‘Operation Sindoor’: How India Unleashed Military Might and Strategic Restraint to Punish Pakistan

New Delhi: In a bold demonstration of military precision and strategic foresight, India launched “Operation Sindoor,” a multi-pronged response to escalating terrorist threats and Pakistani aggression. The operation, combining both military and non-military strategies, marks a pivotal moment in India’s national security doctrine—showcasing a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism while upholding international support.

Precision Strikes and Air Supremacy

Under the umbrella of Operation Sindoor, India carried out precision missile strikes on nine terrorist facilities, including four deep inside Pakistan (notably in Bahawalpur and Muridke) and five in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (Muzaffarabad and Kotli among them). These targets were reportedly command hubs for Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), outfits behind the Pulwama (2019) and Mumbai (2008) attacks.

In response to Pakistan’s drone and missile assaults between May 7-9, 2025, on multiple Indian cities, India retaliated with kamikaze drones, neutralizing Pakistani air defenses, including around Lahore. According to the report, “India’s air defense system proved instrumental in neutralizing all incoming threats, resulting in near zero casualties or material losses, and exposing flaws in Pakistan’s HQ-9 system.”

In a historic escalation, on the night of May 9-10, India struck 11 Pakistani airbases, including Nur Khan, Murid, Sargodha, and Jacobabad. Aerial images from Shahbaz airbase in Jacobabad showed extensive damage. Critical air assets including F-16s and JF-17 jets were destroyed, crippling 20% of Pakistan’s air force infrastructure. The strikes also claimed the life of Pakistan’s squadron leader Usman Yousuf and four airmen at the Bholari air base.

Along the LoC, following Pakistani shelling of civilian areas in Poonch-Rajouri, Indian forces retaliated by destroying terrorist bunkers and artillery positions. A haunting image of Asif Ali Zardari’s half-burnt portrait recovered from Rahimyar Khan air base served as a symbolic reminder of the operation’s psychological and political impact.

Non-Military Moves: Water, Economy, and Diplomacy

India’s strategy went beyond the battlefield. One of the most consequential actions was the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. As the report outlines, “Pakistan, as the lower riparian, depends on the Indus system for 80% of its 16 million hectares of farmland and 93% of its total water use.” This decision threatens to trigger widespread agricultural, industrial, and humanitarian crises across Pakistan.

By halting bilateral trade and closing the Attari-Wagah border, India struck at Pakistan’s economy, blocking essential exports and imports like onions, cement, and textiles. The economic chokehold was swift, compounding inflation and debt woes in Pakistan.

India also revoked all Pakistani visas, expelling nationals residing in India, particularly after the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Simultaneously, a complete ban on Pakistani artists and cultural content was enforced, severing soft diplomacy channels.

Internationally, India mounted a diplomatic offensive to expose Pakistan’s terror links. “India exposed Pakistan’s terror ecosystem globally and isolated Pakistan diplomatically,” the report states, adding that the actions “imposed tangible economic and diplomatic costs.”