Take Pride In The Op, Brace For The Worst

Delhi can't assume better sense will prevail in Rawalpindi anytime soon. After demonstrating military precision and political will with Operation Sindoor, it must prepare for a more volatile region

- SHASHI THAROOR

Two months after India struck nine known terrorist base camps and launchpads in Pakistani territory, an analysis of the military and operational dimensions of Operation Sindoor points to certain preliminary but clear conclusions.

First, India hit hard but hit smart—in carefully calculated strikes that took place at night to avoid collateral damage to civilians. Operation Sindoor, which targeted a broader geography and a wider set of targets than any previous counter-terrorist action, was a remarkable logistical and military achievement. Despite Pakistan being on the highest alert, India succeeded in breaching its defensive lines and striking its intended targets, including eliminating some known terrorists (whose funerals witnessed high-level attendance from Pakistani military and police officials, reconfirming their complicity in terror).

India's initial strikes deliberately avoided Pakistani military and governmental targets, in order to signal that its action was purely in reprisal against terrorism and not intended to be the opening salvo in a protracted war. It left the burden of escalation to the Pakistani military, which duly obliged, inviting additional retribution.

Second, the very terms of engagement with Pakistan have irrevocably shifted. India has shed its longstanding hesitations regarding military action, once held hostage by fears of "internationalising" the Kashmir issue. No longer will such concerns restrain the nation. India has moved beyond the familiar diplomatic process of presenting dossiers and evidence, petitioning a UN Security Council that has long allowed Pakistan to find shelter behind one of its permanent members. The time for such diplomacy is not over, but it is no longer enough. Instead, New Delhi's resolve to respond to terror with military force, and to manage counter-retaliatory actions, was clear and unwavering, with India signalling it was prepared to inflict even more severe consequences if required.