New Delhi: India, rattled and angered by the dastardly April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, launched a massive strike deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied J&K in the early hours of May 7, targeting the terror launchpads, to avenge the brutal killing of its civilians.
The operation was an absolute success. Let’s have a look at what India has achieved.
Nine terror camps destroyed
India neutralised 9 high-value terror launchpads across Pakistan and PoK. Targets belonged to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul
Mujahideen. The locations were identified as key training and operational centers for planning attacks against India.
Deep strikes into Pakistan’s mainland
India has changed the terms of engagement, displaying willingness to strike deep into Pakistan’s heartland. India shredded the notion that terrorists are separate from terrorist backers and thus targeted both, shifting to a new paradigm.
Strikes extended hundreds of kilometers inside Pakistan, not just PoJK. India struck targets even in Punjab province, considered a strategic stronghold of Pakistan’s military.
India struck at sensitive terror hubs such as Bahawalpur, places which even the US had not dared to send its drones, sources said.
India has made it clear that neither the LoC nor internal Pakistani geography is off-limits if terror emanates from its soil. Through its strikes, India has proved to the world that every inch of Pakistan was under reach.
Red line drawn
India’s response asserted a doctrinal shift toward calibrated deterrence. Operation Sindoor has drawn a red line Pakistan can no longer ignore –
that terrorism as state policy will trigger targeted, visible consequences.
For the first time, India decisively rejected the distinction between terrorists and their sponsors, taking action against both. It also undermined the long-standing assumption that certain influential rogue elements within the Pakistani state could orchestrate terrorist activities with impunity.
Exposed Pakistan’s fragile air defence
Indian forces successfully bypassed or jammed Pakistan’s air defence grid. The swift and precise nature of the strikes, conducted within a 23-minute window, highlighted gaps in Pakistan’s air defense systems.
Indian Rafale jets equipped with SCALP missiles and HAMMER bombs executed the mission without any reported losses, demonstrating technological and strategic superiority.
Projection of India’s robust air defence preparedness
India demonstrated the evolving nature of modern air defense, and defended its own airspace with a robust, layered architecture. Also, India successfully penetrated the Chinese-made systems fielded by Pakistan, in a reminder that defense is not about what you buy but about what you integrate.
Akashteer Air Defence System proved its impact by neutralising hundreds of Pakistani drones and missiles and is now positioned as a global export contender.
Precision without escalation
No military or civilian infrastructure targeted — only terror assets. India followed its Zero Tolerance doctrine while avoiding broader escalation.
Several dreaded terrorists eliminated, including those on India’s most wanted list while leadership of multiple terror modules wiped out in a single night.
Damage to Pakistan’s military establishment
India’s counter military actions on night of 9th and 10th May also became the first instance of a country damaging air force camps of a
nuclear country. Within 3 hours 11 bases were attacked including Nur Khan, Rafiqi, Murid, Sukkur, Sialkot, Pasrur, Chunian, Sargodha, Skaru,
Bholari and Jacobabad. This led to destruction of 20 per cent infrastructure of Pakistan’s airforce, sources said.
India bombed Pakistan’s Bholari Air Base killing over 50 people including Pakistan’s squadron leader Usman Yousuf, 4 airmen among others as well as destroying Pakistan’s fighter jets.
Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force executed coordinated strikes — proof of India’s growing joint warfare capability.
India showed the world that it will not wait for permission to defend its people. Terror will be punished — anytime, anywhere.
It also showed that terrorists and their masterminds have no place to hide. If Pakistan retaliates, not only can India handle them, but It will also hit and twist the knife if it comes to that.
Support from across the world
In earlier conflicts, as soon as something used to escalate against Pakistan, most countries used to descend on India asking for restraint. This time however, multiple world leaders came in support of India’s fight against terrorism.
For the first time, the relations between India and Pakistan was seen in light of terrorism. It was completely de-hyphenated from the Kashmir issue. This was achieved through precise strikes by Operation Sindoor only on terror infrastructure.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Sameer Khan | 
