India, June 1 -- War is the ultimate auditor of military capability. It strips away the layers of bureaucratic optimism and the polished presentations of defence expos. In the span of 88 hours in May 2025, Operation Sindoor delivered its verdict. For decades, we had spoken of Atmanirbharta-self-reliance-as a strategic aspiration. When the guns fell silent on May 10, it was clear that self-reliance was no longer an aspiration. It was a survival imperative.

Uttar Pradesh.

As someone who shepherded the BrahMos programme from a drawing board concept to the world's fastest cruise missile, I view the conflict as a validation of an industrial philosophy. The success was not accidental, it was the result of a convergence of technological matura...