New Delhi: In an age the place warfare steadily performs out like viral leisure and social media sentiment calls for escalation over restraint, former Indian Army Chief General Manoj Naravane provides a reminder – warfare isn’t a cinematic climax. It is a human disaster.
Speaking in Pune at a defence and financial coverage discussion board on May 11, General Naravane addressed the general public discourse surrounding India’s fresh army offensive – Operation Sindoor – and the following choice to droop additional hostilities with Pakistan.
While many on-line commentators clamored for a “decisive finish”, Naravane requested, “At what cost?”
‘Not a Bollywood Movie’
“War is not romantic. It is not your Bollywood movie. It is serious business. A wise commander calculates the cost long before it becomes unbearable,” he mentioned, addressing the country’s rising urge for food for spectacle.
The pragmatic mirrored image got here simply days after India’s tri-service moves in opposition to terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and in a while army bases around the border. Though the precision of the moves surprised observers and changed strategic equations in South Asia, Naravane emphasized that the cessation of army operations was once no longer an indication of retreat however of accountability.
“It is not a ceasefire. It is a pause. One that allows us to weigh what truly matters – lives, stability and the long-term consequences of escalation,” he clarified.
The Human Toll
The normal didn’t mince phrases about what’s steadily neglected of warfare protection – trauma. While missiles and drones dominate headlines, the emotional wreckage lingers in silence.
“There are children who lose their parents. Civilians who spend the rest of their lives with PTSD. No camera shows that. But it is real,” Naravane mentioned.
He wired that in the back of each ‘strike’ is a ripple impact of lifelong scars, no longer simplest on squaddies however on border communities – scars that run deeper than any tactical victory.
First Offensive – Diplomacy
Though his credentials are steeped in army provider, Naravane’s outlook champions discussion over dominance.
“If ordered, I will go to war. That is my duty. But it will never be my first choice. Diplomacy must be,” he said.
In an generation the place nationwide safety debates steadily polarise into ‘guns versus butter’, the previous Army leader argued for strategic prudence, no longer emotional chest-thumping. He stated the monetary pressure of defence investments however framed them as an insurance coverage, no longer a sunk price.
“A well-equipped military does not just respond to threats, it prevents them. Just like insurance, its value lies in deterring the accident before it happens,” he defined.
Strength Isn’t Always Loud
Naravane’s phrases function a quiet counter-narrative to the dominant noise not easy vengeance. He framed India’s movements as strategic deterrence, no longer a step clear of war of words however a step forward of chaos.
“Pakistan got the message. Loud and clear. Their response was not negotiation, it was desperation,” he mentioned, referencing Pakistan’s name to halt escalation after struggling operational losses.
Peace Is Strength So Is Perspective
As India stands at a geopolitical crossroads, Naravane’s insights urge electorate to appear past the quick drama and into the generational penalties of warfare.
“We must learn to resolve disputes at every level, not just between nations but within families, communities and states,” he mentioned.