Guwahati, May 12: A defence briefing on Operation Sindoor took an unexpected turn today as Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai drew a vivid analogy from the cricketing world to describe India’s military preparedness.

“I was watching Virat Kohli retire from Test cricket — like many Indians, he’s my favourite,” said Lt Gen Ghai. “It reminded me of the 1970s Ashes series between Australia and England. The Aussies had two deadly fast bowlers — Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee — who tore through England’s batting. Their dominance was summed up in this brutal proverb: ‘Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if Thommo don’t get ya, Lillee must.’”

Then came his pointed message:
“If you look closely at the layers of our defence grid, you’ll understand what I mean. Even if you somehow get past one layer, the next will stop you. Targeting our airfields and logistics? That’s far tougher than it looks.”

The cricket metaphor served to illustrate the depth, coordination, and deterrent strength of India’s integrated defence systems — a key theme reiterated throughout the briefing.

Air Marshal AK Bharti clarified that Operation Sindoor remains focused solely on dismantling terrorist infrastructure and supply networks, not targeting the Pakistani military directly. “However,” he added, “it is unfortunate that the Pakistan military chose to intervene in support of these elements, compelling us to act accordingly.”

Bharti also stressed that India’s forces had succeeded in minimising collateral damage. “The layered and integrated air defence systems deployed by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force comprise a wide array of multi-tiered sensors and weapon systems,” he noted.

When asked about reported strikes near Pakistan’s Kirana Hills — a location often speculated to house nuclear assets — Air Marshal Bharti responded wryly, “Thank you for informing us that Kirana Hills houses nuclear assets. We didn’t know. For the record, we have not targeted Kirana Hills. It was not in my briefing yesterday.”

Vice Admiral AN Pramod, meanwhile, highlighted India’s naval readiness and dominance in the region:
“After the cowardly terror attack in Pahalgam, we swiftly validated our anti-missile and anti-aircraft defences. Our carrier battle group, with its formidable offensive and cooperative capabilities, operated with complete impunity in the area of operations.”

The commanders underscored India’s message: a calibrated, confident military posture built on resilience, precision, and layered deterrence.

Also Read: “We struck where it would hurt the most”, says Air Marshal A K Bharti on Operation Sindoor

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