Chennai, 11 July

India hit nine terror targets crisscrossing Pakistan with precision and missed none of them during Operation Sindoor, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said on Friday, taking pride in India's capability and technological abilities in neutralising the threats from across the border.

The precision was to the point where India knew who was where, and the entire operation lasted hardly 23 minutes past 1 am on 7 May, he said.

"Thereafter, they said Pakistan did this and so on. Can you tell me of one image or photograph that shows any damage to India," Doval asked while speaking at the 62nd convocation ceremony of IIT, Madras.

India launched Operation Sindoor on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, post the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 persons, mostly tourists, were killed.

Addressing the students, Doval also said the link between technology and warfare was very important, and that the country should develop indigenous technology to meet its requirements.

Referring to the earlier speaker, Padma Subrahmanyam—Padma Vibhushan awardee and legendary danseuse—congratulating him for the success of Operation Sindoor and evoking thunderous applause from the students and graduands, the NSA said, "I am really proud of it (Operation Sindoor). Much of it was driven by indigenous content."

"We are proud of it—that some of our best systems worked, whether it was BrahMos (missiles), the integrated air control and command system, or battlefield surveillance. We decided on nine terrorist targets, not in the border areas but in the crisscross of Pakistan, and we missed none."

No unintended site was struck, and the strike was precise to the point where "we knew who was where. And the entire operation lasted for 23 minutes," he said.

In a subtle rebuttal to international media coverage questioning the operation's effectiveness, the NSA said, "They wrote what they wanted. But satellite images tell the real story—that 13 Pakistan airbases, before and after 10 May, show exactly what happened."

Earlier, speaking at the convocation, Padma Subrahmanyam said the historic victory of Operation Sindoor was a manifestation of adherence to the valour that the Bhagavad Gita preaches.

"As a proud Indian, I have always offered my salutations to our jawans, who are our national guardian angels," she said, congratulating Doval for his role in the operation.

At the event, Doval said the country could not afford to lose the technology battle and remain behind or fall decades behind others.

He acknowledged the role of IIT, Madras and the private sector in developing 5G in two-and-a-half years' time, whereas the Chinese took over 12 years and spent 300 billion dollars to develop 5G technology.

"Even a screw that deals with anything related to data or security protection must come from a trusted source. It is either made in India or by somebody who is very close to India," he added, emphasising the need to totally insulate our system from the enemy.