Operation Sindoor, launched by India against the terror infrastructure in Pakistan on the intervening night of May 6 and 7, 2025, marked a major technology-driven military response, which defence experts say defines a “new normal” in the country’s strategic policy, shifting from diplomatic signalling to decisive retaliation.
Col Harjap Singh (retd), chairman, Feroze Gandhi Market Association, and former member of the Service Selection Board for officers, said the operation was a watershed in drone-centric warfare in South Asia and offered crucial military lessons. It underscored integrated tri-service prowess, with the Army, Navy and Air Force operating under a unified plan, reflecting India’s evolution into a more cohesive fighting force.
He noted that escalation was carefully controlled, with India anticipating Pakistan’s response to ensure that the conflict remained a “limited war” with clearly defined political objectives. Built-in “exit ramps” helped achieve the twin goals of retribution and deterrence, he said.
Highlighting a critical moment, Colonel Singh said on May 10, the IAF executed a crippling strike that neutralised 11 Pakistani airfields in minutes, severely restricting their sortie generation capability and forcing a ceasefire.
Col CM Lakhanpal (retd), member, PAC, Mattewara Forests, Sutlej and Buddha Dariya, Ludhiana, said the operation demonstrated the calibrated use of force aligned with clearly defined political aims.
He said precision targeting, time-bound execution and joint-force synergy reflected a mature approach to limited warfare under a nuclear threat, in line with doctrines such as the cold start strategy and evolving integrated battle group concepts.
However, he cautioned that the changing threat landscape demands deeper preparedness. “Future conflicts will extend beyond conventional battlefields. Victory will depend not just on territorial gains but on dominance across land, air, sea, cyber and space domains,” he said.
Emphasising that limited wars must be guided by clearly defined political end state, controlled escalation and precision strikes to avoid internationalisation, Colonel Lakhanpal also highlighted the growing significance of drone warfare, citing its role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. “Swarm drones for offensive missions, loitering munitions for precision strikes and AI-enabled surveillance are transforming the nature of warfare,” he said.
