Operation Sindoor

A Strategic, Restrained Response to Terror

The Trigger: Pahalgam Terror Attack

On 22 April 2025, a devastating terrorist attack took place in Pahalgam, India. The attackers, belonging to “The Resistance Front” (TRF)—an offshoot of the Pakistan-backed terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba—killed 26 innocent tourists in cold blood after segregating them based on their religion. TRF claimed responsibility for the attack not once, but twice within hours. Pakistan’s refusal to acknowledge or curb these terrorist networks left India with little choice but to take decisive action.

India’s Response: Operation Sindoor

In response to the Pahalgam attack, the Government of India executed Operation Sindoor on the night of 7–8 May 2025. The operation was designed to be non-escalatory, precise, and targeted. Indian forces struck nine terrorist training camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, carefully avoiding any engagement with military or civilian targets. The objective was clear: degrade the capability of terror groups responsible for attacks on Indian soil, while minimizing the risk of broader conflict.

Escalation and Indian Countermeasures

Shortly after the initial Indian strikes, Pakistan launched coordinated drone and missile attacks targeting over a dozen Indian military installations across the Northern and Western theaters, including Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Bathinda, and Bhuj. India’s advanced Integrated Counter-drone Grid and layered Air Defence systems successfully intercepted these attacks, with recovered debris conclusively traced to Pakistani origin.

In response to these provocations, India conducted precision strikes against Pakistani Air Defence systems at several locations in Pakistan. These strikes were deliberately confined to neutralizing systems that had facilitated the earlier Pakistani assault, adhering to the principle of “equal intensity in the same domain.” By targeting only those installations directly involved in the aggression, India balanced the need for deterrence with its commitment to de-escalation.

Early Hours (2:30 AM), May 8, 2025:

The Indian Air Force launched a massive, coordinated attack deep inside Pakistan using advanced missiles—BrahMos, Scalp, Crystal Maze—and indigenously developed loitering munitions (Harop, Nagastra). The strikes were precise and relentless, overwhelming Pakistan’s defenses from the outset.

Key Targets Hit:

• Nur Khan Airbase (Rawalpindi): Located near Pakistan’s Army GHQ, this critical base was struck in the first wave, destroying two mobile command centers and a C-130 aircraft on the ground.

• Rahimyar Khan Airbase: Runway, taxiways, and apron were heavily damaged, rendering the base unusable.

• Sargodha and Murid Airbases: Home to F-16 squadrons, these prized bases were targeted with chilling accuracy in the second wave, causing significant psychological impact.

Ground Action:

Indian Army units along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border used M-777 howitzers with Excalibur ammunition to hammer Pakistani positions, increasing pressure on Islamabad.

Escalation and Panic (9:30 AM, May 8, 2025):

As strikes reached deeper into Pakistan, panic spread in Islamabad and Washington. Pakistan’s High Commission in Delhi attempted backchannel communication, but India refused to engage except through the military hotline. Pakistan’s military leadership, including Gen Asim Munir, scrambled to contact American officials for help.

Final Phase:

India pressed on with third and fourth waves, targeting 11 Pakistani Airbases and radar sites at Rafiqui, Sukkur, Jacobabad, Bholari, Chunian, Pasrur, Arifwala, and Murid. The continued assault on Nur Khan effectively blinded Pakistan’s centralized air defense coordination.

Ceasefire and Aftermath:

By noon, India halted its assault. Pakistan’s DGMO attempted to contact his Indian counterpart but couldn’t connect until 3:30 PM. India agreed to cease operations from 5 PM IST, only after Pakistan formally requested it through the military hotline.

Further Escalation and Civilian Impact

Along the Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan escalated by firing mortars and heavy-calibre artillery into civilian areas, resulting in the tragic loss of sixteen innocent lives—including three women and five children. India responded with proportionate mortar and artillery fire, while reiterating its commitment to non-escalation and warning that any further attempts by Pakistan to escalate would be met with a firm response.

Strategic Restraint and International Norms

India’s strategy throughout Operation Sindoor was guided by an unwavering objective: to uphold national sovereignty and protect civilian lives without precipitating a broader military conflagration. By confining military action to terrorist infrastructure, India underscored its non-escalatory posture and respect for established international norms.

Broader Context and Diplomatic Efforts

Pakistan’s reputation as a hub for global terrorism has been highlighted by numerous international incidents. India has consistently provided forensic evidence and urged Pakistan to bring perpetrators of major attacks—such as Mumbai 2008, Pathankot 2016, and Pulwama 2019—to justice. In the wake of Operation Sindoor, India also submitted an updated dossier to the UN 1267 Sanctions Committee, documenting Pakistan’s complicity in sheltering and abetting designated terrorist operatives.

Pakistan’s repeated refusal to cooperate in joint investigative teams, despite India’s full cooperation in forensic, call-data, and on-site evidence sharing, has revealed its calls for “joint investigations” as mere delaying tactics. In light of these circumstances, India has placed the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance, citing demographic changes, evolving climate realities, and Pakistan’s refusal to engage in government-to-government negotiations as fundamental changes to the original treaty’s context6.

Operation Sindoor : A Major Military response By India 2025

Operation Sindoor—a major 2025 military response by India following the devastating Pahalgam attack—saw the Indian Air Force launch a targeted air assault and missile strikes against key military bases and specific targets deep inside Pakistan, resulting in widespread coverage of Operation Sindoor details, timeline, aftermath, and the eventual ceasefire, with latest news highlighting India’s decisive action in the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict, as Operation Sindoor’s summary and India’s response continue to dominate headlines and discussions about Operation Sindoor India vs Pakistan and Operation Sindoor India news.