In the early hours of May 7, 2025, India launched Operation Sindoor, its most extensive cross-border military action since the 2019 Balakot airstrikes.
The operation targeted nine
terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK),
serving as a direct response to the horrific Pahalgam terrorist attack on April
22.
Carefully planned and precisely
executed, the mission marked a major shift in India’s counter-terrorism
strategy exposing critical weaknesses in Pakistan’s defence systems while
showcasing the growing sophistication and restraint of India’s military
approach.
A Strategy That Took Pakistan
by Surprise
India's operational strategy for
Operation Sindoor was founded on three key principles: precision, restraint,
and psychological impact.
In contrast to earlier
retaliatory actions, Operation Sindoor was deliberately designed to prevent
escalation while effectively conveying a strong deterrent message.
Indian authorities highlighted
that the operation was 'focused, measured, and non-escalatory', deliberately
steering clear of Pakistani military targets.
However, this very restraint
served as a potent psychological tool. The operation's pre-dawn execution
exploited vulnerabilities in Pakistan's nighttime airspace surveillance and
response capabilities, thereby catching its defences unprepared.
Despite being in a constant state
of high alert due to its tense relationship with India, Pakistan's air defence
systems were completely taken by surprise, failing to identify or counter the
precision strikes.
This indicates a significant
deficiency in radar surveillance capabilities, insufficient readiness for
nighttime operations, or a successful Indian electronic warfare initiative that
concealed the strike package.
If India's standoff missiles were
indeed launched from within its own airspace, as asserted, this not only
demonstrates operational audacity but also reflects a substantial level of
confidence in India's long-range precision munitions, satellite intelligence,
and airspace mapping technologies.
Pakistan’s Air Defence: A
Systemic Failure
The fact that nine high-value
terror-linked sites including notorious camps in Muridke, Kotli, Sialkot, and
Muzaffarabad were hit without Pakistani retaliation or interception is telling.
This expose glaring
inefficiencies in Pakistan’s integrated air defence system (IADS).
Despite years of investment in
layered defences comprising Chinese-origin HQ-9 systems, Swedish surveillance
radars, and a modernized F-16 fleet Pakistan failed to provide early warning or
mount even a symbolic deterrent.
India, by contrast, appears to
have exploited radar blind spots, and possibly used terrain-hugging missiles
and stealth technology to evade detection.
This mirrors the weaknesses seen
during the 2019 Balakot strikes, but on a more embarrassing scale for
Islamabad.
The failure will undoubtedly
trigger internal reviews, but the damage to Pakistan’s deterrent credibility particularly
in the eyes of its own population and allies is already done.
Superiority of Indian Military
Equipment and Doctrine
The operational success of
Operation Sindoor underscores the growing edge India holds in stand-off
precision strike capabilities.
While details remain classified,
it is likely that India used a mix of indigenous and imported weaponry possibly
the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile or indigenous smart glide bombs.
Equally notable is the doctrinal
shift. India no longer appears content with symbolic retaliation.
Instead, its strategy now
integrates as multi-domain planning (airspace, cyber, and space-based ISR), Tight
political-military coordination, and most crucially, non-escalatory but
effective deterrence.
This blend of military maturity
and restraint has allowed India to conduct deep-precision strikes while avoiding
overt war escalation a feat that many democracies struggle to balance.
International Optics and
Regional Ramifications
Globally, Operation Sindoor has
attracted calls for restraint but not outright condemnation marking a shift
from earlier years when Indian actions often drew criticism.
This indicates a growing
international recognition of India’s right to self-defence, especially when
faced with state-abetted cross-border terrorism.
However, this operation also
sharpens the stakes. Pakistan has vowed to respond "at a time and place of
its choosing," and the presence of civilian casualties if confirmed,
especially at a mosque in Punjab could trigger domestic outrage and pressure on
the Pakistani military to retaliate.
This could create a volatile
tit-for-tat spiral if not diplomatically managed.
A New Paradigm of Deterrence
Operation Sindoor is far more
than a reactive military strike it marks a decisive shift in India’s
counter-terrorism and defence doctrine.
By opting for precision-guided
attacks on terror infrastructure, rather than broad-based aggression, India has
showcased a doctrine centred on technological edge, strategic restraint, and
operational discipline.
This evolution reflects New
Delhi’s intent to deter future attacks through carefully calculated,
high-impact responses that avoid escalation while still achieving their
objectives.
For Pakistan, the operation
serves as a clear wake-up call. Its long-standing dependence on non-state
actors as proxies, combined with aging defence systems and reactive
intelligence infrastructure, has left it vulnerable to modern, network-centric
warfare.
The failure to anticipate or
counter India’s strike has not only exposed gaps in its national security
apparatus but also dented its deterrent credibility, both domestically and
internationally.
India, meanwhile, must remain
vigilant. While it has scored a tactical and psychological victory, it must
prepare for asymmetric retaliation or covert responses.
Diplomatically, India must
continue to engage global partners to maintain international support and
prevent misinterpretations of its actions.
For now, however, Operation
Sindoor sends a powerful message: India is capable of delivering justice
through precision, while maintaining strategic balance and regional stability.
07.05.2025
Kuala Lumpur.
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Published - https://focusmalaysia.my/operation-sindoor-and-the-new-face-of-indias-military-posture/
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