Operation Sindoor : India's declared undeclared war

Brigadier (Retd) L Ibotombi Singh, YSM *

"Operation Sindoor" has clearly proven that there exists a space between sub-conventional (terrorism) and conventional (military) aggression which India exploited.

Lessons Learnt : 'Operation Sindoor' - India's Declared Undeclared War

India carried out 'Operation Sindoor' in the early hours of May 7th 2025 to deliver justice to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and their families by targeting those terrorist infrastructure from where terrorist attacks were planned and directed against India. The strikes came hours before a planned security drill across the country for "effective civil defence in the event of a hostile attack", across 244 districts.

In the operation, which lasted for about 25 minutes, the Indian armed forces carried out focused missile strikes on nine terrorist facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), including Muridke and Bahawalpur -strongholds of terrorists groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), causing more than 70 terrorists killed and over 60 wounded.

The operation was a "Declared Undeclared War," against its nuclear neighbour, as it was targeted against terrorists waging sub conventional war against India and their infrastructure, and NOT a "Declared" war against Pakistan Nation as such. However, after intense drones and missiles warfare over four nights by India and Pakistan, when appeared to be sliding toward all-out war, out of blue, a cease fire was announced on May 10th, mediated by the United States.

Apparently, Pakistan as usual played 'Nuclear Card,' facilitating the US helped deliver an India-Pakistan ceasefire. In this military strike, India's response to terrorist's attack has changed dramatically as compared to 2016 where the surgical strikes hit terror camps across the Line of Actual Control (LC) in PoK and the 2019 aerial strike of JeM Camp in Balakot, proving that India will not be restrained from targeting terrorists and infrastructure deep inside Pakistan.

The message has been conveyed loud and clear to Pakistan, as well as the world that enough is enough — India will firmly respond to any terror attacks in the future, thereby conveying pro-active adequate and forceful punitive actions will be initiated against any type of Pakistan sponsored sub-conventual warfare against India. Some valuable lessons learnt during these four days of short skirmishes are:

(a) No physical crossing of IB or LC : Unlike surgical strike in 2016 and aerial strike of 2019 in Balakot, the present response by India was carried out without violations of airspace by the Indian Air Force and physical crossing of international border and line of control by the ground troops.

Neither side was prepared to send their pilots over the border, unlike much smaller dogfight in 2019 during which an Indian air force pilot was shot down on Pakistani territory and paraded on TV before being returned to India, thus prevented likely embarrassing situations which neither side wanted this time.

As per reports, there was "dog fight" between the Pakistani and Indian fighter jets, one of the "largest and longest in recent aviation history," during which as many as 125 fighter jets battled during those moments for aerial domination, without neither side leaving its own air-space. An intensity that has not been witnessed since World War II.

The strikes and counter strikes, involved missile exchanges happening at distances sometimes greater than 160 kilometres (100 miles). The initial standoff missile strikes from air platform by India, were followed by drones and ground based conventional missiles targeting rivals strategic and war machinery targets by both warring Nations, over the next three days till announcement of cease fire.

India's S-400-led Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems acted as an impregnable shield against Pakistan Air Force and was difficult to penetrate.

(b) Undesired Media Coverage : Media coverage of Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairing the meeting for responding to Pahalgam, plus optics of Service Chiefs and Defence Secretary summoned to PM's residence on separate nights, drew political mileage; along with 'undesired panel discussions' in various TV Channels for high TRP by so called experts on military strategy including veterans, giving out various options, thereby gave advance warning to Pakistan prompting them to vacate the 42 terrorist launchpads that were earlier reported full of terrorists. Besides, LeT Headquarter in Muridke was vacated, the madrassa was shut and students sent away.

(c) Space between sub-conventional and conventional : Operation Sindoor has clearly proven that there exists a space between sub-conventional (terrorism) and conventional (military) aggression which India exploited. This window is going to be very narrow and for a limited period of maximum 02-03 days, which in future, India must exploit, without publicising, to the optimum level for maximum casualties against the terrorists and those harbouring them, before onset of world pressure or 'Nuclear Bogey' is played by Pakistan.

India, now, no longer accepts that there is a distinction between sub-conventional and conventional aggression, which Pakistan has been traditionally exploiting to paint a doomsday escalatory scenario to prevent Indian military response to terror attacks. Therefore, as India doesn't accept that distinction now, Pakistan's ability to exploit this space for terror attacks against India no longer exists.

(d) Drone and Missile Warfare : Pakistan resorted to swarm drone counter attacks, hoping some would get through, with the support from China and Turkey; copying what Ukraine is doing against Russia. Turkey is mass producing advanced drone and China is indigenously procuring one million drones by 2026. We must concentrate on indigenisation as part of `Aatmanirbharata' for cheap and reliable armed drones, like Iran, for future warfare.

Simultaneously, there is a need for having a sound Centralised Command and Reporting System at the Apex level for coordinating drone warfare in future. The Islamic State had shown interest in drone-based chemical and biological weapons attacks way back in 2019.

Drone swarm technology is likely to encourage chemical and biological weapons proliferation and improve the capabilities of states that already possess these weapons. India should not discount such possibility, especially since drones destroyed in own territory would still offload the chemical or biological weapon.

(e) Disinformation Campaign : This short war resulted in large numbers of disinformation campaign cum false propaganda in prints and electronic medias by both the Nations, besides large false narratives in various social media. India has reportedly shot down three Pakistani fighter jets and an AWACS aircraft, besides claims to have inflicted damage on Pakistani bases, taken out an air radar system in Lahore, and destroyed "terrorist camps."

Pakistani too claims to have hit military targets deep inside India and to have downed five of its adversary's fighter jets. As part of war time humour, Pakistan's Defence Minister says, "We didn't intercept Indian drones to avoid exposing our locations." Many media sources talk of Chinese J-10 aircraft targeting two Indian Rafale jets (https://www.telegraph. co.uk/gift/ 9 caa I214c46509a7), serious implications of which must be analysed by the IAF.

China naturally denies any involvement but that is expected. Chinese satellites would have certainly monitored IAF aircraft movement and kept Pakistan informed. There are also reports of unencrypted conversation between our pilots monitored by China-Pak.

(f) Doctrinal Changes : Low-level military actions (like 2016 and 2019) may not be the preferred response any longer. India has demonstrated to the world that any act of terror against us will be treated as an act of war. The recent (declared, publicised and unambiguous) response is a strategy to mainstream Indian response as a doctrinal move.

This would mean that New Delhi could employ varying degrees of conventional force in future in response to terrorism, opening up, thereby, a range of potential punitive possibilities. Therefore, India needs to redefine its war doctrine in black and white by declaring "acts of terrorism by any Nation will be considered as an act of war", thereby keeping the route open for military action if there is another terror attack in future.

(g) Ineffective Chinese Military Technology : Against India's Brahmos, Rafale fighter jets equipped with SCALP cruise missiles and HAMMER bombs, 5-400-led Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems and Akash Surface to Air Missiles;Pakistan's Chinese military technology proved ineffective, leading to reported deal cancellations. Chinese AD radar systems were unable to detect Indian missiles.

As a consequence of the low performance of Chinese radars, Pakistan is reportedly cancelling a deal to import Chinese tanks signed in April. Also, Pakistan has realized the ineffectiveness of the Chinese PL-15 air-to-air missiles against Rafale fighter jets. Interestingly, India has recovered one PL-15 missile intact, which will enable its reverse engineering for obvious benefits.

(h) Utilisation of BLA and TTP : India must tacitly utilise the potency of Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and Tehreek-i-Taliban-e-Pakistan (TTP), the Pakistani Taliban, to reduce Pakistan marginally. Naela Baloch has been seeking India's help to free Balochistan. Simultaneously, we need to refer officially Balochistan as Pakistan occupied Balochistan (POB) in maps, media and correspondence in India.

Time is ripe to incite Pakistan army's Baloch Regiment to mutiny, desert with weapons, and join the independence movement of Balochistan as these army units are deliberately always dominated by Punjabi officers to keep Baloch aspirations suppressed.

(j) ICU State of Pakistan's Economy : The present state of Pakistan's economy cannot sustain an all-out war with India, as their survivability depends on loans from the IMF, China, OIC and other unspecified sources. Pakistan's economic fragility limits its war capabilities, but drone threats remain a concern, with the potential for further regional fragmentation.

(k) Aatmanirbharata : India need to develop political resolve to stand up to bullies, be it China or the US. Remember, we must stand on our own feet and fight our own war. The minimal yearly defence allocations, which turns out to be negative in actual terms, are inadequate to ensure a comprehensive overhaul and rapid expansion of our military power on land, air, sea, space and cyber domains.

What we demonstrated in this short war will not work against China, leave aside multiple fronts. Most important is India need to understand that any peace with Pakistan would result in the Pakistani army losing its stranglehold on Pakistan, which is not, and will never be acceptable to its Generals, be it Asim Munir or another.

Therefore, the call of Kashmir as Pakistan's 'jugular vein', liberating J&K and calls for jihad against India; no matter if the current conflict de-escalates and Pakistan calls for dialogue. But terrorism will remain the other face of Pakistan and terrorism and talks can hardly go together.

Therefore, we need to protect our own National interests without depending on others, as `Operation Sindoor' has shown glaring example of nobody stood behind India during this short trying times.

(1) Unsung Heroes : The crews of S-400 Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems who acted as shields against adversary's fighter jets, crews of Brahmos who had taken out an air radar system in Lahore, the IAF pilots and crews of Akash who shot down three Pakistani fighter jets and an AWACS aircraft with SAM and AAM, besides claims to have inflicted damage on Pakistani bases, and destroyed "terrorist camps" with advanced SCALP cruise missiles and HAMMER precision-guided bombs should have been made public and given their due recognitions, instead of remaining as unsung heroes.

These heroes should have been honoured by publicising their names in the mainstream media. It was hilarious to see Col Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, the spokespersons of the MOD, uploaded in various social media platforms as the Dassault Rafale fighter jet pilots responsible for destructions of terrorists bases.

(m) Accountability : Will any head roll for the Pahalgam massacre other than putting all the blame on locals ? Who and why was security grid removed from such popular tourists place like Pahalgam. Isn't this why we never learn ? Where are these four terrorists of the Pahalgam massacre, who we want to chase to the end of the Earth ?

Do we realise the seriousness of the situation, how Pakistani terrorists are operating with the help of China, which can happen anywhere in India, using Chinese satellite communication equipment to avoid detection ?

In conclusion Pakistan can no longer depend on nuclear threats to deter Indian conventional attacks in response to sub-conventional aggression. In that sense, India has Pakistan where it wants : In the strictly conventional space where it enjoys superiority.

Pakistan is not a military pushover, for sure, but India certainly enjoys far more conventional firepower and potential military suppliers. A conventional exchange/limited war with India without nuclear threats in play is not something Pakistan can win.