Chandigarh, May 7 (AHN) Marking the first anniversary of 'Operation Sindoor', former Punjab DGPs on Thursday hailed the military action as a decisive and successful response by India to terrorism, while stressing the need for sustained vigilance, public awareness, and evolving security preparedness to counter future threats from Pakistan.

Former Punjab DGP S.S. Virk told AHN that the operation was launched in response to the earlier Pahalgam incident and involved deep strikes by the Indian Air Force inside Pakistan's territory.

"In response to earlier events in Pahalgam, the Government of India carried out Operation Sindoor inside Pakistan. It was a successful operation. During this, the Indian Air Force conducted strikes deep inside Pakistani territory and caused significant damage to groups involved in such activities," Virk said.

He added that the impact of the operation was also acknowledged internationally and in the Pakistani media.

Marking the first anniversary of the operation, Virk stressed the importance of remembering both the tragedy and India’s response to it.

"Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. To ensure that such a massacre never happens again in the future, we must remember that tragedy as well and pay tribute to those who lost their lives. We must also remember Operation Sindoor," he said.

He further said that citizens must remain aware and vigilant so that "Pakistan does not dare to carry out such acts again in the future".

Former Punjab DGP Sanjiv Kalra also praised the operation, saying Indians should feel proud of the achievement and the level of preparedness displayed during the mission.

"As Indians, we are proud that we accomplished this. I personally witnessed how different departments were involved, made aware, and prepared. We did a very good job," Kalra told AHN.

Calling the operation "very successful", Kalra underlined the importance of public participation in modern warfare.

"It is very important that people are aware. The kind of battle we are talking about cannot be fought without public involvement. The nature of warfare has changed everywhere, and during Operation Sindoor, we saw how drones and air technology were being used," he said.

Kalra also cautioned that security preparedness can never be considered complete due to rapidly evolving technology.

"For the first time, we witnessed drones being used, and preparing for drones requires a completely different kind of readiness. This kind of preparation has to remain continuous," he added.