‘Soch Ke Bahar’: Ex-CDS Reveals Inside Story of Operation Sindoor

Days after the Pahalgam terror attack, India’s top political and military leadership gathered on April 29, 2025, to decide how the country would respond. The message emerging from the meeting, according to former Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan (retd), was clear: India would not tolerate cross-border terrorism and Pakistan had to be taught a “big lesson”.

For the first time, Chauhan has publicly shared details of the crucial meeting attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, the CDS and the three service chiefs. The response, he said, was expected to go beyond the ordinary, described during discussions as “soch ke bahar”, or unthinkable.

Modi, however, did not demand an immediate strike. Instead, Chauhan said, the Prime Minister told the armed forces to act at a time of their choosing, while ensuring there was “no reason for failure” due to human or technical factors. He also stressed the need for evidence to establish the success of the operation.

One of the biggest decisions involved the choice of targets. Bahawalpur, linked to the Jaish-e-Mohammed, was added to the list after discussions that India needed to undertake something significant. Its distance made the use of air power necessary, as drones and loitering munitions could not guarantee success.

The midnight timing of the strikes was also carefully planned. Despite concerns about obtaining evidence in darkness, the armed forces were confident in their capabilities. The timing helped maintain surprise and minimise the risk of civilian casualties.

After days of coordination between the military leadership, intelligence agencies and the NSA, India struck nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7, 2025.

Chauhan said the operation established a new red line against cross-border terrorism, adding that while its major components have concluded, Operation Sindoor remains ongoing.