New Delhi, Delhi, 5th of May, 2026 : Strategy of Controlled Warfare : On April 22, a large number of innocent tourists were murdered in cold blood in Pahalgam, Kashmir, by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. This led India to undertake an unprecedented and precisely crafted military operation against nine carefully chosen targets. Key terror infrastructure used to unleash attacks on India was dismantled. Unlike India, which avoided inflicting civilian casualties, Pakistan escalated matters by targeting civilians and military sites. These attempts failed, and India retaliated with precision against high-value military installations supporting terrorist networks in Pakistan.
Having achieved its objectives within four days, India accepted Pakistan’s plea for a ceasefire through established military channels. No amount of misinformation or subsequent attempts at adding gloss can change the fact that India prevailed militarily while demonstrating a level of controlled warfare seldom witnessed.
History is replete with examples of prolonged wars lacking exit strategies, including the Russia–Ukraine conflict, now in its fifth year, as well as the protracted conflicts in Vietnam and Afghanistan, which saw decades of attrition, regional instability and economic disruption. Even ongoing conflicts in West Asia continue at great cost not only to the belligerents but also to the global community at large. By contrast, Operation Sindoor avoided becoming an unending war, thanks to the purposeful resolve of the Indian leadership and military professionalism.
Striking Pakistan’s Core
The riposte following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam was telling. India struck deep into Pakistani territory in a coordinated operation, targeting nine high-value terrorist launch pads across Pakistan and PoJK, dismantling hubs of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen. From PoJK to mainland Punjab locations such as Sialkot and Bahawalpur, the strikes demonstrated reach and precision. Critical installations, including the Nur Khan and Sargodha airbases, were hit, conveying that no terrorist sanctuary in Pakistan was beyond reach.
The scale and precision of these strikes were unprecedented. Over one hundred terrorists were eliminated, including Yusuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf, and Mudassir Ahmad.
Inflict Pain at Minimum Cost
Operation Sindoor also called Pakistan’s nuclear bluff. Unlike conflicts such as Ukraine or Gaza, where damage is widespread, this operation inflicted severe damage on terror and military infrastructure in Pakistan while ensuring negligible domestic impact on the Indian side. As the world watched, India’s Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS), especially the indigenous Akashteer system, successfully countered Pakistan’s drones and missiles, protecting key installations.
There was minimal economic disruption in India. This asymmetry, in terms of imposing high costs on the adversary and yet mitigating impact on one’s own territory, reflected meticulous planning, technology and execution on the Indian side. The Indian Air Force bypassed and jammed Pakistani air defence systems, completing the mission in twenty-three minutes, using Rafale jets, SCALP missiles and HAMMER bombs.
On May 10, India expanded the scope of engagement, targeting eleven military installations and degrading critical capabilities. India became the first country to strike eleven airbases of a nuclear-armed state in a single operation, reportedly destroying twenty per cent of Pakistan’s air force assets. High casualties were inflicted at Bhoolari Airbase.
Jointness, Aatmanirbharata, Indigenisation (JAI)
Operation Sindoor demonstrated jointness, atmanirbharta, and indigenisation. The Navy maintained maritime pressure, while the Army and Air Force coordinated strikes on terror and military infrastructure.
The operation validated long-pending reforms put in place by the Modi government such as the creation of the office of Chief of Defence Staff in 2019 and India’s shift toward indigenous defence production. Defence output rose from ₹46,429 crore in 2014–15 to ₹1,54,000 crore in 2024–25, with over 65 percent now domestically produced.
Policies such as the drone import ban and PLI scheme boosted domestic R&D. Today, 75 percent of procurement is domestic, and 25 percent of defence R&D is reserved for the private sector. Around 90 percent of Army ammunition has been indigenised, with full indigenisation expected by 2027–28. Systems such as BrahMos, Akash, Akashteer, Tejas, and anti-drone platforms have enhanced multi-domain capability.
Operation Sindoor also showcased the role of drones and AI-driven systems as force multipliers. Broader reforms of the last decade, including FDI liberalisation and defence corridors, now support India’s long-term strategic autonomy.
Political Will – A Key Factor For Success
Political direction remains central to military success. While soldierly bravery is vital, leadership vision shapes outcomes. Over the past decade, India has moved from restraint toward a willingness to employ military options in response to terrorism.
The leadership has demonstrated a capacity for measured risk-taking and publicly committed to targeting terrorists wherever they operate. The armed forces were given complete operational freedom albeit with an injunction to avoiding civilian casualties. This civilisation ethos, of respecting civilian lives even in the adversary’s territory, is alien to Pakistan which actively uses terrorism as an asymmetrical means to wage unconventional war against India.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, decisions, from suspending the Indus Waters Treaty to calibrated strikes, have been deliberate and well-coordinated with the military leadership. The mandate has been consistent and precise: target terrorists and their support systems wherever they might be.
India’s experience with Pakistan suggests that deterrence through force has greater impact than diplomatic protest and preparation of dossiers as seen in the aftermath of the horrendous terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008. Clearly, Operation Sindoor has set a new normal in this regard, besides signalling that strikes could extend well beyond PoJK into the heartland of Pakistan.
Whole of Nation Approach
Operation Sindoor reflected a whole-of-nation approach, integrating the armed forces, government, and private industry and setting new standards for civil-military tandem. Notably, startups and private firms contributed to drone and counter-UAS systems, supported by the iDEX framework. Their role is set to grow in coming years.
Among the lessons drawn, coordination improved across agencies. ISRO provided satellite-based surveillance, while efforts were made to counter misinformation and manage public communication.
The Indian military’s Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) ensured joint procurement and operations, enabling all three services to function on shared intelligence. Civil administration was aligned with military planning, including preparedness measures and public communication.
The government also engaged opposition parties by dispatching All Party Delegations across the world to build international support against terrorism, thus reflecting the importance of political unity on larger challenges before the nation.
(The author, Sujan Chinoy, the Director General of the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, was a member of the All Party Delegation to the UAE and West Africa in the context of OP SINDOOR; views are personal)
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