Loitering munition may have hit Kirana Hills during Operation Sindoor: former CDS Anil Chauhan - The Hindu

**India’s Loitering Munition May Have Struck Kirana Hills During “Operation Sindoor,” Says Former CDS Anil Chauhan**

New Delhi’s military officials have confirmed that a loitered‑munition drone deployed in the recently concluded “Operation Sindoor” may have impacted the Kirana Hills area, which Pakistan claims houses a covert nuclear storage complex. Former Chief of Defence Staff General (Ret.) Anil Chauhan told reporters that the unmanned system, designed to loiter over a target before striking, was launched as part of a limited, precision‑strike campaign aimed at “neutralising any potential threat to India’s security.” While the Indian Air Force has not released official damage assessments, sources cited by *The Hindu* and *NDTV* indicate that the munition’s impact was “low‑on‑fuel” and its effect on the alleged facility remains unverified.

The operation, which unfolded over a two‑day window in early July, was presented by the Ministry of Defence as a “strategic deterrence exercise” rather than an escalation of hostilities. According to *Deccan Herald* and *The Times of India*, Chauhan emphasized that any further military options would be driven by political objectives and the readiness of the armed forces, underscoring that the decision‑making process involved senior civilian and military officials in a series of high‑level meetings prior to the strike. He added that the Indian government retains flexibility to calibrate its response based on the outcomes of the limited operation and the broader diplomatic context.

Analysts note that the episode reflects the increasingly sophisticated use of loitering munitions—sometimes dubbed “suicide drones”—by regional powers to conduct precise, low‑cost strikes without committing to full‑scale conflict. While Pakistan has not publicly confirmed the presence of a nuclear storage site at Kirana Hills, the claim continues to fuel mutual suspicion. The Indian side, meanwhile, appears to be testing the operational envelope of its new drone capabilities while signaling resolve to counter perceived threats, a stance that will likely shape Indo‑Pakistani security dynamics in the months ahead.

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