News24 Exclusive: Maj Gen Kr Vijay Singh Lalotra, AVSM, YSM, SM (Retd), recently opened up about India’s evolving security landscape, diplomatic signaling, and military calculus. The Indian Army Veteran offered a clear-eyed assessment of the cross-border aggression, stating, "The war has begun, the war is half done, and the war is going in our favour." Speaking exclusively to News24, Gen Lalotra reflected on the strong diplomatic steps taken by India in the aftermath of the Pahalgam Terror Attack, laying bare that what the country has done 'is not small, it is in great measure.'
His statements come just a day before the Indian Armed Forces' response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack with "Operation Sindoor." He was confident in the military’s capabilities and expressed his firm belief that India would deliver a decisive and strategic retaliation. During the conversation, Maj Gen KVS Lalotra (Retd) underscored that the sleeper cells and overground operatives remain a persistent internal threat. The veteran General further described the strong diplomatic actions by India to target Pakistan as powerful, strategic moves that have already caused deep economic and psychological ripples across the border. Excerpts:
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Q1. Based on the sensitive revelations from a former sleeper cell member about local operatives potentially assisting in the Pahalgam terror attack, are we doing enough on the intelligence-integration front?
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- All nations were not friendly, they are always up to this game, they are doing something like this but in the case of Pakistan, this has been going on for too long and they got into terrorism. You know, there are other forms if you are not very friendly with the country, but Pakistan has been fomenting this sort of trouble, and they find this a very cheap option. So are we doing enough? As a military man and as a part of the democracy, I can only say that every single day you just can't go and bomb in another country but definitely there's much more we can do to keep the tab on such things and when we know that things like these are going to happen, I think some amount of proactive action has to take place. You know 'Prevention is better than cure', you can't be reactive, you have to be proactive. What we find if in most of cases, we have been reactive and not proactive.
Q2. Should India prioritize eliminating these threats early in its strategic plans, or focus on responding to cross-border aggression first?
- It's both things. This is a constant action that has to take place. There has to be a set of people who are keeping a tab on what you call overground workers, sleeper cells, and there has to be a set of people who should be looking across the borders. Not only across the border, but nowadays these people are spread across different countries. So, they are not only operating from across the borders, but they may well be operating from across the countries.
It's not that we are enlightening the people; the people are already aware of it. The only thing is that in a democracy, such things take a little bit of a backstage and they don't get that much priority. For the past 80 years, of which we are nearly 75 years old, we've been in a protected state of war, while most of India may not be, but at least some of us who live in the northern part of India, who are in J&K, Punjab, some parts of Rajasthan, and Gujarat, we've been in the state of wars in 1947. So, we need to do much more, and the action has to be both internal and external
3. India has taken a series of strong diplomatic steps following the Pahalgam attack — from suspending the Indus Water Treaty to revoking visas of Pakistani nationals, halting bilateral trade and more. India is clearly signaling intent across all fronts...Through your lens, are these actions offering real security gains?
- Wars have different aims, and they are fought for different purposes - territorial, economic, religious, ideological, and for revenge. War is a continuation of political aims and objectives. So when you can't resolve issues politically or diplomatically, then you go to war. Ever since the Pahalgam attack took place, we have been seeing what we call the drawing room war. We think that the war can only be fought between the militaries. No, it is a continuation of political things when you destroy the military mind and the will of a nation to fight. What has happened in the last few days is far greater than the damage caused in 1971. Students of military history and students who live in Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan know how precious every drop of water and they will understand what will happen - "The war has begun, the war is half done, and the war is going in our favour."
Turning his attention squarely to Pakistan, Maj Gen Lalotra (Retd) delivered a scathing critique of its military leadership. He warned that India must not expect rational behavior from a regime driven by misplaced ideology and historical denial.
- You can imagine if this season the crop is not sown, what will be the rate of flour (Atta) in Pakistan? You know they are sliding down, they are going down the hill and going down at a very fast, rapid pace. So, what we have done is not small, it is in great measure. There is relative peace at times, depending upon who is in the chair. Right now, you have the current chief, who is from Jalandhar. He says, 'I am different, I am different from the Hindus and the Indians.' That gentleman forgets his history. He belongs to Jalandhar and he went to a town which was set up by a Sikh Gentleman, Toba Tek Singh, in Pakistan. He is now settled in Rawalpindi - a town set up by Rawal and he is living there, so he doesn't know where he belongs. These are people who are a little irrational. We have to understand that these people will not take rational decisions, and India needs to be prepared for that. India says, okay, we will prepare for the chief, and let us start with preparing the civil population, things like civil defence. The type of war you are seeing is a different form of war.
About Maj Gen KVS Lalotra (Retd)
Maj Gen K.V.S. Lalotra, AVSM, YSM, SM (Retd), is a veteran of the Indian Army with a distinguished career spanning over three decades. Known for his expertise in mountain and jungle warfare, he held several key command, staff, and instructional roles throughout his service. He was commissioned into the 1/11 Gorkha Rifles and commanded the 2/11 Gorkha Rifles along the Line of Control in Bhimber Gali, Rajauri sector. He has also led a brigade in the same region and a Mountain Division in Sikkim, and concluded his military career as the head of the Territorial Army. His operational insights and experience make him a critical voice in understanding India’s evolving security dynamics.
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