Gen Upendra Dwivedi At Inauguration Of ‘Agnishodh’ At IIT Madras News24 –

Gen Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), inaugurated ‘Agnishodh’ – the Indian Army Research Cell (IARC) at IIT Madras, marking a significant step towards self-reliance in defence technology.
The initiative aims to upskill military personnel in emerging fields such as additive manufacturing, cybersecurity, quantum computing, wireless communication, and unmanned systems, fostering a tech-enabled force.

The collaboration will also extend to the IIT Madras Research Park, including partnerships with AMTDC and the Pravartak Technologies Foundation. On the occasion, Gen Dwivedi addressed the faculty and students on “Operation Sindoor – A New Chapter in India’s Fight Against Terrorism,” highlighting it as a calibrated, intelligence-led operation that reflects a doctrinal shift.

He emphasized the role of indigenous technology and precision military action in reinforcing India’s proactive security posture. He also lauded the IIT faculty for their contribution to nation-building through academic excellence.

During an address at IIT Madras, he said, “In Operation Sindoor, we played chess. We didn’t know what the enemy’s next move was going to be, or what our next move would be. This is called the grey zone. Grey zone means we are not going for conventional operations. What we are doing is just short of a conventional operation. We were making the chess moves, and the enemy was also making their chess moves. At times, we were giving them checkmate, and at times, we were going in for the kill – at the risk of losing our own. But that’s what life is all about.”

Speaking on the operation, the COAS said, “What happened on 22 April in Pahalgam shocked the nation. On the 23rd, the very next day, we all sat down. This was the first time the RM (Defence Minister Rajnath Singh) said, ‘Enough is enough.’ All three chiefs were very clear that something had to be done. A free hand was given – ‘You decide what is to be done.’ That is the kind of confidence, political direction, and political clarity we saw for the first time. That’s what raises your morale. That’s how it helped our Army commanders-in-chief to be on the ground and act as per their wisdom.”

“On the 25th, we visited the Northern Command, where we thought, planned, conceptualised, and executed seven of the nine targets that were destroyed, and a lot of terrorists were killed. On April 29, we met the Prime Minister for the first time. It’s important how a small name like Op Sindoor connects the whole nation. That is something which galvanised the entire country. That is the reason the whole nation was saying why have you stopped? That question was being asked and it has been amply answered,” Dwivedi added. 

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