Lucknow, Sep 7 (PTI) Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra (Retd), the new CEO of Ram temple trust, on Monday offered a detailed account of the technological and operational foundations behind Operation Sindoor during which he commanded the Indian Air Force’s Western Air Command.
Speaking at a programme hosted by news channel AajTak in New Delhi, the retired Indian Air Force (IAF) officer did not speak much on his new role as CEO of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra, saying he is yet to formally take charge of his new responsibility.
He, however, spoke candidly on Operation Sindoor, and said that the wars of the future are already being fought today through advanced technology, planning and indigenous capabilities.
The former Air Force officer, who retired on April 30, said that Operation Sindoor was the culmination of years of preparation, effort and strategic foresight.
He described the operation as more than a military campaign that reflected the collective work of Indian scientists, engineers and Air Force personnel who helped build and deploy indigenous weapons and systems.
Explaining the ever-expanding role of technology in warfare, he said, “When a person swipes an ATM card at a petrol station, satellite-linked systems connect instantly with banking networks to complete the transaction.” Similarly, future wars, he noted, will depend on interconnected technologies that function largely out of public view. He said advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are accelerating the pace of change and warned that countries unable to keep up (with this pace) could find themselves overtaken within a few years.
Mishra said India effectively demonstrated the capability to strike targets 250 to 300 kilometres away with an accuracy of about two metres and emphasised that maintaining such capabilities needs continuous learning and technical expertise.
According to Mishra, the systems that protected Indian airspace and enabled precision strikes during Operation Sindoor were the result of years of sustained effort.
Highlighting the importance of self-reliance in defence, the retired Air Marshal said that 15 to 20 years ago, most IAF radars were sourced from countries such as Russia, the US and France. Relying on foreign vendors for a comprehensive air defence network, he argued, would have required sharing sensitive operational data.
To avoid that dependency, Indian scientists, engineers and IAF personnel worked together to build the Integrated Air Command and Control System, a fully indigenous network that took about 15 years to develop.
Today, he said, the system connects military and civilian radars across the country and is gradually integrating naval assets as well. Through seven to eight underground operational centres, authorities can monitor the national air picture and coordinate responses when required.
He explained that radar data from systems of different origins had to be converted into a common format to enable integration. Civilian radars at major airports, including Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, are also part of the network, allowing information to be shared across a unified command structure.
Comparing the Balakot airstrike and Operation Sindoor, Mishra said the IAF possessed the necessary capabilities even at the time of Balakot. The difference, he argued, lay not in resources but in the strategic choices made at different stages.
He described Balakot and Sindoor as part of a progression in India’s response to cross-border threats, beginning after the Uri attack.
According to him, Operation Sindoor should not be viewed as the final step in that progression. He said protecting India’s skies is a continuous, 24×7 mission made possible through sustained Indian expertise and innovation.
Discussing the accuracy of Indian air operations, he referred to satellite imagery related to both Balakot and Operation Sindoor.
He said images associated with strikes on nine buildings in Bahawalpur and Murid during Operation Sindoor demonstrated the precision and destructive effectiveness of the attacks.
He argued that the absence of ground photographs after Balakot, due to weather and other factors, led some observers to doubt the impact of the operation. Comparing subsequent imagery, however, he said, demonstrated the effectiveness of the IAF strikes.
Mishra also highlighted long-range engagement capabilities. Referring to the S-400 air defence system, he said bringing down an aircraft at a distance of 314 kilometres was close to a world-record engagement.
He described the BrahMos air-launched cruise missile as the world’s only operational supersonic air-launched cruise missile and said targets such as Sargodha and Rahim Yar Khan could be struck from distances of at least 200 kilometres.
He underscored the unique advantages of air power, calling it fast, flexible, precise and capable of operating over long distances. Unlike a ground-launched missile, he noted, an aircraft can be recalled even after take-off, providing commanders with greater operational flexibility.
On the issue of indigenisation, Mishra said it should not be viewed merely as a “Make in India” initiative but as an essential element of national sovereignty. Dependence on foreign suppliers, he argued, can limit a country’s ability to make independent decisions during conflicts.
Addressing delays in the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas programme, Mishra said no nation builds an entire aircraft independently. Even advanced aerospace powers source components globally.
The key, he noted, is to secure control over critical technologies, design expertise, materials and manufacturing capabilities that determine operational independence.
During the early stages of the Iran-Israel conflict, he noted, large-scale operations still relied heavily on manned fighter aircraft. Drones, he said, are most useful for missions where deploying piloted aircraft would be too risky or costly. PTI NAV MAN KSS KSS
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