Operation Sindoor: Strategic Analysis

Operation Sindoor was a critical response to the Pahalgam attack, highlighting Pakistan's undeniable involvement. Prime Minister authorized the operation, emphasizing operational freedom for the Indian Armed Forces while maintaining strategic restraint and national unity. The operation aimed at targeting terrorist infrastructure with minimal civilian damage, consistent with the nation's right to self-defense.

Operational Execution and Targets

• The operation targeted nine sites, including Muridke and Bahawalpur, known nurseries of terrorism in Pakistan.
• It demonstrated high planning and preparation levels, aiming to swiftly achieve security and political objectives.
• The strategy focused on minimizing risks, tolerable retaliation levels, and gaining tacit international acceptance.

Challenges and Diplomatic Considerations

• Pakistan's strategy aimed to damage Indian military reputation and prompt international mediation.
• India needed to dominate in communications and prepare for cyber-attacks from Pakistan or other sources.
• Internationally, pressure might shift from terrorism to preventing war, with limited diplomatic and economic actions against Pakistan.
• Support from partners may not include imposing costs on Pakistan, given their strategic utility as allies to the West.
• Resistance from China and ambivalence from the Global South were anticipated challenges.

Impact and Future Strategies

Each attack from Pakistan rekindles Partition wounds and strains India's social fabric. The military's response incurs significant economic and diplomatic costs. Learning from global conflicts, India recognizes the limits of force even against weaker adversaries.

Counter-Terrorism Strategy

• Focus on the sequence of Ps: predicting attacks, preventing them, protecting targets, punishing perpetrators, and persuading international support.
• Emphasize intelligence gathering, avoiding generalizations about Kashmiris, and maintaining social unity.
• Enhance counter-terrorism capabilities, with a well-trained force and asymmetric operational reach.
• Strengthen military dominance in conventional warfare with Pakistan and ensure accountability in defense and security forces.

Long-term Vision for Relations

India must persistently leverage its global influence to pressure Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism while avoiding re-hyphenation of Indo-Pak relations. South Asia's future demands a dual focus on global power shifts and neighborhood challenges.