What led to Pakistan's surrender during Op Sindoor? Army chief Upendra Dwivedi speaks of '2 turning points'

Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi on Tuesday laid out the circumstances that led Pakistan to arrive at a ceasefire during Operation Sindoor last year and attributed India's success during the strike to “two turning points” in the brief combat.

While addressing the annual press conference in New Delhi, the Army chief said that the Armed forces were given complete freedom to "act or respond" during Op Sindoor. He also pointed out to "certain orders" given to the three services to prepare in case the fighting escalates.

"I think we can understand the turning point at two stage. The first turning point was the 22-minute strike that we conducted on terror targets. During that 22 minutes, the decision making cycle of the opposite side was completely bewildered," Upendra Dwivedi told the press briefing.

India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7 when the military hit nine terror camps inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), killing several terrorists. The operation was completed in just 22 minutes, a point Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reiterated several times, saying Pakistan surrendered within 22 minutes.

Elaborating on the Indian strikes, which caught Pakistan by surprise, the Army chief said it was a "chaotic situation" on the other side of the border. However, India didn't want to continue the fighting as the objectives of the military operation were achieved.

"It took time for them to understand the situation. After that, they started attacking with whatever they had: some started attacking with stones, some with drone or missiles. It was a chaotic situation and they didn't know what is happening. And the mismanagement that was happening on the other side, we gave a calibrated response. We didn't want to take the fighting further because our politico-military aims were achieved," he said.

Dwivedi said on morning of May 10, 2025, the three services were given "clear orders" in case the fighting escalates. He also called the military operation the best example of "tri-service synergy under clear-cut political directive".

He further said Pakistan had clear knowledge, through satellite imagery, of which naval ships and aircraft were being moved and to where.

"When they connected the dots, they said that it was the right time to stop the fighting there itself and profitable for them," the Army chief added.

He has also said that Indian Army remains satisfied with the progress it made in 2025 through various initiatives under "Jointness, Atmanirbharta, and Innovation".