Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi has taken a jibe at Pakistan's claims of victory following the May clashes after Operation Sindoor. Speaking at IIT Madras, General Dwivedi mocked Pakistan's narrative, suggesting that the promotion of their Army chief, Asim Munir, to Field Marshal was being used to project a false sense of triumph. He stated, "If you ask a Pakistani whether you lost or won, he'd say, 'My chief has become a field marshal. We must have won, that's why he's become a field marshal'".

General Dwivedi also highlighted the strategic nature of Operation Sindoor, comparing it to a "game of chess". He described it as a "grey zone" operation, where the moves of both sides were unpredictable, posing significant challenges for the Indian forces. "In Operation Sindoor, we played chess. It means that we did not know the next move the enemy is going to take and what we were going to do. This is what we call a grey zone," Dwivedi said. He elaborated that this meant operating just short of conventional warfare, making calculated moves while risking losses to gain an advantage.

Operation Sindoor was launched following the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22nd that killed 26 civilians. According to Dwivedi, the day after the attack, a meeting was held where Defence Minister Rajnath Singh authorized a "free hand" to the armed forces to respond. Dwivedi emphasized that this political clarity and confidence significantly boosted the morale of the Army. Air Chief Marshal AP Singh also credited the central government's "political will" and the absence of external constraints for the operation's success. He stated that the forces decided their own rules of engagement and how to control escalation, having full freedom in planning and execution.

The Army chief highlighted the importance of narrative management in warfare. He pointed out Pakistan's strategy of influencing its population by showcasing the promotion of their army chief as a sign of victory, regardless of the actual outcome of the conflict.

Recent reports indicate that Field Marshal Munir was hosted by former US President Donald Trump for a private lunch in June, shortly after Operation Sindoor. The American general, Michael Kurilla, whose farewell Munir is scheduled to attend, stated the US needs to have a relationship with both India and Pakistan in countering terrorism.