Operation Sindoor: How India Redefined Military Dominance

‘This is what victory looks like’

Mita Nath 

(mitanathbora7@gmail.com)

With these powerful words, India marked the historic success of Operation Sindoor, a 90-minute surgical strike that altered the balance of air power in South Asia. In a bold and precisely executed operation, the Indian Armed Forces dismantled the core of Pakistan’s air warfare infrastructure. The result was not only tactical dominance but also a strategic paradigm shift in regional military dynamics.

India adopted an ethical military operation. Despite repeated provocations and explicit attacks on Indian civilians, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensured that India’s response remained ethically firm and strategically focused. Operation Sindoor was assertive, not aggressive—a display of moral restraint paired with surgical precision. At no point did Indian forces target civilian infrastructure or non-combatants in Pakistan. This commitment to a principled response, even in the face of provocation, underscores a new era of Indian military policy—zero tolerance for terrorism, zero compromise on ethics. From the outset, PM Modi’s directive was clear: Indian strikes would target only terror networks and military establishments actively aiding cross-border aggression. India acted not in vengeance but in defence of its sovereignty and safety of its people, setting a global example of power guided by principle.

In a historic first, a nuclear-armed country’s air force bases were systematically targeted. India neutralized Pakistan’s 11 airbases, each of which otherwise served a critical function for the Pakistan military air force. India’s approach was methodical, high-tech, and deeply symbolic, ranging from logistical coordination to offensive operations, leading to strategic damage inflicted. Pakistan’s Nur Khan/Chaklala Airbase (Rawalpindi) close to Islamabad was vital for military logistics and VIP transport; its neutralization disrupted top-level PAF coordination and decoupled operational units from their command structure. PAF Base Rafiqui (Shorkot) is a frontline fighter base for Pakistan. Rafiqui’s destruction of aircraft shelters and runways crippled Pakistan’s central air strike capabilities. Murid Airbase (Pakistan Punjab), a key training and logistics hub, Murid’s loss weakened long-term force readiness and possibly eliminated missile stockpiles. Sukkur Airbase (Sindh) is a southern command node. Its destruction severed Pakistan’s logistical corridor to Balochistan and its southern mobility. Sialkot Airbase (Eastern Punjab)’s strategic location near the Indian border made it essential for forward operations. Its loss exposed the eastern sector to Indian air superiority. Pasrur Airstrip’s (Punjab) elimination, though a minor facility, narrowed PAF’s emergency dispersal options and tactical flexibility. Next, by targeting the Chunian Radar and Communications Site, India blinded Pakistan’s radar coverage in central Punjab, paving the way for deeper air penetration with lower risk. Sargodha Airbase (Mushaf Base) was the PAF’s crown jewel, housing elite units and nuclear delivery capabilities. India decimating Sargodha was both strategic and psychological. It disrupted command, training, and nuclear deterrence mechanisms. Skardu Airbase’s (Gilgit-Baltistan) loss weakened Pakistan’s surveillance near the Line of Actual Control and complicated any Sino-Pak coordination in high-altitude regions. Bholari Airbase (near Karachi), symbolic of Pakistan’s future southern strike capabilities, Bholari’s destruction eliminated dual-use (naval and air) coordination, leaving Karachi dangerously exposed. Jacobabad Airbase (Sindh-Balochistan Border), previously used for rapid deployment and U.S. operations, Jacobabad’s neutralization isolated western Pakistan and choked internal air mobility. Key personnel, including Squadron Leader Usman Yousuf, were eliminated.

There has been strategic fallout in Pakistan, and the aftermath there was unprecedented. There was total air surveillance collapse across three sectors. Over 60% of strike aircraft were grounded due to runway and hangar damage, military communication blackouts in several regions took place, and panic evacuations in Sindh and Punjab provinces happened. Our army inflicted a psychological blow to both military morale and public perception of the PAF. Beyond physical damage, the strikes deeply undercut Pakistan’s belief in deterrence and exposed long-standing vulnerabilities in its air defence architecture. India’s tri-service synergy, the coordinated strike by the Army, Navy, and Air Force, reflected India’s growing joint warfare capabilities and real-time operational synergy.

Executing a new unique strategic posture, India showed that Operation Sindoor was not just about retaliation; it was a calibrated doctrine in decisive deterrence. It demonstrated pinpoint intelligence, coordinated tri-service capability, technological superiority, and last-mile execution precision. The operation echoed PM Narendra Modi’s vision: “Security through strength, peace through preparedness.” The message was clear: India no longer plays defence—it dictates terms.

Several key achievements of Operation Sindoor can be analysed today. India-made precision attack without escalation, and despite its scope, the operation was measured. Only terror and military targets were struck. No Pakistani civilian or civilian infrastructure was targeted.

India neutralized nine major terror launchpads across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen. These hubs were instrumental in planning attacks on Indian civilians and security forces. Their elimination sends a resounding message that no sanctuary is safe for terrorists or their enablers. Deep strikes were made into Pakistan’s mainland (heartland), not just PoJK. Terror hubs in Bahawalpur and Punjab province, previously untouched even by U.S. drones, were decisively hit. The event marked a new doctrine that terrorists and their sponsors are indistinguishable targets. India established that no region within Pakistan is off-limits if it harbours terror threats. Dozens of top terrorists were neutralized via Operation Sindoor, many of whom were on India’s most-wanted list. Leadership of multiple modules was dismantled in a single night. It showcased not only India’s intelligence and execution triumph but also its zero tolerance for terrorism.

India changed the terms of engagement with Pakistan forever; a red line is now drawn. State-sponsored terrorism will face targeted and visible consequences. Pakistan can no longer claim plausible deniability or hide behind non-state actors. Rejecting the terror-sponsor distinction for the first time, India acted against both terrorists and the state actors aiding them, rejecting the outdated distinction. This shift in doctrine breaks the pattern of strategic patience and elevates deterrence through demonstrable action.

Operation Sindoor exposed Pakistan’s fragile air defences. India penetrated and overwhelmed Pakistan’s air defence grid, demonstrating jammed and bypassed radar networks. Strikes were executed in under 23 minutes using Rafale jets, SCALP missiles and HAMMER bombs with no Indian losses. India didn’t just strike; it defended effectively. Our Akashteer Air Defence System intercepted hundreds of Pakistani drones and missiles, even against Chinese-supplied Pakistani systems. India’s precision strikes during Operation Sindoor weren’t just battlefield manoeuvres; they sent a clear message that any aggression will be met with overwhelming, decisive, and disproportionate force, and any provocation will bring unimaginable cost and damage to Pakistan.

Besides, there was unprecedented global support for India. Unlike past conflicts where global pressure often tilted toward de-escalation, world leaders supported India recognising India’s fight as a legitimate anti-terror operation. This also reflected a global fatigue with Pakistan’s role in sponsoring terrorism, fostering bloodbaths and taking innocent lives.

As the dust settles, the geopolitical reality is reshaped. The skies have a new master. India now controls the aerial chessboard of South Asia.

On 12th May 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation, hailing Operation Sindoor as a landmark mission in India’s history.