Cold Start Reloaded: Sindoor as India's Red Line

India's post-colonial trajectory has been shaped by traumatic partitions, repeated wars with Pakistan (1947, 1965, 1971, and 1999), and a simmering insurgency culture fostered across the borders.

- Prof Satish Kumar & Dr. Amrita Banerjee

Pakistan's jihadist doctrine — especially post-1979 (Afghan war) — was slowly adapted against India, with Kashmir as the epicenter. Unlike conventional armies, India was now facing an enemy hidden within proxies, terror camps, and non-state actors.

Post-Kargil, India realized it couldn't afford long mobilizations. Pakistan had found ways to strike through irregular means while hiding behind its nuclear shield. It became clear that a short-window, high-precision response strategy was essential. Thus, the idea of the Cold Start Doctrine was born — designed for swift, limited offensives without crossing the nuclear red line.

In Sanskrit and Hindu tradition, sindoor is a powerful red mark that symbolizes marital sanctity and commitment. In military parlance, naming a strategic maneuver after it suggests something deeper: an irreversible vow to protect national integrity and sovereign identity. Sindoor: The last red line. If crossed, India would not hesitate.