How India used civil defence network during Op Sindoor, ex-Army chief reveals

Former Army chief Upendra Dwivedi detailed the nationwide civil defence activation during Operation Sindoor. He said coordinated private security, technology and public vigilance would strengthen preparedness for future conflicts.

In Short

• Operation Sindoor activated civil defence in 427 districts on May 7, 2025
• Private security vital beyond borders, securing critical infrastructure
• Multi-layered defence stopped drones during Operation Sindoor

Former Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi has said civil defence networks were activated in 427 districts across the country on May 7, 2025, during Operation Sindoor to help maintain the element of surprise, underlining the importance of coordinated preparedness in future conflicts.

In his first major address at a private-sector event after his retirement, Dwivedi highlighted the growing role of private security personnel in India's national security architecture, saying future wars would not be decided only along the borders but also at the gates of power plants, industrial facilities, mines, hospitals and other critical infrastructure.

In his address, he said Operation Sindoor had demonstrated that private security agencies and civil defence networks would play an equally important role in preparing the country for future conflicts.

"The security of this nation is decided not only on the Line of Control, but also at the gate of a power plant at three o'clock in the morning. Operation Sindoor proved that you would be playing an equally important role in the next war," he said.

Highlighting the importance of civil defence preparedness, Dwivedi recalled that around 427 districts across the country were activated on May 7 to help preserve the element of surprise during the military operation.

He said the activation was part of the broader preparedness that helped India achieve strategic surprise.

Drawing parallels between military operations and internal security, the former Army chief said the effectiveness of India's air defence response during Operation Sindoor was not the result of a single weapon or system, but of multiple layers working together.

"What stopped the drones in Operation Sindoor was not a single weapon. It was layers, the sensors of one organisation, the jammers of another and the guns of a third, all linked into one picture," he said.

He said the same principle should guide India's internal security architecture, with private security personnel serving as the first layer of detection.

Describing private security personnel as the country's largest potential human sensor network, he called them the "first sensor of the nation", capable of detecting suspicious activity and providing critical intelligence from the ground.

"Trained and connected, it is a strategic asset. Untrained and unrecognised, it is a strategic gap. You are not on the edge of India's security architecture, you are inside it," he said.

Dwivedi pointed out that private security personnel guard several critical establishments, including energy installations, coal mines, industries, hospitals, data centres and ports, all of which could become targets during future conflicts.

Referring to the changing nature of warfare, he said conflicts were now being fought simultaneously in the physical, digital and psychological domains. Threats, he cautioned, could emerge through compromised insiders, cyber intrusions, sabotage, misinformation and even individuals carrying valid access credentials.

Emphasising the need for technological upgradation, he said security personnel must become more digitally aware and learn to identify behavioural patterns, verify credentials and respond to emerging threats.

He also called for greater adoption of artificial intelligence and smart surveillance systems, while cautioning that technology must assist rather than replace human judgement.

"The task is for the machine, the judgement is always human," he said, adding that security companies must retrain and reorient their personnel as technology changes their roles instead of simply replacing them.

The former Army chief proposed a new framework for the private security industry built around three principles: pride, professionalism and partnership.

He stressed that the experience of security personnel must be formally recognised through certification and training, arguing that a guard with 15 years of experience should not continue to be classified as unskilled.

He also called for better wages, social security, insurance and accident cover, saying dignity and fair compensation were essential to building a professional security force.

On coordination, Dwivedi advocated stronger links between private security agencies, police, fire services, civil defence networks and government institutions. He said observations made by security personnel must reach first responders within seconds instead of getting lost in bureaucratic channels.

Calling for greater public participation in national security, he urged citizens to remain alert and report suspicious behaviour, but cautioned against profiling individuals on the basis of religion, caste, faith or language.

"Alertness is about behaviour, never about identity. Report what a person does, never what a person is," he said.

Concluding his address, Dwivedi outlined three commitments for the private security industry: fair wages, serious training and respect for security personnel.

"From experience to certification, from manpower to capability, from private security to trusted partner of the nation, that is what Private Security 2.0 is all about," he said.

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