM Modi tell the armed forces before Operation Sindoor? Former CDS General Anil Chauhan has revealed the message given at a key April 29 meeting, including a crucial instruction on when and how India should respond to Pakistan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the armed forces "complete freedom of action" ahead of Operation Sindoor and made it clear there was no pressure to launch the operation immediately, former Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan has said. Speaking at the Vivekananda Centre in New Delhi on Tuesday (Aug 25), Chauhan said the political message was clear: those responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack would not be spared, and India would not accept cross-border terrorism. PM told military to choose the timing Chauhan said the political decision was conveyed by Modi during his speech in Patna on April 24. "The political decision that the perpetrators of this particular strike will not be spared, and we'll not tolerate cross-border terrorism. This was conveyed by none other than the honourable Prime Minister in his speech in Patna on the 24th," Chauhan said. According to the former CDS, discussions on India's diplomatic, economic, and trade response began on April 23. The military options were then discussed in a series of meetings before a key meeting with the Prime Minister on April 29 involving the Chiefs of Staff Committee, Defence Minister, and National Security Advisor. Chauhan said the armed forces presented multiple options after discussions with the NSA. 'Do it at your own time' At the April 29 meeting, Chauhan said the larger objective was to ensure that Pakistan understood India would not tolerate cross-border terrorism. He said Modi then gave the military considerable operational freedom while setting clear conditions. "The Prime Minister told us only one thing: that he is not under any kind of political pressure to do it immediately," Chauhan said. He added that Modi told the military: "Do it at your own time, but ensure that there is no reason for failure, either human or because of technical reasons, and we should have evidence of whatever we do." Chauhan said the fourth instruction was "complete freedom of action". "For the military, actually, this could be nothing better than this," he said, explaining that what the armed forces need is clear political direction, which he said was available in this case. He also noted that "one of the couple of principles which we thought in the escalation matrix which we laid for ourselves was that the last strike or the winning note will always be delivered by us and not by the Pakistanis...".

<p>What exactly did PM Modi tell the armed forces before Operation Sindoor? Former CDS General Anil Chauhan has revealed the message given at a key April 29 meeting, including a crucial instruction on when and how India should respond to Pakistan.</p>

'Winning note will always be ours': Ex-CDS reveals what PM Modi told armed forces before Operation Sindoor

<p>India's military leadership witnessed a significant transition on Sunday as General NS Raja Subramani assumed office as the country's new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Admiral Krishna Swaminathan took charge as the 27th Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS). The two officers outlined their respective priorities, including military transformation, operational readiness, technological modernisation and greater self-reliance in defence production.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>General Subramani succeeded General Anil Chauhan, who demitted office on Saturday after completing his tenure as the country's top military officer. As CDS, General Subramani has set an agenda focused on military transformation, greater integration among the three services and accelerated induction of indigenous defence systems.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Addressing the media after assuming command, Admiral Swaminathan described leading the Indian Navy as the highest honour of his professional life and reaffirmed the force's commitment to protecting national interests in an increasingly challenging security environment.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>"I assume command today as the 27th Chief of the Naval Staff with a deep sense of humility, responsibility, pride, and gratitude. Being selected by the top leadership of the country for this job has been the highest honour and privilege of my life... Indian Navy stands vigilant to protect national interests wherever they are and is very actively deployed in a regional security environment that continues to remain challenging, complex, unpredictable, and uncertain," he said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/chat-with-fellow-soros-agents-rahul-gandhi-says-students-were-labelled-anti-nationals-for-seeking-answers-in-cbse-osm-row-1780229033380"><strong>'Chat with fellow Soros agents': Rahul Gandhi says students were labelled 'anti-nationals' for seeking answers in CBSE OSM row</strong></a></p><h2>Operational readiness and modernisation are top priorities</h2><p>The new Navy Chief said maintaining the highest level of operational readiness and combat effectiveness would remain his foremost priority. He noted that the Navy would continue strengthening its capabilities to address emerging maritime threats and safeguard India's economic and security interests.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>"It shall be my highest priority to ensure that the Indian Navy maintains the highest level of operational readiness and combat effectiveness so that it can protect the nation's security and economic interests wherever they can be. The Indian Navy is well set on a course of capability enhancement and modernisation," CNS Admiral Swaminathan stated.</p><p>He also identified self-reliance and indigenous defence manufacturing as key focus areas during his tenure.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>"The Indian Navy is deeply committed to jointness, Atmanirbharata, and indigenisation, and that will also be one of my key result areas," he added.</p>

General NS Raja Subramani assumed office as India's new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), succeeding General Anil Chauhan, while Admiral Krishna Swaminathan took charge as the 27th Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), succeeding Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi.

India's military leadership witnessed a significant transition on Sunday as General NS Raja Subramani assumed office as the country's new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Admiral Krishna Swaminathan took charge as the 27th Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS). The two officers outlined their respective priorities, including military transformation, operational readiness, technological modernisation and greater self-reliance in defence production. General Subramani succeeded General Anil Chauhan, who demitted office on Saturday after completing his tenure as the country's top military officer. As CDS, General Subramani has set an agenda focused on military transformation, greater integration among the three services and accelerated induction of indigenous defence systems. Addressing the media after assuming command, Admiral Swaminathan described leading the Indian Navy as the highest honour of his professional life and reaffirmed the force's commitment to protecting national interests in an increasingly challenging security environment. "I assume command today as the 27th Chief of the Naval Staff with a deep sense of humility, responsibility, pride, and gratitude. Being selected by the top leadership of the country for this job has been the highest honour and privilege of my life... Indian Navy stands vigilant to protect national interests wherever they are and is very actively deployed in a regional security environment that continues to remain challenging, complex, unpredictable, and uncertain," he said. Also Read: 'Chat with fellow Soros agents': Rahul Gandhi says students were labelled 'anti-nationals' for seeking answers in CBSE OSM row Operational readiness and modernisation are top priorities The new Navy Chief said maintaining the highest level of operational readiness and combat effectiveness would remain his foremost priority. He noted that the Navy would continue strengthening its capabilities to address emerging maritime threats and safeguard India's economic and security interests. "It shall be my highest priority to ensure that the Indian Navy maintains the highest level of operational readiness and combat effectiveness so that it can protect the nation's security and economic interests wherever they can be. The Indian Navy is well set on a course of capability enhancement and modernisation," CNS Admiral Swaminathan stated. He also identified self-reliance and indigenous defence manufacturing as key focus areas during his tenure. "The Indian Navy is deeply committed to jointness, Atmanirbharata, and indigenisation, and that will also be one of my key result areas," he added.

<p>General NS Raja Subramani assumed office as India's new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), succeeding General Anil Chauhan, while Admiral Krishna Swaminathan took charge as the 27th Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), succeeding Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi.</p>

General NS Raja Subramani takes charge as CDS, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan assumes office as Navy Chief

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<p>India's Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan said on Tuesday (May 30) that the situation in violence-hit Manipur has got nothing to do with counter-insurgency and is primarily a clash between two ethnicities. Addressing a press conference, General Chauhan said, "It's a law and order kind of situation and we are helping the state government. We have done an excellent job and saved a large number of lives," the news agency ANI reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>General Chauhan said the challenges in Manipur have not disappeared and it will take some time.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | The situation in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Manipur?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Manipur</a> is nothing to do with counter-insurgency and is primarily a clash between two ethnicities. It's a law and order kind of situation and we are helping the state govt. We've done an excellent job and saved a large number of lives. The challenges in… <a href="https://t.co/O0zlfS5yty">pic.twitter.com/O0zlfS5yty</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1663398901611900928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>The ethnic violence in Manipur started on May 3 when tribal groups, including the Kuki community, clashed with the ethnic majority of Meitei people, a non-tribal group, over economic benefits and quotas given to the tribes. At least 80 people have died and thousands have been displaced by the violence, according to a report by the news agency PTI on Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Govt announces compensation for those killed in violence</strong></h2>

<p>The central government and the Manipur government announced a compensation of Rs 1 million for those who died during the violence. Speaking to PTI news agency, officials said that a member of the family who died (in the violence) would also be given a job. The officials said that the compensation amount will be equally shared by the Centre and the state.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The decision was taken during a meeting between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday night. It was decided to set up dedicated telephone lines which will be used to dispel rumour-mongering which has largely affected the process to calm down the situation and bring peace in the state.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It was also decided that essential items such as petrol, LPG gas, rice and other food products will be made available in large quantities to cool down prices.</p>

<p>On Tuesday, Union Home Minister Shah met with the delegations of different Civil Society Organisations in Imphal. Shah is on a three-day visit to the state and will visit Churachandpur, the site of some of the worst rioting earlier this month.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Cong submits memorandum to Prez Murmu over Manipur situation</strong></h2>

<p>Leaders of the opposition Congress party met President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday and submitted a memorandum over the situation in Manipur. "The security of our people should be the utmost responsibility of the government. We expect the ruling regime to take concrete steps to restore normalcy in Manipur," the Congress tweeted.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">22 साल पहले भी मणिपुर जल रहा था। तब प्रधानमंत्री अटल जी थे।<br />
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आज फिर से मणिपुर जल रहा है, अब PM नरेंद्र मोदी हैं। इसका कारण BJP की विभाजनकारी व ध्रुवीकरण की राजनीति है।<br />
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मणिपुर जल रहा था लेकिन PM और गृहमंत्री कर्नाटक चुनाव में व्यस्त थे।<br />
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: <a href="https://twitter.com/Jairam_Ramesh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jairam_Ramesh</a> जी <a href="https://t.co/8S9BsLuEL6">pic.twitter.com/8S9BsLuEL6</a></p>
— Congress (@INCIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/INCIndia/status/1663439101431894018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Addressing a press conference, Congress General Secretary in charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh hit out at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that Manipur was burning but Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Shah were busy with elections in Karnataka.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em><strong>(With inputs from agencies)</strong></em></p>

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India's Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan said on Tuesday (May 30) that the situation in violence-hit Manipur has got nothing to do with counter-insurgency and is primarily a clash between two ethnicities.

India's Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan said on Tuesday (May 30) that the situation in violence-hit Manipur has got nothing to do with counter-insurgency and is primarily a clash between two ethnicities. Addressing a press conference, General Chauhan said, "It's a law and order kind of situation and we are helping the state government. We have done an excellent job and saved a large number of lives," the news agency ANI reported. General Chauhan said the challenges in Manipur have not disappeared and it will take some time. #WATCH | The situation in #Manipur is nothing to do with counter-insurgency and is primarily a clash between two ethnicities. It's a law and order kind of situation and we are helping the state govt. We've done an excellent job and saved a large number of lives. The challenges in… pic.twitter.com/O0zlfS5yty — ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2023 × The ethnic violence in Manipur started on May 3 when tribal groups, including the Kuki community, clashed with the ethnic majority of Meitei people, a non-tribal group, over economic benefits and quotas given to the tribes. At least 80 people have died and thousands have been displaced by the violence, according to a report by the news agency PTI on Tuesday. Govt announces compensation for those killed in violence The central government and the Manipur government announced a compensation of Rs 1 million for those who died during the violence. Speaking to PTI news agency, officials said that a member of the family who died (in the violence) would also be given a job. The officials said that the compensation amount will be equally shared by the Centre and the state. The decision was taken during a meeting between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday night. It was decided to set up dedicated telephone lines which will be used to dispel rumour-mongering which has largely affected the process to calm down the situation and bring peace in the state. It was also decided that essential items such as petrol, LPG gas, rice and other food products will be made available in large quantities to cool down prices. On Tuesday, Union Home Minister Shah met with the delegations of different Civil Society Organisations in Imphal. Shah is on a three-day visit to the state and will visit Churachandpur, the site of some of the worst rioting earlier this month. Cong submits memorandum to Prez Murmu over Manipur situation Leaders of the opposition Congress party met President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday and submitted a memorandum over the situation in Manipur. "The security of our people should be the utmost responsibility of the government. We expect the ruling regime to take concrete steps to restore normalcy in Manipur," the Congress tweeted. 22 साल पहले भी मणिपुर जल रहा था। तब प्रधानमंत्री अटल जी थे। आज फिर से मणिपुर जल रहा है, अब PM नरेंद्र मोदी हैं। इसका कारण BJP की विभाजनकारी व ध्रुवीकरण की राजनीति है। मणिपुर जल रहा था लेकिन PM और गृहमंत्री कर्नाटक चुनाव में व्यस्त थे। : @Jairam_Ramesh जी pic.twitter.com/8S9BsLuEL6 — Congress (@INCIndia) May 30, 2023 × Addressing a press conference, Congress General Secretary in charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh hit out at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that Manipur was burning but Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Shah were busy with elections in Karnataka. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Manipur violence: Situation in state got nothing to do with counter-insurgency, says CDS

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'Winning note will always be ours': Ex-CDS reveals what PM Modi told armed forces before Operation Sindoor

India gets new CDS and Navy Chief as military leadership undergoes transition

Manipur violence: Situation in state got nothing to do with counter-insurgency, says CDS