India News : Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Prithviraj Chavan has sparked a major political and strategic debate after questioning the necessity of maintaining a massive ground army in the era of modern warfare. Referring to the changing nature of conflicts, Chavan said India should rethink the requirement of having 12 to 15 lakh soldiers in its armed forces.
Speaking to reporters, Chavan stated that future wars will not be fought primarily through large-scale ground operations but through air power, missiles, and advanced technology. “The importance of sheer numbers in the army has reduced significantly. Modern warfare is no longer about deploying massive infantry forces,” he said.
Chavan compared India’s military strength with Pakistan’s, noting that while India has around 12–15 lakh soldiers, Pakistan maintains approximately five to six lakh personnel. According to him, numerical superiority alone no longer determines military strength in contemporary conflicts.
Referring to Operation Sindoor, Chavan claimed that the role of ground forces during the operation was limited. He alleged that during the operation, Indian troops did not advance even a kilometer on the ground and that the conflict was largely confined to aerial and missile engagements. “This clearly shows how warfare has transformed,” he argued.
In a controversial remark, Chavan also described Operation Sindoor as a failure from the very first day. He claimed that during the half-hour-long aerial confrontation on May 7, India suffered losses and that some Indian aircraft were shot down, forcing the Air Force to halt further operations. He further alleged that if fighter jets had taken off from bases such as Gwalior, Bathinda, or Sirsa, they too could have faced similar threats.
Providing background, Chavan recalled that the Indian Army launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, in which 26 tourists were killed. The operation targeted terrorist camps in Pakistan, leading to four days of military tension between the two countries before hostilities were halted at Pakistan’s request.
Chavan suggested that the capabilities of soldiers could be better utilized in other national roles and emphasized the need for a strategic review of India’s defense policy. His remarks have reignited nationwide discussions on military strategy, defense spending, and the future of warfare.
