Ajit Doval
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval appreciated India's technological prowess and strategic accuracy in Operation Sindoor and pointed out the key role played by indigenous defence systems in the operation. Addressing the 62nd Convocation of IIT Madras on Friday, Doval sent a stern message to young engineers on the need for self-reliance in technology and national security.
We were very proud of how much indigenous content we had there [during Operation Sindoor]. From BrahMos to radars, we employed completely Indian content. We thought we would have 9 terrorist targets in the criss-cross of Pakistan. We did not miss a single one. We hit nowhere else but that," Doval stated.
Doval spoke of the precision and swiftness of the operation, narrating how India's internal systems facilitated the accomplishment of all targets in Pakistan within only 23 minutes.
"The whole operation was 23 minutes. You provide me with one picture that demonstrates any Indian harm inflicted. They wrote stuff, New York Times. But pictures proved 13 air bases of Pakistan before and after May 10," he added.
The NSA's comments highlight how the nation's indigenous defence technology has achieved a level of international competitiveness and credibility.
Doval also urged the students to be proud of their civilizational identity, emphasizing the sacrifices of earlier generations in maintaining the nation's ideals.
"Your country, your civilization has been beleaguered, bled, dishonored for a thousand years… I don't know how much of the humiliation, tribulations they have faced to keep this civilization intact," he added.
He asked students to forward this tradition by helping build India by making innovations and the ethical deployment of technology.
Emphasizing the strategic importance of emerging technologies, Doval described Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a "game-changer" and cautioned against dependence on foreign technology.
"The Chinese spent 12 years and $300 billion to develop 5G. We don't have that time and money. Within two and a half years, we have developed an indigenous alternative. We owe it to our private sector," he said.
Doval concluded that India would continue to indigenize its communication systems to ensure national security and data privacy, and maintain strategic autonomy in the digital era.
