India smashed nine terror targets with precision, crisscrossing Pakistan, under Operation Sindoor, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said in Chennai on Friday, July 11, and dared foreign media to show "even one image" of damage to any Indian structure in the war.
Speaking for the first time in public about the operation, Doval said he is proud of the role played by indigenous technologies in the targeted attacks. "We are really proud of how much indigenous content was used (in Operation Sindoor). From BrahMos to radars to integrated air control and command systems, we used entirely Indian content," said the NSA, stated a report by The New Indian Express.
Speaking at the 62nd convocation ceremony of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Doval said the entire operation was carried out with precision within 23 minutes and caused no collateral damage to India. Urging students to become technological warriors for the country, he underscored the need for technological self-reliance to protect the nation from external threats.
"India will completely indigenise its communication systems to safeguard national security and ensure data protection," he said.
Speaking about Operation Sindoor, he said nine terrorist targets across Pakistan, not in the border areas, were mapped and the attack was carried out with utmost precision.
"We missed none. We hit nowhere else except that," he said. The NSA also criticised the western media for its distorted coverage of Operation Sindoor.
"Foreign press said Pakistan did that and this. But you show me one photograph, one image, which shows any damage to India. Not even a glass pane has been broken," said Doval, challenging them to present even a single image showing damage in India.
Citing the link between warfare and technology, Doval advised students to develop technologies to build India’s resilience across critical infrastructure, stated the report by The New Indian Express.
Highlighting the importance of embracing new-age technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Doval said AI is going to change the world, and if India wants to lead the world, it must lead in AI, quantum computing, and space tech, among others.
Drawing a comparison with China in developing 5G technology, Doval cited India’s success story and said the Chinese took 12 years and invested $300 billion to develop 5G, but India managed to create an indigenous alternative in just 2.5 years. He added that India is progressing rapidly and advised students against brain drain and instead asked them to contribute to the country’s growth.
"Your alumni network is a global asset. But don't just aim for personal comfort abroad, true success lies in what you contribute, not where you live,” he said.
"When we complete 100 years of Independence, you will be in the prime of your careers. India may then have a GDP of over 30 trillion, the per capita income may be around $22,000, and we will have a working population of 1.1 billion," he noted.
Padma Subrahmanyam, Padma Vibhushan awardee and noted Bharatnatyam dancer, was the guest of honour at the convocation.
Director of IIT Madras V Kamakoti presented the annual report of the institution and said more than 100 deep-tech startups have been incubated for the first time in one financial year (2024-25), and the institute has filed more than 400 patents. As many as 3,661 students, including 820 B Tech students and 529 PhD students, were awarded degrees on the occasion.