Indian Army's Air Defense Measures at Golden Temple Amid Rising Threats

The head of the Indian Army's air defense has revealed that the chief granthi of the Golden Temple in Amritsar granted a rare permission for the installation of air defense systems within the sacred complex to counter potential missile and drone attacks from Pakistan. Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D'cunha disclosed on Monday that during Operation Sindoor, the management of the Golden Temple allowed the Indian Army to set up air defense guns inside the temple to combat possible threats from Pakistani drones and missiles. Amritsar had been targeted multiple times by Pakistani drones and projectiles in retaliation for the terrorist attacks that occurred in Pahalgam on April 22.

In an interview with a news agency, Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D'cunha stated, "It was commendable that the chief granthi of the Golden Temple permitted us to deploy our guns. This is perhaps the first time in many years that they turned off the lights of the temple so we could see the drones approaching." He further explained that once the officials understood the potential threat, they realized the importance of allowing the deployment of guns to protect this internationally recognized national war memorial, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors daily. Consequently, the guns were installed, and the temple lights were turned off.

Citing a previous statement from Major General Karthik C. Sheshadri, General Officer Commanding of the 15th Infantry Division, who revealed that the army's air defense gunners successfully intercepted all targeted drones and missiles at the Golden Temple, D'cunha noted that the Indian Army anticipated that Pakistan might target religious sites near the border due to the absence of legitimate military targets. He remarked, "Fortunately, we anticipated what they (Pakistan) were capable of. Realizing they would target us because they had no legitimate targets across the border, they were more interested in creating confusion and chaos internally, and thus, we imagined they would target our civilian population and our places of worship."

Major General Sheshadri, who detailed the Indian Army's operations at the Golden Temple, confirmed that all attacks on the Sikh shrine were successfully thwarted. He stated, "The Pakistani army lacks any legitimate targets to attack within India, nor do they have the courage or capability to confront the Indian armed forces directly. Therefore, they resort to using terrorism as a state policy and launch unmanned aerial weapons from their territory. They have also targeted religious sites, particularly along the Indian border, with the Golden Temple in Amritsar being a prime example, where an increase in drone and missile attacks has been bravely countered by our army's air defense gunners."

Following the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam on April 22, India intensified military actions against terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In retaliation, Pakistan launched drone attacks targeting Indian civilian areas, with nearly 1,000 drones, all of which were successfully intercepted by Indian air defense systems. India also inflicted significant damage on Pakistani air bases and the Pakistani army.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) rejected the statement made by an army officer claiming that Pakistan targeted the Golden Temple with drones and missiles, which were intercepted by the Indian Army. This statement was made by Major General Karthik C. Sheshadri during an interview with a media outlet. Following India's attacks on nine terrorist bases in the neighboring country in response to the brutal terrorist attack on April 22, Pakistan unleashed a barrage of drone and missile attacks, resulting in the deaths of 26 individuals.