Operation Sindoor: A new normal for India's strategy

In response to last month's terrorist attack on Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, India conducted Operation Sindoor in the early hours of 7 May, carefully targeting terrorist-related infrastructure not only in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, but also in the heartland of Punjab province deep in its mainland territory.

- NITIN PAI

Pakistan claims that its forces downed five Indian Air Force aircraft on the Indian side of the boundary, though India has not confirmed any such event and no evidence has been presented. Indian strikes continued on Thursday, targeting Pakistani air defence installations in several locations. Pakistan also claims shooting down 25 drones. Again, this claim has not been verified.

Where do we go from here? The ball is in Pakistan's court. After the first night, many expected Islamabad to use its unverified claims to declare victory and refrain from further escalation. Now it is not clear.

In any event, the strategic significance of Operation Sindoor is that it establishes a new normal: that India will respond to Pakistani-sponsored terrorism with military force. Uri, Balakot and Sindoor are the three dots that confirm this straight line. This is a watershed development, for it undermines the decades-old Pakistani strategy of using its nuclear weapons as a cover to undertake a proxy war of terrorism against India.

The fear that any military retaliation would result in a rapid escalation to nuclear war dissuaded Indian leaders—under pressure from Western capitals—from authorizing 'hot pursuit' and punitive strikes across the boundary. It was for this reason that Indian forces were ordered not to cross the Line of Control during the Kargil War.