"BrahMos Was Primary Offensive Weapon": DRDO Chief On Op Sindoor

India's Operation Sindoor that destroyed terror infrastructure and military assets deep inside Pakistan was a declaration of the country's ability to defend itself using homegrown technology, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman Samir Kamat said today.

Mr Kamat highlighted not just the courage of soldiers but also the technological backbone that supported them.

The DRDO chief's comments at the 4th convocation ceremony of Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) in Pune came hours after Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said the Indian Air Force (IAF) shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and a large aircraft during Operation Sindoor, describing it as the largest-ever recorded surface-to-air kill by India.

"Operation Sindoor was more than a mission. It was a declaration of India's ability to stand tall through self-reliance, strategic foresight, and indigenous technological strength. It was a statement to the world that India has the capability to protect its borders through homegrown technology," Mr Kamat said.

India's BrahMos had struck several targets in Pakistan successfully, demonstrating the fearsome power of the cruise missile jointly developed with Russia.

"When it comes to offensive weapons, BrahMos was the primary weapon used, mainly air-launched BrahMos, which were launched from our Sukhoi-30MK1 platform. When it comes to defensive weapon systems, the Akash system, the D-4 system, which is an anti-drone system, and the MR-SAM were used," Mr Kamat said.

"All the sensors were networked using the Akashteer, which helped in identifying the threats coming towards us and then deploying the right kind of weapon to neutralise those threats. An early warning and control aircraft was also used for airborne surveillance. So this is broadly what I can say without getting into too much operational details," the DRDO chief said.

The Akashteer is an AI-based system which networks all sensors and weapons and allows decision-making on which weapon would be the most appropriate to use based on the threats which are coming, Mr Kamat added.

The Akashteer system is part of the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) designed by the Indian Air Force (IAF). The IACCS was the tip of the spear in the air defence (AD) component of Operation Sindoor.