Lessons from Operation Sindoor - Part 2

In the pre-dawn darkness of May 7, 2025, India launched Operation Sindoor, a highly calculated and precision-targeted military response against nine terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK).

The strikes came just two weeks after the Pahalgam massacre, where 26 civilians including foreign nationals were gunned down in an attack India attributes to Pakistan-backed terror outfits.

While the operation was intense in execution, it was also marked by its restraint and clarity. India deliberately avoided full-blown war, directing its firepower solely at terrorist infrastructure, not Pakistani military installations or civilian areas.

For a country like Malaysia, which maintains a posture of strategic neutrality and internal stability in a complex region, Operation Sindoor offers significant lessons in deterrence, precision warfare, and national defence preparedness.

Precision Over Provocation

India's reaction was not a hasty act of vengeance; rather, it represented a measured exhibition of technological prowess and strategic sophistication.

Conducted between 1:05 AM and 1:30 AM, the operations reportedly employed long-range precision-guided munitions, likely including advanced cruise missiles such as BrahMos and smart glide bombs, launched from within Indian airspace.

Intelligence was acquired through satellite monitoring, drone surveillance, and advanced ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) systems, facilitating precise targeting of terrorist camps while reducing collateral damage.

This marks a notable doctrinal evolution for India.

Previously, the subcontinent was a potential site for rapid escalation; however, India has now adopted a model of 'deterrence by precision' that punishes wrongdoers without provoking open conflict.

This strategic retaliation framework is one that Malaysia should examine closely, particularly in the context of regional threats posed by piracy, extremist networks, and cross-border militant activities in Southeast Asia.

Why India Struck: Pakistan’s Complicity and Inaction

The primary impetus for Operation Sindoor stems from a persistent challenge: Pakistan's inability to dismantle terrorist organizations operating within its territory.

Groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad, which have been linked to incidents like the 2008 Mumbai attacks and numerous killings related to Kashmir, continue to find refuge in Pakistan.

Training camps located in areas such as Muridke, Sialkot, and Kotli are well-documented yet seldom disrupted by Pakistani authorities. India has consistently issued diplomatic warnings and provided intelligence.

However, following Pakistan's inaction after the widely condemned Pahalgam attack, which resulted in the deaths of civilians, including a naval officer, a child, and foreign tourists, India determined that military deterrence was the only feasible course of action.

For Malaysia, the implications are significant: a country that neglects to address internal threats or permits transnational terrorist organizations to utilize its territory jeopardizes its international credibility and invites strategic retaliation. Inaction may be perceived as complicity, undermining a nation's standing on the global stage.

Pakistan’s Intelligence and Defence Failure

A particularly notable feature of Operation Sindoor is Pakistan's inability to detect or foresee the strike, despite maintaining military readiness along the Line of Control for years and a history of Indian retaliatory measures following terrorist incidents.

This failure can be attributed to several factors, including an excessive dependence on conventional radar and surveillance systems that inadequately identify terrain-hugging or stealth-capable munitions, intelligence shortcomings in monitoring Indian military movements or intercepting critical communications, and strategic miscalculations that led to the assumption that India would opt for political denunciation rather than military action.

The failure of early-warning systems is a matter of concern for any nation with a vulnerable defence perimeter.

Malaysia, situated near vital maritime routes and regions experiencing sporadic insurgency, must prioritize the integration, modernization, and real-time threat detection capabilities of its defense systems, particularly in maritime and aerial contexts.

India’s Communication Strategy

India’s strategic communication following the strikes was another lesson in modern conflict management. Military briefings led by Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sophiya Qureshi laid out the objectives, targets, and rationale for the strike with maps, footage, and technical detail.

India emphasized that no civilian or military Pakistani targets were struck, reinforcing the image of a restrained yet powerful actor on the global stage.

Malaysia should note that crisis communication is as crucial as the operation itself. In moments of conflict or terror response, clarity of intent, transparency of action, and consistent messaging can prevent misinformation, maintain domestic unity, and ensure international understanding.

Diplomacy in the Aftermath

Despite the surgical intensity of the operation, India has shown no desire to escalate further. It stated clearly that the strikes were over, had achieved their objective, and were meant as a direct response to terrorism not a declaration of war.

This positioning allowed India to withstand international scrutiny while also forcing Pakistan into a diplomatically defensive posture.

In the context of Malaysia, the key insight is that military intervention does not necessarily preclude diplomatic efforts, as long as such actions are grounded in international law and considerations of national security.

A strategic approach that harmonizes deterrence with restraint not only enhances national defence but also upholds regional credibility.

Operation Sindoor marks a new chapter in India’s military doctrine: one that fuses precision, political clarity, and strategic timing.

For Malaysia, which aspires to remain both peaceful and prepared in a region of growing complexity, India’s approach offers a crucial case study.

The future of warfare may no longer be about prolonged conflict it may instead be about speed, accuracy, and moral legitimacy.

Malaysia must ensure that its military, intelligence, and policy frameworks evolve accordingly, lest it be caught off guard by threats it didn’t see coming, or worse, failed to prepare for.

07.05.2025

Kuala Lumpur.

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