Twenty-seven years ago on this day, 11 May 1998, India woke in to Nuclear Freedom and emancipated from the nuclear apartheid that the world, led by US of A, wanted us to follow. The operation Shakti, carried out on this day in 1998, in one of the most secretive manners, caught big powers like the US with their pants down attracting their ire and sanctions, both on the economic and technology front, for some time.
https://khened.blogspot.com/2023/05/25-years-of-operation-shakti-pokhran-ii.html
Today as we celebrate the National Technology Day 2025, let us hail our scientists and engineers whose contributions to the technological developments in India have not only ushered us economic benefits but also have given us an edge in the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict – operation Sindoor - even as the cease fire has been agreed, between the two countries, yesterday. The conflict, fought by Indians with a sense of morality amidst utter immorality in conduct by the enemy who has taken a heavy bleeding nose, has highlighted India’s technological superiority through Operation Sindoor.
Operation Sindoor, aptly named mission, began with the exacting standards of technological precision that was executed by our reverential armed forces to precisely chose and neutralize nine terrorist camps with exacting precision. The operation Sindoor, launched in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, showcased India’s technological prowess. Nine terrorist camps linked to groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba were obliterated using AI-powered loitering munitions, autonomous drones, smart missiles, and real-time satellite intelligence. This operation, executed without Indian boots crossing the border, marked a paradigm shift, leveraging AI-driven targeting and encrypted communications to ensure pinpoint accuracy and zero risk to soldiers. Pakistan’s response, deploying waves of drones, was countered by India’s S-400 systems, which neutralized these threats with precision, further evidencing the supremacy of technology in the conflict.
Today as we celebrate the National Technology Day let us be proud that this conflict has demonstrated Indias superior position in not just the valour of our armed forces, which is a given, but also of our technological superiority. Among those technologies used successfully this conflict was the Akash missile system, a medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) in Bangalore. In a way Akash and its success will serve as a tribute to the missile man of India, our loved President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, under whose leadership in DRDO this project began. The Akash, with a range of 25–30 km, is designed to intercept drones, missiles, and aircraft, showcasing remarkable speed (Mach 2.5), agility, and intelligence through its indigenous Rajendra radar and command guidance system.
On the night of May 7–8, 2025, Akash
systems, integrated with the Indian Air Force’s Integrated Air Command and
Control System (IACCS), intercepted all incoming Pakistani drones - made by
Turkey- and missiles targeting 15 Indian cities, including Jammu, demonstrating
its efficiency in multi-target engagement. India’s historic test in 2023, where
Akash engaged four aerial targets simultaneously at 25 km, underscores its role
as a cornerstone of India’s air defense. It is a pride moment for us that
Bangalore, often called India’s Silicon Valley, is at the heart of this
technological revolution. Beyond BEL’s production of Akash, Bangalore-based start-ups
like Flying Wedge Defence and Aerospace Technologies have revolutionized
unmanned warfare. Their FWD-200B, India’s first indigenous medium-altitude,
long-endurance (MALE) bomber UAV, unveiled in 2024, carries 100 kg of precision
payloads, inflicting heavy casualties on terrorist camps across the Line of
Control (LoC). These drones, equipped with AI-driven targeting and
high-resolution sensors, operate in swarms, coordinating strikes with real-time
data from Indian satellites. Another Bangalore start up, Tonbo Imaging,
raised Rs 175 crore in 2025 to supply advanced vision equipment, enhancing night-time
operations for Indian forces. These innovations, born in Bangalore’s thriving
tech ecosystem, reflect the city’s role as a hub of defense innovation.
India’s space capabilities, led by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), provide the backbone for these operations. The NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) system, comprising seven IRNSS satellites, delivers precise positioning and timing data, reducing reliance on the U.S.-controlled GPS. In the conflict, NavIC-enabled receiver chips, developed by Bangalore’s Accord Software and Systems Pvt Ltd under DRDO’s guidance, ensure secure navigation for drones, missiles, and ground forces. Satellites like GSAT-7A and EMISAT, launched in 2018 and 2019, enhance military communications and electronic intelligence (ELINT), linking radar stations, airbases, and AEW&C platforms like the DRDO’s Netra Mk1A, which played a pivotal role in Operation Sindoor. The RISAT-2B, with its synthetic aperture radar, provides all-weather surveillance, guiding precise strikes. ISRO’s contributions, rooted in the vision of Vikram Sarabhai and A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, have made India a space power, with 52 military satellites planned by 2028 to bolster space-centric warfare.
With heavy casualties of military assets Pakistanis came calling pleading for ceasefire. The US too played their part to ensure the conflict does not get out of control and called Indian leadership appealing for ceasefire. On receiving a second call from the DGMO, Pakistan at 15.35 PM, the DGMO India communicated this to the Indian political leadership who agreed to the request of Pakistan to cease fire yesterday from 5 PM onwards and an announcement to this effect was made in the press conference by the Secretary External Affairs Notwithstanding the violation of this agreement, which the Pakistanis resorted to, typical of their immoral conduct and nature, India has shown utmost restraint and has given a chance for the peace to prevail and let us hope that the ceasefire continues.
As we hail our armed forces for their befitting response to the misadventure of Pakistan showing exemplary restraints not to attack any civilian infrastructure, let us also be mindful of the fact that the looser Pakistan will never shy away from peddling a false narrative, which even their leaders peddle, unlike the maturity of our leadership, of their so called victory. This remind me of the saying in Hindi Russi Jal Gai, Bal Nahi Gaya.
So be it, we – including the global community - are aware of the falsehood which they peddle – remember where was Osama Bin Hiding when the US came calling deep inside Pak territory to apprehend and kill him – and let us not be swayed by what these peddlers of falsehood say and amplify it on social media. Let us believe our leadership and respect the valour and determination and strength of our armed forces, who evidenced their power when they vivisected the enemy into two in the Bangladesh Liberation War. Any further misadventure by the enemy will be met with the same fate not withstanding their cry and blackmailing methods of their nukes. What they forget is that India too is armed to the teeth with our own nuclear arsenal but it is the beauty of our democracy and the ethos of ahimsa and morals rooted in our age old traditions our civilisation that we don't exhibit nor blackmail the enemy with our nuclear armaments which can vanquish the enemy, Pakistan, if it tries any nuclear misadventure.
Coming back to the National Technology Day, after the PM briefed the nation, through the PIB, on the Pokhran II success on 11 May 1998 he spoke in detail about Operation Shakti in the Parliament. Speaking a couple of weeks later in Parliament, Prime Minister Vajpayee said, “India is now a Nuclear Weapon State. This is a reality that cannot be denied. It is not a conferment that we seek; nor is it a status for others to grant.” As expected, these tests resulted in a great degree of consternation from the international community led by USA including a multi-layered sanctions imposed on India. Notwithstanding these initial difficulties, Prime Minister, Vajpayee was sure of the benefits the Pokhran II will yield for India and in appreciation of this feat, he declared that every year this day, 11 May, would be commemorated as National Technology Day.
The opening celebration of National Technology Day was organised on May 11, 1999, by the Council for Technology. This event was not only a tribute to the nation's technological achievements but also aimed to acknowledge the dedication of professionals in the field and highlight their significant contributions. Ever since India has been commemorating this day as National Technology Day, reflecting on its journey of technological advancement and innovation, which is evidenced in Operation Sindoor.
As we commemorate this occasion, let
us honour the tireless efforts of those who push the boundaries of knowledge
and inspire future generations.
