India’s early May 2025 launch of Operation Sindoor represents a significant and calculated change in the nation’s strategy for combating terrorism, especially that associated with Pakistan.
Senior lecturer at King’s College London and security specialist Walter Ladwig said the operation set a “new baseline” for India’s response to terror strikes with plausible Pakistani connections, emphasizing a shift away from diplomacy and toward strong, well-calculated military action.
In an attempt to incite sectarian unrest within India, the operation was sparked by the horrific Pahalgam terror incident on April 22, 2025, in which militants backed by Pakistan massacred 26 civilians.
India responded by launching targeted military operations against terror infrastructure located deep within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK), including regions like Punjab province and Bahawalpur that were previously thought to be inaccessible.
Nine valuable terror launchpads connected to organizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen were destroyed by these operations.
The Modi administration made it clear that it would not compromise and that any terrorist act associated with Pakistan will be dealt with immediate, well-timed, and conspicuous military action.
India’s response was methodical and targeted, making it clear that any strike on Indian military targets would be met with a proportionate response while purposefully avoiding Pakistani military installations to avoid escalation.
India established a new red line for state-sponsored terrorism by striking deep into Pakistani territory and designating both terrorists and their state sponsors as valid targets, doing away with the previous difference between non-state actors and their guardians.
The operation also conveyed the message that terrorist safe havens would be targeted regardless of Pakistan’s nuclear threats, and that India would not be intimidated by them.
More than 100 terrorists were killed as a result of the operation, including important players who had planned attacks against India for many years. Indian forces showed that they could launch high-precision attacks, destroying airfields, communication hubs, and radar systems at several Pakistani facilities. The magnitude and efficacy of India’s efforts were highlighted by Pakistan’s seldom public acknowledgement of these strikes, which included hits on the Nur Khan Airbase.
After a direct call between their respective Directors General of Military Operations, both nations decided to end the conflict after intense military exchanges.
Operation Sindoor marks a significant shift from India’s prior strategy of gathering evidence and depending on diplomatic channels, Walter Ladwig emphasized. Instead, by holding terrorist organizations and their state backers responsible, India has established a precedent for a direct military response to cross-border terrorism. India’s capacity to carry out accurate, multi-domain attacks showed a new degree of operational capability and resolve, according to Ladwig.
India’s counterterrorism policy has essentially been changed as a result of Operation Sindoor. It creates a new normal: instead of diplomatic prudence, any future terrorist attack with plausible ties to Pakistan—or possibly other neighbors—will probably be addressed with decisive, calibrated military force. This change is now accepted as India’s official policy, establishing a new benchmark for regional deterrence and national security.
