Addressing an event at the Vivekananda Centre in New Delhi, Chauhan confirmed that an Indian loitering munition had struck Kirana Hills during Operation Sindoor last year, but described the hit as accidental. He explained the broader mission context rather than framing the incident as a targeting decision.
Why the Munition Hit Kirana Hills
Chauhan said Indian forces had deployed loitering munitions to search for radars around Sargodha and Kirana Hills, a militarily significant area roughly 10 km north of Sargodha. He noted the munition, believed to be an Israeli-designed Harop drone, had limited flight endurance, and after failing to locate its intended radar target within that window, it came down over one of the hills in the area.
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A Shift From India’s Earlier Position
The clarification marks a departure from India’s initial stance. In the days following the operation, the Indian Air Force had publicly denied hitting Kirana Hills, with Air Marshal AK Bharti stating at a media briefing that the site had not been struck. Chauhan’s remarks now offer a more detailed, if still cautious, account of what actually happened.
Other Details From the Briefing
Beyond Kirana Hills, Chauhan also revealed that the Indian Air Force had received clearance to strike Skardu in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir during the operation, though the mission was called off due to poor weather conditions. He added that Pakistan had struggled to produce credible evidence of successful hits on Indian targets throughout the conflict.
The Bigger Picture
Chauhan’s comments underline a broader message India has maintained since Operation Sindoor: that the mission was calculated and constrained, even amid the fog of a fast-moving conflict — and that any brush near sensitive sites was circumstantial, not intentional escalation.
