If Our Army Chief Became Field Marshal, We Must Have Won : Indian Army Chief’s Stinging Jibe at Pakistan

National News: Despite suffering a clear defeat in Operation Sindoor, Pakistan has yet to publicly acknowledge its loss. Despite its Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) calling for a ceasefire, the neighboring nation persists in making inflated claims of victory. Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi has now delivered a strong response to these assertions, stressing that Pakistan’s post-conflict narrative-building is telling in itself.

General Dwivedi noted that although the four-day military confrontation ended decisively in India’s favor, Pakistan has been trying to portray it as a victory. “The whole world is aware of the truth,” he remarked, emphasizing that the Indian government had granted the army full operational freedom during Operation Sindoor.

Sharp Response to Pakistan’s Leadership Decisions

Speaking at an event at IIT Madras, General Dwivedi openly criticized Pakistan’s decision to elevate its Army Chief, Asim Munir, to the rank of five-star general and field marshal soon after the conflict. He suggested this was a deliberate move to shape public perception.

“If you ask any Pakistani whether they won or lost Operation Sindoor, they’ll say, ‘Our Army Chief became Field Marshal, so we must have won.’ This is precisely how they are attempting to shape the outcome,” General Dwivedi noted, stressing that controlling public perception is a crucial aspect of modern warfare—one that Pakistan is actively seeking to leverage.

#WATCH | During an address at IIT Madras, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi says, "In Operation Sindoor, we played chess... We did not know what the enemy's next move was going to be, and what we were going to do. This is called greyzone. Greyzone means that we… pic.twitter.com/MfLScTMbG7

— ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2025

Rajnath Singh’s ‘Enough is Enough’ Moment

The Army Chief also recalled the events that followed the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which left the entire nation outraged. The very next day, April 23, top political and military leaders held a crucial meeting.

“For the first time, I saw Defence Minister Rajnath Singh say with absolute clarity—‘Enough is enough.’ The chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force unanimously agreed that decisive action was necessary,” General Dwivedi said.

Full Freedom From the Government

General Dwivedi revealed that the armed forces were granted complete operational independence during Operation Sindoor. “We were told to decide our course of action ourselves. This level of political trust and clarity was unprecedented, and it greatly boosted the morale of our soldiers,” he stated.

Armed with this mandate, the Indian Army executed the operation with precision, delivering a strong and effective blow to Pakistan. The mission’s objectives were met successfully, reinforcing India’s strategic dominance. Notably, just a day before General Dwivedi’s comments, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh had also praised the government’s decisive stance, calling it a critical factor in the success of Operation Sindoor.