Loitering Munition May Have Hit Kirana Hills During Operation Sindoor, Says Former CDS Anil Chauhan
Former Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan stated that an Indian loitering munition deployed during Operation Sindoor may have struck the Kirana Hills area near Sargodha, Pakistan, where nuclear-related facilities are situated. Speaking at the Vivekananda International Foundation during an event evaluating the operation and its aftermath, the former military chief provided operational details on munition deployment, situational transparency, and the bilateral nature of the subsequent ceasefire.
What Happened
During the ‘VIMARSH’ event on Operation Sindoor, General Chauhan explained that India launched multiple loitering missions in the vicinity of Sargodha prior to strikes with the specific objective of searching for radar systems. These munitions possessed a flight endurance of approximately two hours. General Chauhan noted that if the munitions did not locate a target within that window, they were programmed to descend and strike. Given Pakistani media broadcasts showing smoke emerging from the location, he indicated that one of the munitions likely struck the hills, which are located roughly 10 kilometres north of Sargodha.
Addressing earlier official statements, the source noted that former Director General of Air Operations Air Marshal A.K. Bharti had stated during a media briefing on May 12 of the previous year that the Indian armed forces did not target the Kirana Hills nuclear facility, indicating at the time that the military had not targeted whatever was located there.
Key Highlights
- Munition Trajectory: India dispatched loitering missions around Sargodha to locate radars; failing to find targets within their two-hour endurance window, a munition likely descended and struck Kirana Hills.
- Tri-Service Networking: Operational success during Operation Sindoor was attributed to superior battlefield transparency and networking across the Army, Navy, and Air Force, supported by clear political direction.
- Intelligence Discrepancies: General Chauhan observed that Pakistan relied on foreign commercial Chinese satellite imagery and made inaccurate maritime claims, placing an Indian carrier battle group 100 to 300 nautical miles away from its actual position while its own long-range maritime aircraft remained grounded.
- Strategic Doctrine: India maintained an escalation approach ensuring that the final strike or winning note would be delivered by Indian forces.
- Bilateral Ceasefire: General Chauhan stated that the ceasefire agreement was reached directly between the two Directors General of Military Operations, rejecting external mediation claims.
Why This Matters
The statements provide direct insight into the technological functioning and tactical constraints of loitering munitions during modern cross-border operations. They also clarify the military command’s perspective on escalation dominance, the role of tri-service intelligence integration, and the strictly bilateral framework that governed the implementation of the ceasefire.
What to Watch Next
The source material details past operational insights and does not state any subsequent official announcements, pending investigations, or planned future actions regarding Operation Sindoor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did India deliberately target Pakistan’s nuclear installations at Kirana Hills?
According to military statements, Indian armed forces did not deliberately target the nuclear installations. General Chauhan explained that loitering munitions sent to detect radars descend and strike autonomously after their two-hour flight endurance expires without acquiring a target.
What did General Chauhan say regarding international mediation in the ceasefire?
General Chauhan dismissed claims of third-party mediation, stating that the ceasefire was concluded exclusively between the Indian and Pakistani Directors General of Military Operations, adding that details regarding the agreement did not leak from the Indian side.
Source: The Hindu