Operation Sindoor logo / PIB

Today, as we mark the anniversary of Operation Sindoor, it is important to remember this significant strategic operation. On May 7, India launched a precision strike operation aimed at neutralizing terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and deep inside Pakistan, including locations in Punjab such as Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sialkot, and Shakargarh, as well as in areas like Muzaffarabad and Kotli, among other sites.

Precision Strikes, Joint Operations, and Strategic Escalation Control

India employed SCALP (an air-launched cruise missile known for its stealth capabilities and long-range deep-strike precision, with a range of over 250 km) and HAMMER (an air-to-ground precision-guided munition, designed to resist jamming, with a range of approximately 50–70 km depending on launch conditions). These stand-off weapon systems, deployed primarily from Rafale fighter jets and supported by other precision-strike assets including loitering munitions, were used to strike nine targets with remarkable precision. It was a rare feat, as the Indian Armed Forces successfully hit all nine targets with pinpoint accuracy—no easy task, while also ensuring minimal collateral damage.

Also Read: Recounting the horror of Pahalgam attack: Stories that need to be remembered

India also deployed indigenously developed systems, including the Akash air defence system, the Akashteer integrated command-and-control network, and D4 anti-drone capabilities, as part of a broader multi-layered operational framework.

This operation, which is currently paused, as stated by India’s Defence Minister, demonstrated a high level of operational synergy and coordination, with Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi describing it as “the best example of tri-service synergy.” This operation was not merely a tactical success but a strategic statement, showcasing India’s capability for high-precision operations and coordinated military action across land, air, and sea. Importantly, each target was engaged using a specific weapon system based on its characteristics, ensuring maximum effectiveness and a near 100 percent success rate.

The operation was the result of comprehensive intelligence inputs, including human intelligence, satellite surveillance, drone technology, signals intelligence (SIGINT), and electronic intelligence (ELINT). This operation also involved a strong element of surprise. On the day the operation was launched, India had announced mock drills on May 7, 2025 across 200+ districts, which caught Pakistan off guard, highlighting the effective use of deception and surprise.

The operation was non-escalatory in nature, with India targeting only terrorist infrastructure, as the Government of India stated from the beginning of the operation: “Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted.” In contrast, Pakistan responded with weapons and drones targeting indiscriminately along border areas, especially in Poonch, where schools, hospitals, and civilians were affected, and where intense shelling killed around 12 civilians and injured dozens, with houses and even a gurdwara specifically targeted.

Redefining India’s Strategic Response and Regional Deterrence

Operation Sindoor has set a new normal in India-Pakistan relations. While India had conducted similar operations in the past, including the surgical strikes of 2016 and the Balakot airstrike of 2019, this time was different because India struck deep inside Pakistan, beyond just terror camps and launchpads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. T

his operation effectively called Pakistan’s nuclear bluff. In the past, Pakistan’s leadership often strategically would invoke nuclear threats against India to deter its retaliation after sponsoring cross-border terrorism. But this time, India called out Pakistan’s nuclear bluff by striking terror infrastructure deep inside Pakistan’s territory, signaling that such intimidation would no longer constrain its response. It established new rules of engagement: any future terror attack on India would invite a decisive response across the length and breadth of Pakistan’s territory.

This operation was launched in response to the brutal terror attack on innocent tourists in the Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam, where more than 26 civilians were killed based on their Hindu identity. Shortly after the attack, The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility twice—on the day of the attack and the following day. However, fearing the consequences of the way this brutal massacre unfolded, Pakistan made them retract their claim.

TRF later stated that its social media account had been hacked. Pakistan also denied any knowledge of TRF, claiming that no such organization existed at the beginning when this attack occurred. Yet, at the United Nations, with the support of China, Pakistan pushed to remove references to TRF from official statements. This contradiction clearly exposed its complicity and duplicity. Later, its Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar shamelessly boasted about this when he got the reference to TRF removed at the UN, saying, “we got the TRF reference deleted from the UN Security Council press statement,” reflecting its complicity.

Secondly, when India struck the Bahawalpur terror infrastructure, Pakistan initially denied that any terrorists were killed. However, later funeral prayers of those killed were attended by Pakistani military and police officials and were reportedly accorded ceremonial honours, which indicated that terrorists had indeed been eliminated. JeM commander statements later acknowledged that key JeM infrastructure in Bahawalpur was destroyed and senior figures were killed, further exposing state complicity.
Thirdly, posters recently surfaced in Pakistan showing tributes to the terrorists who were killed in the strikes, once again confirming their deaths and reinforcing the narrative of support.

Pakistan’s Propaganda Warfare against India

Moreover, despite Pakistan’s claims of effective retaliation during Operation Sindoor, evidence suggests otherwise. Recent reports reveal that during the operation, Pakistan intensified its lobbying efforts in the United States through diplomatic channels, carrying out a large-scale lobbying and diplomatic outreach in Washington.

It made 60+ contacts (meetings, calls, emails) with US officials, lawmakers, and media, with the objective of seeking intervention to stop India’s military actions. Pakistan also hired multiple lobbying firms and spent approximately $4–5 million (around ₹40–45 crore) on this effort, reflecting its concern over India’s military capabilities and response. Now imagine a country like Pakistan, already facing economic bankruptcy, still spending so much on lobbying; it reflects how worried it was about India’s military actions.

They also engaged in a lot of drama and false propaganda against India, and they could not provide any evidence of their claims, only stating that it was all on social media; instead, India provided satellite details of its targets, which hit deep inside Pakistan, and the damage to Nur Khan Air Base was so intense that the repair work was only recently completed.

India released before-and-after satellite imagery of terror camps and strike sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to demonstrate precision targeting and damage assessment. Independent analysis of high-resolution commercial satellite imagery (including Maxar) confirmed significant damage to multiple Pakistani airbases and military facilities, including Nur Khan and other strategic sites. Reports further show that India’s strikes were supported by satellite-based battle damage assessment (BDA) to verify hits deep inside Pakistan, reinforcing India’s claims of precision strikes.

The writer is an author and a columnist. He has authored more than 15 books including 'Taliban: War and Religion in Afghanistan'.

(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of New India Abroad.)

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