'Not a good decision, forces still in conflict': Veterans slam resumption of Beating Retreat at border amid Op Sindoor 

The decision to resume the Beating Retreat ceremony at the India-Pakistan border amid ongoing military tensions has drawn sharp criticism from military veterans and public figures.

Former Lieutenant General KJS Dhillon called the move inappropriate, especially as Operation Sindoor is still underway. "Since 'Operation Sindoor' is still ongoing, there is no place for this. These are peacetime ceremonies, not for in the middle of the conflict. Hope someone is listening?" he posted on X.

Echoing similar concerns, former Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor said the timing and optics of the Border Security Force's (BSF) decision were questionable. "Beating Retreat Ceremony along Pakistan border held by BSF at Amritsar, Ferozepur & Fasilka to resume from today. Official reason, for benefit of tourists...Timing, optics & messaging, not a good decision. With forces still deployed, it is not normalcy," Kapoor noted.

Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai went a step further, urging the government to discontinue the ceremony altogether. "PM Narendra Modi Sir pl have this abolished. why are we giving a terrorist nation so much Bhav! Rajnath Singh, we must reduce and downgrade all interactions with this terrorist state," Pai posted.

The Beating Retreat ceremony, a daily military practice that takes place at Attari-Wagah, was suspended in the wake of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. 

While the ceremony will now go ahead, it will do so under altered protocols — without the symbolic opening of border gates or the customary handshake between the BSF of India and Pakistan Rangers. However, audiences will be allowed to witness the ceremony from the Indian side, albeit under heightened security arrangements.

The beating retreat ceremony has been a custom between the two countries since 1959. As per standard protocol, every evening the border gates are opened by both forces at the Attari-Wagah border during the ceremony and also the customary handshake takes place, but the BSF chose to send a strong message post Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists, in Jammu and Kashmir.

The tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after Indian forces launched precision airstrikes under Operation Sindoor targeting terror infrastructure across the Line of Control, including areas in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).