NSA Ajit Doval Criticizes Foreign Media Over Operation Sindoor Reporting, Highlights Precision of Indian Strikes

NEW DELHI | July 11, 2025 — National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Friday sharply criticized the portrayal of Operation Sindoor by sections of the foreign media, accusing them of misrepresenting the facts and failing to acknowledge the precision and restraint of India’s retaliatory strikes on May 7.

Speaking at the 62nd Convocation of IIT Madras, Doval emphasized that while international outlets highlighted alleged damage in Pakistan, they failed to produce a single image showing harm to Indian structures.

“Foreign media said Pakistan did this and that... But can anyone show even a single image of damage to any Indian facility? Not even a broken windowpane,” Doval asserted. “On the contrary, what the same foreign media did publish were satellite images of 13 Pakistani air bases — before and after the Indian strikes — including those in Sargodha, Rahim Yar Khan, and Chaklala. These visuals confirmed precise damage inflicted by Indian forces.”

Operation Sindoor was launched in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which left 26 civilians dead. According to Indian officials, the retaliatory strikes eliminated over 100 terrorists and targeted nine high-value terror camps of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Doval lauded the professionalism and accuracy of the Indian Armed Forces, stressing that every strike was “calculated, deliberate, and targeted.”
“We hit only what we aimed for—terror infrastructure. Nothing else,” he said, underscoring the fact that all targets were located far beyond the border zones, in the heart of Pakistani territory.

Foreign Media's Mixed Narrative

While several Western outlets, including The Guardian and The Times, echoed Pakistan's claims that civilian areas had been hit, major U.S. publications such as The New York Times and The Washington Post acknowledged the effectiveness and precision of India’s operations.

A New York Times article published on May 14 cited high-resolution satellite imagery confirming damage to Pakistani military facilities caused by Indian missile strikes. “Though limited and precise in nature, the strikes clearly impacted Pakistan’s defense infrastructure,” the report noted.

The NYT further reported that India had successfully struck sensitive installations, including an aircraft hangar at Bholari Air Base near Karachi, and a critical building at Nur Khan Air Base — located near Pakistan's Army headquarters and close to its nuclear command unit.

Push for Indigenous Defense Capability

Doval also took the opportunity to praise India’s growing self-reliance in defense technology, pointing to the extensive use of indigenous systems during Operation Sindoor.

“We are proud of how much indigenous content was involved,” he said. “This is the future. We must continue investing in and developing our own advanced defense capabilities.”

The NSA’s remarks come amid growing frustration within the Indian establishment over what officials see as a persistent reluctance among some foreign media to describe acts of terrorism accurately. The April 22 massacre at Baisaran meadows, for instance, was often described in vague terms, with attackers labeled “gunmen” or “militants” instead of terrorists.

As India continues to assert its military and diplomatic posture in a complex geopolitical environment, Doval’s comments reflect a broader demand for objective reporting and recognition of India's evolving strategic capabilities.