Striking with an Iron Will

India has created history by successfully conducting Operation Sindoor in the wee hours of May 7, precisely hitting nine high-level targets well inside Pakistan, including Markaz Subhan Allah, Bahawalpur; Markaz Taiba, Muridke; Sarjal, Tehra Kalan; Mehmoona Joya, Sialkot; Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala; Markaz Abbas and Maskar Raheel Shahid, both in Kotli; and Shawai Nalla Camp and Syedna Bilal Camp, both in Muzaffarabad. These locations were hit hard with surgical accuracy, annihilating them completely. And this is no mean achievement. This was packed with one hundred percent professionalism, as all the pinpointed targets were bastions of terror outfits including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), and their other notorious affiliates. Professionally, Operation Sindoor was not only the most elaborate cross-border strike conducted by India since the Balakot operation of 2019, but it also demonstrated and proved India’s strategic capabilities. Needless to say, the anti-terror assault was in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, where 26 innocents were slain most mercilessly.

Significantly, unlike the 2016 Uri and 2019 Balakot airstrikes or other previous Indian operations of similar nature, which were limited in scale and scope, Operation Sindoor was technologically precise, extensive, and unprecedented. The decision to strike deep into Pakistan-occupied territory revealed one thing: a clear departure from earlier thinking. This time, it was clearly offensive, result-oriented, and without any margin of error. The sheer extent of damage inflicted on the Pakistan-based terror camps has sent a strong message to the terrorist syndicates and their handlers. India now reserves the right to strike preemptively, suggesting that no location is beyond its reach. And the message is loud and clear for the global community, particularly to Pakistan and its allies, who always underestimated India’s military capability and efficacy.

The Pahalgam terror attack was perpetrated by The Resistance Front (TRF), a different name for LeT. Operation Sindoor was conceived following this. It was not just a retaliatory show of force, but an attempt to degrade the logistical and operational foundations of terrorism emanating from Pakistani soil. As of now, Pakistan is considerably shaken after “Sindoor.”

Meanwhile, inputs say there were several casualties in the terror hideouts, and nearly sixty were injured during the well-coordinated assault. Each location was under long-term surveillance. According to government sources, Indian intelligence combined satellite imagery, human sources, and intercepted communications to establish the use of specific compounds by entities including JeM and LeT. Buildings were identified as ideological indoctrination centres, arms depots, logistical hubs, and sleeper cell planning facilities. In many cases, this included UAV surveillance, days in advance, to confirm movement patterns and logistical activity consistent with terrorist use.

Very importantly, Operation Sindoor involved the deployment of air, naval, and land-based assets. The operation utilised air-launched Système de Croisière Autonome à Longue Portée (SCALP) cruise missiles, Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (HAMMER) precision-guided bombs, and other munitions. These were fired from Indian Air Force aircraft, supported by mid-air refuelling and airborne early-warning facilities. SCALP (Storm Shadow) missiles, with a range of over 250 km, were also employed to strike targets, including reinforced bunkers and command posts. HAMMER bombs were used against multi-storey buildings believed to house training modules and operational leadership. Loitering munitions, also known as kamikaze drones, played a dual role: providing real-time surveillance and striking high-value mobile targets as they emerged. Government sources further reveal that within less than an hour, all missiles struck their earmarked targets. The strikes were well-synchronised to avoid detection and maximise the element of surprise. The decision to target deep inside Pakistani territory was a departure from previous doctrine and marked a new level of strategic assertiveness.

Now, what are the immediate implications of Operation Sindoor—preceding the strike and in its aftermath? The successful Operation Sindoor confirms that there was perfect coordination between the political and military leadership, a free hand by the Indian Prime Minister to the military leadership to deal with the challenges, complete secrecy, and seamless synergy among the government, intelligence, multiple security agencies, and other organisations connected with it. The success of the operation also shows very careful and foolproof planning, taking fifteen long days for flawless execution.

These apart, Operation Sindoor also reflects the political resolve of the present leadership, being decisive with complete clarity in handling different agencies with deftness and finesse. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also worked at its professional best, with excellent diplomacy, media management, and coordination both within and outside the country.

This operation also enhances India’s image in the international community, and it is no exaggeration to say that India today is no less than countries like Israel in conducting such bold operations. Operation Sindoor also remains a class apart for striking only terror camps, exercising caution to spare civilian lives and targeting only those responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack. Last but not least, the nation stands united, cutting across party, caste, or religious lines.

However, this said, Indian forces and all concerned agencies should not become complacent or lower their guard. Out of sheer desperation and domestic pressure, Pakistan in all probability might retaliate, which must be thwarted in good measure.

The writer is a retired IPS officer, Adviser NatStrat, and a former National Security Advisor in Mauritius. Views expressed are personal