Operation Sindoor: India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. Pakistan-backed attackers stormed a village, asked people their religion, and killed them, resulting in 26 deaths. A clear attempt to incite communal violence, this marked a shift, from cross-border attacks to dividing India from within. In response, India launched Operation SINDOOR to destroy the terror bases behind the attack. But Pakistan opted to hit back. Over the next week, it used drones and shelling to target religious sites. The Shambhu Temple in Jammu, the Gurdwara in Poonch, and Christian convents were attacked. These were not random strikes. They were part of a plan to break India’s unity.
* Conceived to punish perpetrators and planners of terror
* Aimed to destroy terror infrastructure across the border
* Carried out a microscopic scan of the terror landscape
* Identified numerous terror camps and training sites
During the first press briefing on May 7, India clarified its response as focused, measured and non-escalatory. It was specifically mentioned that Pakistani military establishments had not been targeted. It was also reiterated that any attack on military targets in India will invite a suitable response. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, across multiple press briefings on May 8, 9, and 10, laid bare India’s plan of action and the full extent of Pakistan’s designs.
Operation SINDOOR is a significant demonstration of India’s military and strategic power, executed through a combination of military and non-military means. This multi-dimensional operation effectively neutralized terrorist threats, deterred Pakistani aggression, and firmly enforced India’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism. The operation maintained strategic restraint while gaining international support.
India carried out several precise and well-planned military actions to achieve its objectives.
* The Indian Armed Forces launched coordinated and accurate missile strikes on 9 terrorist bases—4 located in Pakistan (including Bahawalpur and Muridke) and 5 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (such as Muzaffarabad and Kotli). These locations were key command centers of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), responsible for major attacks like Pulwama (2019) and Mumbai (2008).
* In retaliation to Pakistani drone and missile attacks on Indian cities and military bases on May 7, 8, and 9, 2025, India deployed kamikaze drones with the objective of neutralizing Pakistan’s air defense capabilities, including disabling Lahore’s air defense system.
* India’s air defense systems successfully intercepted all incoming threats, resulting in minimal loss of life or property. In contrast, Pakistan’s HQ-9 air defense system was exposed as weak. On the night of May 9 and 10, 2025, India’s counteroffensive became a historic milestone when, for the first time, a country successfully attacked the air bases of a nuclear-armed nation.
* Within just three hours, India targeted 11 military installations including Noor Khan, Rafiqui, Murid, Sukkur, Sialkot, Pasrur, Chunian, Sargodha, Skardu, Bholari, and Jacobabad.
* Satellite images before and after the strike on Shahbaz Airbase in Jacobabad clearly show the scale of destruction.
* The attack targeted major ammunition depots and airbases such as Sargodha and Bholari, where F-16 and JF-17 fighter jets were stationed. As a result, nearly 20% of Pakistan’s air force infrastructure was destroyed.
* Over 50 individuals, including Squadron Leader Usman Yusuf and 4 airmen, were killed in the bombing of Bholari Airbase. Several Pakistani fighter jets were also destroyed.
* Under Operation Sindoor, India executed precise strikes on several terrorist hubs and military facilities in Pakistan.
* After Pakistani artillery and mortar attacks targeted civilian areas in the Poonch-Rajouri sector along the Line of Control, Indian forces retaliated, destroying terrorist bunkers and Pakistani army positions that were targeting civilians.
* A half-burnt photograph of Asif Ali Zardari recovered from the smoldering debris of Rahimyar Khan Airbase symbolized the destruction of Pakistan’s international image.
* India’s non-kinetic efforts played a crucial role in shaping the strategic environment and ensuring public and international support. Through strategic policymaking, information dominance, and psychological operations, India diplomatically and economically isolated Pakistan while strengthening domestic preparedness and global backing.
* A decisive move under Operation SINDOOR was India’s termination of the Indus Waters Treaty. The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect, until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism. This has far-reaching consequences for Pakistan, a country heavily dependent on the Indus river system for 80% of its 16 million hectares of agricultural land and 93% of its total water use. This system supports 237 million people and contributes one-fourth of Pakistan’s GDP through crops like wheat, rice, and cotton.
* With Mangla and Tarbela dams having only 10% live storage capacity (14.4 MAF), any disruption in water flow could cause catastrophic agricultural losses, food shortages, water rationing in major cities, and rolling blackouts. Industries such as textiles and fertilizers could become paralyzed. These shocks would severely impact Pakistan’s already fragile economy, pushing it toward fiscal and foreign exchange crises.
* For India, the Indus Waters Treaty had long hampered infrastructure development in Jammu & Kashmir, restricting projects to run-of-the-river designs. Suspension of the treaty gave India full control over western rivers like Jhelum and Chenab, enabling construction of new reservoirs in Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, and Haryana. This boosted irrigation and hydroelectric power generation and transformed a diplomatic instrument into a developmental asset. By suspending the treaty, India sent a decisive message- “Blood and water cannot flow together.”
* India closed the Attari-Wagah border. The Integrated Check Post Attari was closed with immediate effect. Those who crossed over with valid endorsements were to return through that route before 01 May 2025. India also suspended all bilateral trade with Pakistan. It halted exports of key goods like onions and banned imports of cement and textiles. This action severed the primary land-based trade route between the two nations, causing major disruption in economic ties.
* This suspension imposed immediate economic pressure on Pakistan, which was already battling inflation and debt crises. By cutting off these economic lifelines without escalating direct military conflict, India reinforced its zero-tolerance stance.
* Demonstrating firm resolve against terrorism, India revoked visas of all Pakistanis residing in the country and deported them immediately after the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas.
* A total ban was imposed on Pakistani artists, suspending all performances, screenings, music releases, and cultural exchanges. This restriction extended to streaming platforms, effectively erasing Pakistan’s cultural influence in India.
* On the global stage, India exposed Pakistan’s terror infrastructure and diplomatically isolated it.
* Collectively, these actions inflicted severe economic and diplomatic damage on Pakistan. They deepened its international isolation while powerfully affirming India’s commitment to a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism.
* The Defence/Military, Naval and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi are declared Persona Non Grata. The overall strength of the High Commissions will be brought down to 30 from the present 55 through further reductions.
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