Operation Sindoor And The New Face Of India S Military Posture

---

 
IN the early hours of May 7, India launched Operation Sindoor, its most extensive cross-border military action since the 2019 Balakot airstrikes.
The operation targeted nine terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POK), serving as a direct response to the horrific Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22.
Carefully planned and precisely executed, the mission marked a major shift in India’s counter-terrorism strategy exposing critical weaknesses in Pakistan’s defence systems while showcasing the growing sophistication and restraint of India’s military approach.
A strategy that took Pakistan by surprise
India’s operational strategy for Operation Sindoor was founded on three key principles: precision, restraint, and psychological impact.
In contrast to earlier retaliatory actions, Operation Sindoor was deliberately designed to prevent escalation while effectively conveying a strong deterrent message.
Indian authorities highlighted that the operation was ‘focused, measured, and non-escalatory’, deliberately steering clear of Pakistani military targets.
However, this very restraint served as a potent psychological tool. The operation’s pre-dawn execution exploited vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s nighttime airspace surveillance and response capabilities, thereby catching its defences unprepared.
Despite being in a constant state of high alert due to its tense relationship with India, Pakistan’s air defence systems were completely taken by surprise, failing to identify or counter the precision strikes.
This indicates a significant deficiency in radar surveillance capabilities, insufficient readiness for nighttime operations, or a successful Indian electronic warfare initiative that concealed the strike package.
If India’s standoff missiles were indeed launched from within its own airspace, as asserted, this not only demonstrates operational audacity but also reflects a substantial level of confidence in India’s long-range precision munitions, satellite intelligence, and airspace mapping technologies.
Pakistan’s air defence: A systemic failure
(Image: AP Photo/M.D. Mughal)The fact that nine high-value terror-linked sites including notorious camps in Muridke, Kotli, Sialkot, and Muzaffarabad were hit without Pakistani retaliation or interception is telling.
This expose glaring inefficiencies in Pakistan’s integrated air defence system (IADS).
Despite years of investment in layered defences comprising Chinese-origin HQ-9 systems, Swedish surveillance radars, and a modernized F-16 fleet Pakistan failed to provide early warning or mount even a symbolic deterrent.
India, by contrast, appears to have exploited radar blind spots, and possibly used terrain-hugging missiles and stealth technology to evade detection.
This mirrors the weaknesses seen during the 2019 Balakot strikes, but on a more embarrassing scale for Islamabad.
The failure will undoubtedly trigger internal reviews, but the damage to Pakistan’s deterrent credibility particularly in the eyes of its own population and allies is already done.
Superiority of Indian military equipment and doctrine
The operational success of Operation Sindoor underscores the growing edge India holds in stand-off precision strike capabilities.
While details remain classified, it is likely that India used a mix of indigenous and imported weaponry possibly the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile or indigenous smart glide bombs.
Equally notable is the doctrinal shift. India no longer appears content with symbolic retaliation. Instead, its strategy now integrates as multi-domain planning (airspace, cyber, and space-based ISR), Tight political-military coordination, and most crucially, non-escalatory but effective deterrence.
This blend of military maturity and restraint has allowed India to conduct deep-precision strikes while avoiding overt war escalation a feat that many democracies struggle to balance.
International optics and regional ramifications
Globally, Operation Sindoor has attracted calls for restraint but not outright condemnation marking a shift from earlier years when Indian actions often drew criticism.
This indicates a growing international recognition of India’s right to self-defence, especially when faced with state-abetted cross-border terrorism.
However, this operation also sharpens the stakes. Pakistan has vowed to respond “at a time and place of its choosing” and the presence of civilian casualties if confirmed, especially at a mosque in Punjab could trigger domestic outrage and pressure on the Pakistani military to retaliate.
This could create a volatile tit-for-tat spiral if not diplomatically managed.
A new paradigm of deterrence
(Image: Bloomberg News)Operation Sindoor is far more than a reactive military strike it marks a decisive shift in India’s counter-terrorism and defence doctrine.
By opting for precision-guided attacks on terror infrastructure, rather than broad-based aggression, India has showcased a doctrine centred on technological edge, strategic restraint, and operational discipline.
This evolution reflects New Delhi’s intent to deter future attacks through carefully calculated, high-impact responses that avoid escalation while still achieving their objectives.
For Pakistan, the operation serves as a clear wake-up call. Its long-standing dependence on non-state actors as proxies, combined with aging defence systems and reactive intelligence infrastructure, has left it vulnerable to modern, network-centric warfare.
The failure to anticipate or counter India’s strike has not only exposed gaps in its national security apparatus but also dented its deterrent credibility, both domestically and internationally.
India, meanwhile, must remain vigilant. While it has scored a tactical and psychological victory, it must prepare for asymmetric retaliation or covert responses.
Diplomatically, India must continue to engage global partners to maintain international support and prevent misinterpretations of its actions.
For now, however, Operation Sindoor sends a powerful message: India is capable of delivering justice through precision, while maintaining strategic balance and regional stability.
R. Paneir Selvam is the principal consultant of Arunachala Research & Consultancy Sdn Bhd, a think tank specialising in strategic national and geopolitical matters.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.
- Focus Malaysia.

---