Op Sindoor established India’s new normal in counter-terror response

New Delhi: Operation Sindoor, the Indian military’s most expansive and multi-domain combat mission in half a century to punish Pakistan for its relentless support to cross-border terrorism, redefined India’s overarching security and strategic goals in 2025, making it a watershed year for the defence establishment.

India launched a series of precision missile strikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7 eliminating at least 100 terrorists in response to the horrific Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 innocent civilians.

New Delhi’s action was largely seen as a statement of its “political will” to inflict a blow to Pakistan for supporting terrorism with Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserting that India will not tolerate any nuclear blackmail by Islamabad.

The Indian strikes at the terror camps included the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) headquarters at Bahawalpur, the Lashkar-e-Taiba’s base at Muridke, and terrorist infrastructure in Mehmoona Joya in Sialkot, Sawai Nala and Syed Na Bilal in Muzaffarabad, Gulpur and Abbas in Kotli, Barnala in Bhimber, and Sarjal.

After the strikes at the terror infrastructure, India informed Pakistan that it does not want to escalate the situation and its operation was aimed at terrorist bases.

But as Pakistan launched a military retaliation, India responded to it very strongly using an array of weapons and military platforms including the Integrated Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Grid, S-400 Triumph missile systems, Barak-8 missiles, Akash Surface-to-Air Missiles.

The Indian military inflicted heavy damages to a number of key Pakistani military installations including hangars in three locations, radars in at least four places, command and control centres in two sites and runways in two air bases.

The military campaign broadly highlighted the synergy among the three services and showcased the dawn of the new age warfare that featured drones and counter-drone systems.

The hostilities ended with an understanding on halting the military actions on May 10 following talks over the hotline between army officials of the two sides, but the episode redefined India’s “new normal” to counter cross-border terrorism.

The daring military campaign strikes by India on Pakistan was the most significant operation since the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971.

As part of “dissuasive and deterrent” posture, the Indian Navy’s carrier battle group, submarines and aviation assets were immediately deployed at sea with full combat readiness in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.

“We have just suspended our retaliatory action against Pakistan’s terror and military camps. In the coming days we will measure every step of Pakistan on the criterion that what sort of attitude Pakistan will adopt ahead,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on May 12.

Elaborating India’s new approach to combat terrorism, the prime minister asserted that it will not tolerate any nuclear blackmail and that New will not differentiate between the government sponsoring terrorism and the masterminds of terrorism.

“If Pakistan wants to survive, it will have to destroy its terror infrastructure. There is no other way to peace. India’s stand is very clear,” Modi said.

Operation Sindoor was seen as significant as it demonstrated India’s military and strategic power, executed through a combination of military and non-military means. with agency inputs