When the Pahalgam attack took place on April 22 this year, with loss of innocent lives and the disgraceful religious and gender profiling, it was obvious that India's limit of tolerance had been crossed not by a few but by manifold notches. Although the government of India convened the Cabinet Committee for Security (CCS) immediately in the aftermath of the attack, the decisions of the CCS harped on politico-diplomatic-economic options to punish Pakistan.
To strategic minds, it was obvious that it was a window of opportunity created for the armed forces to plan, acquire necessary intelligence and establish full readiness for both the launch of the designed offensive and the necessary guarding of flanks and depth to absorb any retaliation. Militaries usually work on surprise, but that may not be the most efficient way of executing an operation in which retribution is a major factor. In other words, failure or even non-attainment of the full aim cannot be an option. The delivery of the mission was a national compulsion, for, on it rested the image and the future status of India as a responsible nation that could defend itself.
Shaping A 'Self-Defence' Narrative
Operation Sindoor, a very appropriate name of the operation, of which much has been written in the media, was designed to showcase India's capability for escalation dominance without a full-scale war. It was also conceived to impose material costs on Pakistan's hybrid war apparatus. With its emerging global strategic importance, India also ensured pre-emptive global diplomatic outreach to shape the post-strike narrative as a legitimate act of self-defence. In the operational-strategic domain, the shift from ‘surgical strikes' and single objective missions, to strategic, punitive missile diplomacy has been a marked change in the strategy that India has followed.
It's important to break down the components of the entire operation and look at these from angles that have hitherto not been considered strategically significant. The codename is one of them. The choice of the name, ‘Operation Sindoor', is a lesson in strategic communication and is reputed to have the Prime Minister's personal stamp. ‘Sindoor' (vermilion) symbolises a sacred mark on the forehead in Indian culture, often associated with martyrdom (evoking the blood of fallen soldiers), resolve, and sanctity (especially, feminine strength in mythology). It is also a symbol conveying the betrothal of a woman to her husband. Thus, it's a sacred red line - which, once crossed, invites decisive retaliation. The psychological messaging from the codename was the reflection of India's restrained but resolute posture.
The Messaging With Women Officers
Before focusing on the choice of the nine targets and the means of hitting them, it's also good to understand why women officers of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF) were nominated to sit on the Foreign Secretary's panel and explain the operation in detail. The era of strategic optics is now decidedly upon us. Most of India makes up its mind by watching visuals and staring at their mobile screens. The optics of the briefing focused on India's modern, inclusive, and capable armed forces. It countered stereotypes about patriarchal militaries. There was a symbolic projection of ‘Nari Shakti' (women power) in national security roles to also link it with the tragedy that befell the unfortunate women who lost their husbands in the Pahalgam carnage. It symbolised retribution by woman power. In many ways, it also underscored an ideological contrast with our adversary, which promotes regressive and radicalised gender roles.
The operation itself, in its physicality, demonstrated the transformation of the Indian armed forces into the next generation of warfare. In 2016, the surgical strikes India carried out against Pakistan were against ground objectives and launched from the ground; the calibration level was high, as an escalation was considered avoidable. Only terrorist camps or bases were hit. In 2019, the Balakot operation focused on a single target in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), but it escalated into Pakistani aerial intrusion, with a negative outcome for us. A minor escalation occurred the next day.
The Significance Of The Sites Struck
In contrast, in Operation Sindoor, the objectives were across 700 kilometres of frontage and included high-profile terrorist centres at Bahawalpur, Muridke and Sialkot. Bahawalpur, the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), is a centre for both the ideological leadership and advanced militant training of the outfit. Sending a message to Masood Azhar's network and the Pakistani establishment that harbours him was considered important, even if the JeM footprint in the Pahalgam attack was not evident.
Similarly, Muridke is a known LeT stronghold near Lahore. Given that historically, it has been off-limits due to proximity to civilian areas, targeting it now signals an acceptance in terms of the kind of escalation acceptable to India. It also undermines Hafiz Saeed's ideological stronghold and recruitment network.
Sialkot is a strategically located military-industrial town near the Jammu border. It is home to Pakistani strike formations, supply depots and forward command structures. It was the launchpad for the Pathankot attack in January 2016.
The proximity of these centres/objectives to the Pakistan army's various formation headquarters conveys a clear message - that if provoked, India will target these too, not just militant proxies in their camps. This became even more evident as the situation escalated. Not only were these locations the most prominent landmarks in Pakistan's terror infrastructure, but they were also located in the heart of Punjab, which, traditionally, has been understood to be Pakistan's centre of gravity and the country's granary. For the first time, it is under focus today, both militarily and in the context of the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.
Understanding Pakistan's Response
A demonstration of a response was expected from Pakistan this time too, as had happened in 2019. However, Pakistan chose to up the ante with a missile and drone attack targeted at 15 Indian airfields and garrisons located right from Jammu & Kashmir to Gujarat. As expected, India's counter-UAS (unmanned aircraft system) network and air defence resources, including the high-profile S-400 air defence systems, intercepted all the Pakistani aerial systems. India responded with an attack on the air defence radars of both Lahore and Rawalpindi and launched missiles to once again demonstrate capability, without inflicting civilian casualties. With the known Chinese advanced radar systems being neutralised, there are now gaping holes in the air defence of these crucial cities. They house some of the more important components of the Pakistan Army, including the General Headquarters (GHQ) at Rawalpindi and the headquarters of the Pakistan 4 Corps at Lahore, which comprises the 10th and 11th infantry divisions.
In the rapidly changing and dynamic environment, Pakistan chose to attack select airfields and other areas in Northern and Western India on the intervening night of May 8 and May 9. These, once again, were intercepted with no damage. The ball lies in Pakistan's court now, which may choose to launch another cycle of escalation or think about de-escalating the situation. There is, of course, the danger of this spiralling into other domains, such as maritime or even surface operations. If that happens, the situation may deteriorate rapidly and require international mediation, unless the government of India decides not to call the deep state's bluff any longer.
Tighten The Screws
An area we need to be most concerned about is the LoC, as well as the international border (IB) in the Jammu region. The LoC in Jammu & Kashmir has seen heavy firing, and the exchanges of small arms, mortars and artillery are not notional or routine. Pakistan has chosen to employ the most vicious targeting of civilian areas, causing immense loss of life. India cannot accept that. As a response, our strategy does not include targeting civilian areas either. We will thus have to ensure that the LoC firing is suitably neutralised through heavy and regular counter-bombardment against Pakistani guns. In addition, many terrain-specific dominating areas can be activated such that the Pakistan army's movement is interdicted. This is the first and prime responsibility, even as we analyse other conventional and sub-conventional ways in which the situation may progress
It's difficult to end this essay in a situation as dynamic as this as inputs keep coming in. As of writing this piece, the Indian Navy is reported to have opened a threat to Pakistan's only commercial port. With a persistent threat, no merchant ships will move into the area as insurance costs will increase manifold. Pakistan does not have the energy resources to sustain resistance for long. It's a failing game that Pakistan continues to play. Pressure on the military leadership may likely drive a change at the top. At this time, India must continue to turn the screws in every domain to put relentless pressure on Pakistan to pull back from the dangerous abyss into which it has chosen to hurtle with the ongoing confrontation.
(The writer is a Member of the National Disaster Management Authority, Chancellor of the Central University of Kashmir, and Former GOC of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps.)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
