Webdesk: India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is promoting a misleading narrative to portray Operation Sindoor as a success, in an apparent attempt to divert attention from the Indian Air Force’s poor performance and broader military shortcomings following the operation’s failure.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s declaration of Operation Sindoor as a “major success” and his portrayal of India’s defence sector as a rising global hub have been dismissed by defence analysts and global observers as misleading and hollow. Experts argue that this narrative is a deliberate attempt to distract from recent military failures.
Following the Indian Air Force’s reported failure in the so-called operation against Pakistan, Singh launched a promotional campaign within India, claiming that “the bravery of our soldiers and the performance of indigenous defence equipment” have boosted global demand for Indian-made military hardware.
However, critics say these statements are far from the truth.
According to Azaad Research, international defence experts view Rajnath Singh’s statements as an exercise in face-saving, misinformation, and political deflection.
The research argues that the Indian government is using grand claims to suppress internal backlash over Operation Sindoor’s disappointing results.
High-priced weapons, humiliating outcome
Despite using expensive imported systems, Operation Sindoor exposed critical weaknesses in India’s military capabilities.
According to Azaad Research, the performance of India’s much-hyped French-made Rafale fighter jets, once described as the crown jewels of India’s air defence, was deeply underwhelming.
These jets failed to deliver decisive results and were unable to hold ground for even minutes against a smaller, less-equipped opponent like Pakistan.
This military embarrassment, experts say, has dealt a major blow not just to India’s indigenous weapon systems but also to the credibility of its imported defence technology.
Rajnath Singh’s claim that the global market is increasingly interested in Indian defence products is contradicted by ground realities, according to analysts.
They argue that Operation Sindoor revealed serious flaws in India’s military training, leadership, and mission planning, just as the country was pushing to increase its defence exports internationally.
Rather than learning from the operation’s failures, analysts believe the Indian government is now focused on marketing an inflated image of success to domestic and global audiences.
Defence analysts cited by Azaad Research say that glorified brochures and promotional campaigns cannot hide India’s operational shortcomings.
“No glossy booklet or staged showcase can mask actual military incompetence,” one expert remarked.
Beyond Slogans: India Needs Real Defence Capabilities
According to analysts, Operation Sindoor has exposed the true state of India’s air power, defence technology, and strategic preparedness.
Big talk on national TV and politics can create fiction but cannot change the reality on the ground neither can it arouse interest of the real international consumers.
India really needs to set its mind on being a believable defence exporter on the world stage and then it has to move on equipping itself in the real capacity of producing quality equipment that has to be backed by training and field experience.
Operation Sindoor: Myth of Modi’s military might
India’s Defence Minister is peddling a hollow narrative to cover up the embarrassments of the so-called Operation Sindoor.
What’s of India’s so-called “indigenous defence equipment,” the Indian Air Force’s pathetic and bungled performance during the operation exposed the gaping holes in both training and capability.
Far from showcasing any credible prowess, the spectacle did irreparable damage to the marketability of even imported platforms like the French Rafales.
The world saw firsthand how these aircraft, touted as India’s crown jewels, failed to achieve decisive results against a much smaller adversary.
India can spin fairy tales about “increased demand,” but no amount of self-congratulation can erase the operational fiasco and the humiliation it brought upon both its domestic and foreign-supplied arsenal.
The Defence Minister’s bombast is nothing more than an attempt to distract from the undeniable truth: India’s military machine, no matter how many shiny brochures it prints, remains woefully short of the competence it claims.
As India seeks to position itself as a major arms exporter, analysts warn that cosmetic PR cannot substitute battlefield credibility. For New Delhi, the true test lies not in slogans, but in demonstrable performance.
Read more: French military, Intelligence break silence on India’s Rafale losses to Pakistan
