2016 surgical strikes marked a departure from strategic restraint to responsible retaliation

In September 29, 2016, India's military and political leadership took a step that altered the country's counter-terrorism playbook.

- ASHISH SINGH

(ASHISH SINGH)

In the early hours of September 29, 2016, India's military and political leadership took a step that altered the country's counter-terrorism playbook.

The announcement by Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, then Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), was brief but historic: Indian Army special forces had conducted surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC), targeting terrorist launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The statement marked a turning point. For decades, India had absorbed terror attacks emanating from across the border, its responses largely confined to defensive measures or covert action. But the public acknowledgment of a cross-LoC strike signalled a departure from "strategic restraint" towards what many analysts call a doctrine of responsible retaliation.

The timing was no coincidence. Just 11 days earlier, militants had attacked the Army's Uri brigade headquarters in Kashmir, killing 19 soldiers in one of the deadliest assaults on security forces in recent memory. Public anger was palpable, pressure on the government intense. India's leadership had to demonstrate resolve-not just in words, but in action.

GATHERING THE INTELLIGENCE

Behind the DGMO's calm words lay weeks of preparation. Intelligence inputs about launch pads-temporary shelters where terrorists assembled before infiltrating into India-had been building up. According to the government's official briefing, "very credible and specific information" indicated that multiple groups of militants were waiting to cross over.

Sources confirm that the surveillance matrix was exhaustive. Satellite imagery, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), intercepted radio chatter, and inputs from human assets all converged to map out targets. By the last week of September, it was clear that infiltration attempts were imminent. What was required was a calibrated response that would neutralise the threat and send a wider strategic message.