Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi Warns Pakistan Over Terror Support, Says India Ready for Future Warfare
Chief of Army Staff Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday issued a strong warning to Pakistan, stating that if it continues to shelter terrorists and support anti-India activities, it will have to decide whether it wants to “remain part of geography or become part of history”.
The Army Chief made the remarks while speaking at a session organised by ‘Uniform Unveiled’ during the ‘Sena Samwad’ event.
He was responding to a question regarding how the Indian Army would react if circumstances similar to those that led to Operation Sindoor were to arise again.
Referring to his earlier statements on cross-border terrorism, General Dwivedi said Pakistan must understand the consequences of continuing to support terror groups operating against India.
He reiterated that India’s position on terrorism remains firm and uncompromising.
His comments came just days after India marked the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor.
This is also the second time since the operation that the Army Chief has publicly delivered such a pointed message to Pakistan.
Last year, shortly after Operation Sindoor, General Dwivedi had warned that Pakistan would have to stop sponsoring terrorism if it wished to remain stable and relevant on the global map.
He had also asserted that the Indian Armed Forces would not operate under unnecessary restraint if provoked again.
During the interaction on Saturday, the Army Chief also spoke extensively about the rapid transformation taking place within modern warfare and the Indian military’s ongoing modernisation efforts.
He observed that technology in today’s military environment evolves so quickly that systems can become outdated within just 18 months.
According to him, adapting to such rapid technological change requires transformation at every level of the armed forces, from soldiers on the ground to senior military leadership.
General Dwivedi emphasised the importance of a “whole-of-nation” approach in future conflicts, saying that warfare is no longer limited to the battlefield alone.
He stressed the need for stronger coordination between institutions, strategic planning, and integration of national capabilities to effectively respond to modern security challenges.
He also highlighted that the reputation and operational strength built by the Indian Army over the decades must ultimately benefit every soldier and citizen involved in national defence efforts during future operations or wars.
Speaking about leadership within the armed forces, the Army Chief said the Indian Army maintains strong leadership structures at every rank and level.
On the issue of defence manufacturing, General Dwivedi described indigenisation as a gradual but essential process.
He said the Indian military’s priority is to provide soldiers with the best possible equipment, and noted that India has now achieved significant progress in manufacturing advanced weapon systems domestically.
He further explained that the nature of warfare is changing rapidly. Traditionally, military operations revolved around land, sea, and air domains, but modern conflicts are increasingly expanding into cyber, space,e and cognitive warfare.
However, he clarified that while new domains are emerging, conventional warfare capabilities will continue to remain equally important.
General Dwivedi said the future battlefield would become even more complex because advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, are now deeply influencing military strategy and operations.
Addressing younger generations, he remarked that today’s youth are likely to adapt better to future warfare technologies because, unlike earlier generations that only understood the concept of artificial intelligence theoretically, younger people are already familiar with its practical applications.
The Army Chief’s remarks also come at a time when former Indian and Pakistani Army generals, along with retired diplomats from both countries, have reportedly held at least two meetings over the last three months.
Although these interactions are not considered formal back-channel talks, they are seen as the first such engagements between influential figures from both nations since Operation Sindoor.
