General Anil Chauhan (file photo)

New Delhi: Chief of Defense Staff General Anil Chauhan on Saturday lashed out at neighboring countries Pakistan Also mentioned operation sindoorsaid “Victory is not announced by words.” He reviewed India’s defense preparedness and stressed the need to strengthen the national security architecture. He also said that the sense of victory cannot be based on a “dysfunctional air defense system.”General Chouhan, speaking at the inauguration of the ‘JAI Se Vijay’ seminar in Pune, mentioned India’s success in Operation Sindoor and emphasized that “the real Vijay lies in proven evidence”. He said India must conduct a “sober assessment” of its defense systems to prepare for current and future challenges.

The CDS did not name Pakistan directly but highlighted the losses suffered by India during the counter-terrorism operation launched in May following the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025.“As far as the Defense Forces are concerned, victory is not declared by mere words, as some entities in our vicinity have already done, but by proof, as we have shown in Operation Sindoor. The sense of victory cannot be based on the destroyed terror infrastructure, damaged runways, crippled airfields and dysfunctional air defense systems. Such victories or slogans will not last. The real Vijay lies in proven evidence, not verifiable results…” the CDS said.Highlighting future risks, General Chouhan said India’s defense posture for the next decade must be based on a realistic assessment of emerging threats.“Why this is important is because the current defense posture of India for the next decade requires a dispassionate assessment of future scenarios and challenges. I believe it is becoming increasingly competitive, adversarial, combative, fragile and technologically very disruptive,” he added.He also said that in today’s changing global environment, countries can no longer assume permanent friendship or competition and India must be ready to act independently when needed.“Assumptions about permanent friends or permanent rivals are increasingly unreliable. In today’s world, it is difficult to define who is your friend, who is your ally, who is your enemy, and who is your opponent. Therefore, India must be mentally, structurally and materially prepared to act independently if the need arises. “CDS said partnerships remain important but cannot replace India’s own ability or freedom to make independent decisions. He emphasized the need to strengthen domestic defense capabilities and ensure strategic autonomy.Explaining the theme of ‘JAI Se Vijay’, General Chauhan said that in modern warfare, victory cannot be based on rhetoric or symbolic claims but must rely on “argued evidence and verifiable results”. He warned that merely destroying infrastructure or airports would not guarantee a lasting victory.Talking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s JAI concept, which stands for Union, Aatmanirbharta and Innovation, General Chouhan said it reflects freedom from foreign dependence and outdated thinking. “This is not just a victory over our opponents but equally a victory over inertia, prejudice and institutional comfort,” he said.