The New Normal Policy

The three pillars of our new policy against terrorism—what they entail and the future challenges

- Lt Gen Dr Subrata Saha (Retd)

Operation Sindoor “is not just a name but a reflection of the feelings of millions of people of the country... our unwavering commitment to justice”, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on May 12, 2025.

Operation Sindoor was India’s response to the barbaric killing of innocent citizens in front of their families and children on the basis of religion by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. India retaliated with precision strikes on nine terrorist targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including the headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) at Muridke, approximately 50 km north of Lahore, and the headquarters of the Jaish-e-Mohammed at Bahawalpur, approximately 400 km south of Lahore. More than 100 terrorists were killed in these attacks.

In the ensuing military engagements, India demonstrated unequivocal superiority. On the offensive, India successfully degraded Pakistan’s air defence capability, and then penetrated across the entire length and breadth of Pakistan, undertaking precision strikes against very sensitive and high-value targets. In defence, India neutralised hundreds of drones and missiles launched by Pakistan against India’s military installations and civilian targets. The impact of the strikes, particularly against Pakistan’s sensitive air bases, was so profound that Pakistan had to find ways to de-escalate and seek a pause in the hostilities from India.