Ex-defence chief Anil Chauhan says Pakistan’s ceasefire request delayed during Operation Sindoor

The Story in Brief

Former Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said Pakistan requested a ceasefire on the morning of 10 May during Operation Sindoor, contacting India through the Director General of Military Operations hotline. Chauhan told ThePrint’s Off The Cuff event that New Delhi deliberately delayed its response until the afternoon because “we had not even executed half” of planned strikes. He said India intended to complete its military objectives and had additional waves of strikes planned to demonstrate that no Pakistani installation was beyond reach.

Chauhan said Pakistan sought talks after believing its strikes on Indian targets had taken effect and because Indian air power had struck key Pakistani airbases, including Sargodha and Noor Khan, in the early hours of 10 May. He said several airfields were hit around midnight or at 4-5am, which he characterised as preventing Pakistan from generating sorties. Operation Sindoor began after the Pahalgam terror attack on 22 April, when 26 tourists were killed; India accused The Resistance Front and carried out tri-service strikes across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, targeting nine terror camps. A ceasefire understanding was reached on 10 May 2025.

The Indian Opinion

The account is drawn largely from a single senior Indian military figure and presents operational claims about timing, damage and intent. Such statements, including that India “kept them waiting” while not yet having executed half its plans, can sound strategic and decisive but reflect one perspective. The article notes Pakistan and The Resistance Front denied some Indian claims, and it does not provide independent verification of damage to airbases or the precise sequence of strikes. An ordinary reader should treat operational assertions and reported motives with caution and look for corroboration from multiple sources before drawing firm conclusions.

Original article: ‘Pakistan asked for ceasefire, we kept them waiting’: Ex-defence chief Anil Chauhan recalls Operation Sindoor (www.hindustantimes.com)

This story was summarised and commented on by AI from the source linked above.