[ad_1]
India’s Operation Sindoor did not just punish Pakistan for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. It redrew the entire strategic map of South Asia. With carefully calibrated force and clear political resolve, India called Pakistan’s nuclear bluff-and shifted the regional balance of power decisively in its favor.
What began as a swift retaliatory strike evolved into a wider campaign that expanded across air, cyber, naval, and informational domains. This wasn’t another Balakot or surgical strike. It was a meticulously orchestrated assertion of what Prime Minister Narendra Modi later described as “a new form of justice.”PM Modi’s declaration from Bikaner-“Ab toh Modi ki naso mein lahu nahi, garam sindoor beh raha hai”-wasn’t mere political theater. It was a warning: India’s era of strategic restraint is over.Why it matters: India declares strategic sovereigntyOperation Sindoor is not just a military success-it marks India’s formal entry into the league of nations that use calibrated military force as a standard policy tool to achieve national objectives. What’s revolutionary is not just the action, but the doctrine it now represents.1. India has shattered the nuclear ceiling mythFor decades, Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal served as a protective umbrella under which it waged asymmetric warfare-sponsoring terror groups, destabilizing Kashmir, and evading conventional retaliation. That assumption no longer holds.Dr Walter Ladwig noted in his analysis for RUSI: “Operation Sindoor added a new approach to India’s strategic toolbox… calibrated force under the nuclear shadow.“By striking presumed nuclear infrastructure, including the Kirana Hills and Noor Khan Airbase, India called Islamabad’s bluff,” wrote Jyotishman Bhagawati in Asia Times.Operation Sindoor demystifies the nuclear escalatory ladder and gives India a dominant perch in deterrence dynamics.2. India now controls the escalation narrativeThe traditional Indo-Pak cycle-attack, international outcry, de-escalation -now stands broken. India launched multi-day strikes, absorbed Pakistani retaliation, and still dictated the terms and timing of cessation.“We made one thing very clear… their general has to call up our general and say this. And that is what happened,” said external affairs minister S Jaishankar on the ceasefire.
This signals credibility, resolve, and strategic maturity-the three ingredients of sustainable deterrence.3. It establishes a precedent for pre-emptive punishmentOperation Sindoor isn’t a one-off-it’s a doctrinal evolution that’s now baked into India’s response framework. The new threshold is clear: If a terror attack happens, India will hit back-with precision and at scale.“This is not a game of vengeance, but a new form of justice,” PM Modi said.Future adversaries-state or non-state-will now calculate costs differently, knowing Indian retaliation is not symbolic, but systematic and scalable.4. It sets a new model for narrative warfareIn the age of disinformation, Operation Sindoor shows that India has learned to fight and win the information war. By swiftly releasing satellite imagery, conducting transparent briefings, and openly debunking Pakistani propaganda (like the fake claim of Adampur airbase destruction), India seized the perception battlefield.Modi’s dramatic visit to Adampur with S-400 systems in the backdrop was both theater and signal: India is not hiding; it’s owning the narrative.Striking with precision-and restraint
- The significance of Op Sindoor lies as much in what India did not do as in what it accomplished. Despite capability and provocation, Indian forces refrained from strikes in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa-regions fraught with internal dissent against the Pakistani state.
- This decision denied Islamabad the opportunity to rally its fractious peripheries and helped keep the conflict confined to military and terror-linked targets.
- This dual-track strategy-kinetic strikes coupled with psychological and informational warfare-signals the arrival of a matured Indian doctrine that understands escalation control and political signaling in equal measure.
Controlling the narrative
- Unlike during Balakot, where India’s post-strike silence allowed misinformation to spread, this time New Delhi controlled the information war with surgical clarity. From photographic evidence to live briefings and satellite imagery, India shaped the global narrative. Pakistan’s disinformation campaigns found little traction.
- A symbolic moment came when PM Modi landed at the Adampur airbase-previously claimed “destroyed” by Pakistani media-with intact S-400 systems in view. The image was defiance made visual, reinforcing India’s credibility both domestically and internationally.
Zoom in: A surgical strike across domains
- India’s targeting methodology broke new ground. The list of hit sites-Bahawalpur, Muridke, Hizbul Mujahideen facilities in PoK-reads like a who’s who of anti-India terror infrastructure.
- “We know who you are, where you are, and how to get you,” one senior official told TOI.
- The planning was meticulous. Intelligence had narrowed down buildings within terror compounds to individual residences of top jihadi leaders. Ten members of Masood Azhar’s family died. Azhar narrowly escaped an Indian missile. This wasn’t a symbolic strike-it was personal, precise, and punishing.
- India deployed loitering munitions-a class of stealth drones designed to evade radar and deliver pinpoint attacks. These drones exposed the vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s Chinese-built air defenses and took out strategic targets, including the HQ-9 system near Lahore.
Water as weaponIn perhaps the boldest assertion of geo-strategic leverage, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty-a pact that had survived wars and crises since 1960. Pakistan’s deepening water crisis means this act is not merely symbolic but potentially destabilizing. And it was done without triggering global condemnation.In a single move, India turned geography into a weapon, adding hydro-diplomacy to its arsenal of pressure tools.
Operation Sindoor should be remembered not as a dogfight between airframes, nor as a stumble toward strategic instability. It was a calibrated use of force, intended to signal resolve, degrade terrorist infrastructure, and demonstrate capability – without crossing the line into broader war. In doing so, it has redefined the contours of India’s response toolkit.
Dr Walter Ladwig in an article in RUSI
What’s next: Institutionalizing the ‘new normal’India’s message isn’t just about retaliation-it’s about sustained pressure across the spectrum.Military: All three services displayed unprecedented jointness. Navy warships patrolled off Karachi, signaling a willingness to broaden the theatre. Vice Admiral AN Pramod said the Navy ensured Pakistan’s air force stayed “bottled up” on the Makran coast.Cyber and informational: According to reports, India restored access to Baloch voices on social platforms, quietly empowering indigenous resistance to Islamabad’s control. No bombs were dropped in Balochistan or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-avoiding giving Pakistan a unifying nationalist cause while exploiting its internal fault lines.Geo-economics: By putting the Indus Waters Treaty in “abeyance,” India introduced a powerful new lever of pressure. As Pakistan faces a deepening water crisis, this move could have long-term strategic ramifications without provoking international backlash.(With inputs from agencies)
[ad_2]
Source link
About the author
Designing Thug Life: Amritha Ram on Styling Kamal Haasan
Costume design in Indian cinema often dances between fantasy and realism. But in Thug Life, Amritha Ram collaborates with cinematic icons Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam to craft a fashion-forward yet character-driven wardrobe that breaks norms. In an exclusive with ETimes, Amritha reveals how meticulous planning, storytelling, and visual language drove her designs. Tip 1: Collaboration Is the Key to Vision When asked what excited her most about working on Thug Life, Amritha simply said, “Two names: Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam.” The sheer reputation of these legends shaped her approach. Mani Ratnam was clear about the film’s visual tone—stripping away Bollywood glamor for something minimalistic yet powerful. “Mani sir guided me all the way. He knew exactly what he wanted,” she shared. Working with Kamal, who understands fabric, dyeing, and even costume history, was a learning curve. His feedback […]
If It Happened There: Donald Trump sends central troops to quell protests in opposition-ruled California | World News
[ad_1] Protesters confront police on the 101 Freeway near the Metropolitan Detention Center of downtown Los Angeles, Sunday, June 8, 2025, following last night's immigration raid protest. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Note: The following piece is inspired by Joshua Keating’s If It Happened There which uses tropes and tones normally used by American media to describe events in other countries. The facts presented deal with as much exactitude and accuracy as an American media outlets’ reporting about a foreign country.Los Angeles, Mexican for the city of angels, is home to Hollywood – America’s answer to Bollywood – and a city where starstruck aspirants come with the dream of being immortalised on the silver screen. Yet, the city, which falls under America-administered California, an opposition state which overwhelmingly voted for Mr Donald Trump’s rival from the Democratic Party, Ms Kamala Harris, […]
Apple prepares for new ‘Games’ app as domain goes live ahead of WWDC 2025 keynote
[ad_1] Apple is expected to launch iOS 19 (or rumoured iOS 26) and one of new features that is reported to come is a new Apple Games app. Apple appears to be laying the groundwork for this new application, which is said to curate games from the App Store and Apple Arcade, as a domain purportedly leading to the platform has gone live.As per a report by 9to5mac, the company's new games.apple.com domain has just gone live. However, it is currently displaying a blank page, signaling imminent content.This shift from a "Safari Can’t Find The Server" error message to a blank white page strongly suggests Apple is preparing to push content to the URL very soon, potentially coinciding with the conclusion of the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote.What Apple’s new Games app is all aboutWhile the exact function of the […]
MS Dhoni inducted into ICC Hall of Fame | Cricket News
[ad_1] MS Dhoni, former India cricket captain, has been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame, recognizing his extraordinary career spanning 16 years with 17,266 international runs, 829 dismissals and 538 matches across formats for India. The wicketkeeper-batsman revolutionized the sport through his unique playing style, tactical leadership and achievements including winning all three ICC men's white-ball titles as captain. "It is an honour to be named in the ICC Hall of Fame, which recognises the contributions of cricketers across generations and from all over the world. To have your name remembered alongside such all-time greats is a wonderful feeling. It is something that I will cherish forever," Dhoni said about his induction. Dhoni's journey began in 2004 when he made his ODI debut. Though he was dismissed for a duck in his first match, he soon announced his […]
160-million-year-old blue-stain fungi in China found to be harmful to trees |
[ad_1] In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have uncovered 160-million-year-old blue-stain fungi fossils from the Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation in China. The new findings offer fresh insights into the ecological relationships between blue-stain fungi, plants, and insects during the Jurassic period. These fungi are generally nonfatal to their hosts but often accelerate tree mortality when associated with wood-boring insects.According to ScienceDaily, a Chinese team of scientists highlights the discovery of well-preserved blue-stain fungal hyphae within Jurassic fossil wood from northeastern China, pushing back the earliest known fossil record of this fungal group by approximately 80 million years.Know about the blue-stain fungi, deadly to treesBlue-stain fungi are known for their ability to colonize wood, particularly in conifer trees, causing characteristic discoloration in the sapwood. While these fungi do not decompose wood, they often cause considerable damage when associated with wood-boring insects. Their role […]
America burning: LA reels under anti-immigration protests for third straight day despite Trump’s National Guard order
[ad_1] Multiple Waymo taxis burn near the Metropolitan Detention Center of downtown Los Angeles, following last night's immigration raid protest. (Video credit: X) For the third night in a row, downtown Los Angeles became the epicentre of chaos and confrontation as protests against US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown boiled over into violence, with police deploying tear gas, rubber bullets, and flashbangs to subdue demonstrators. Protesters set self-driving cars ablaze, blocked the 101 freeway, and clashed with law enforcement late into Sunday night, leaving parts of the city scorched and on edge.The flashpoint came after Trump took the extraordinary step of deploying the National Guard to California without the consent of the state's governor, an act not seen in decades. More than 300 troops arrived over the weekend, with 2,000 authorised and 500 US Marines on standby.Meanwhile, California governor Gavin […]
Related
Designing Thug Life: Amritha Ram on Styling Kamal Haasan
Costume design in Indian cinema often dances between fantasy and realism. But in Thug Life, Amritha Ram collaborates with cinematic icons Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam to craft a fashion-forward yet character-driven wardrobe that breaks norms. In an exclusive with ETimes, Amritha reveals how meticulous planning, storytelling, and visual language drove her designs. Tip 1: Collaboration Is the Key to Vision When asked what excited her most about working on Thug Life, Amritha simply said, “Two names: Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam.” The sheer reputation of these legends shaped her approach. Mani Ratnam was clear about the film’s visual tone—stripping away Bollywood glamor for something minimalistic yet powerful. “Mani sir guided me all the way. He knew exactly what he wanted,” she shared. Working with Kamal, who understands fabric, dyeing, and even costume history, was a learning curve. His feedback […]
If It Happened There: Donald Trump sends central troops to quell protests in opposition-ruled California | World News
[ad_1] Protesters confront police on the 101 Freeway near the Metropolitan Detention Center of downtown Los Angeles, Sunday, June 8, 2025, following last night's immigration raid protest. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Note: The following piece is inspired by Joshua Keating’s If It Happened There which uses tropes and tones normally used by American media to describe events in other countries. The facts presented deal with as much exactitude and accuracy as an American media outlets’ reporting about a foreign country.Los Angeles, Mexican for the city of angels, is home to Hollywood – America’s answer to Bollywood – and a city where starstruck aspirants come with the dream of being immortalised on the silver screen. Yet, the city, which falls under America-administered California, an opposition state which overwhelmingly voted for Mr Donald Trump’s rival from the Democratic Party, Ms Kamala Harris, […]
Apple prepares for new ‘Games’ app as domain goes live ahead of WWDC 2025 keynote
[ad_1] Apple is expected to launch iOS 19 (or rumoured iOS 26) and one of new features that is reported to come is a new Apple Games app. Apple appears to be laying the groundwork for this new application, which is said to curate games from the App Store and Apple Arcade, as a domain purportedly leading to the platform has gone live.As per a report by 9to5mac, the company's new games.apple.com domain has just gone live. However, it is currently displaying a blank page, signaling imminent content.This shift from a "Safari Can’t Find The Server" error message to a blank white page strongly suggests Apple is preparing to push content to the URL very soon, potentially coinciding with the conclusion of the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote.What Apple’s new Games app is all aboutWhile the exact function of the […]
MS Dhoni inducted into ICC Hall of Fame | Cricket News
[ad_1] MS Dhoni, former India cricket captain, has been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame, recognizing his extraordinary career spanning 16 years with 17,266 international runs, 829 dismissals and 538 matches across formats for India. The wicketkeeper-batsman revolutionized the sport through his unique playing style, tactical leadership and achievements including winning all three ICC men's white-ball titles as captain. "It is an honour to be named in the ICC Hall of Fame, which recognises the contributions of cricketers across generations and from all over the world. To have your name remembered alongside such all-time greats is a wonderful feeling. It is something that I will cherish forever," Dhoni said about his induction. Dhoni's journey began in 2004 when he made his ODI debut. Though he was dismissed for a duck in his first match, he soon announced his […]
160-million-year-old blue-stain fungi in China found to be harmful to trees |
[ad_1] In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have uncovered 160-million-year-old blue-stain fungi fossils from the Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation in China. The new findings offer fresh insights into the ecological relationships between blue-stain fungi, plants, and insects during the Jurassic period. These fungi are generally nonfatal to their hosts but often accelerate tree mortality when associated with wood-boring insects.According to ScienceDaily, a Chinese team of scientists highlights the discovery of well-preserved blue-stain fungal hyphae within Jurassic fossil wood from northeastern China, pushing back the earliest known fossil record of this fungal group by approximately 80 million years.Know about the blue-stain fungi, deadly to treesBlue-stain fungi are known for their ability to colonize wood, particularly in conifer trees, causing characteristic discoloration in the sapwood. While these fungi do not decompose wood, they often cause considerable damage when associated with wood-boring insects. Their role […]
America burning: LA reels under anti-immigration protests for third straight day despite Trump’s National Guard order
[ad_1] Multiple Waymo taxis burn near the Metropolitan Detention Center of downtown Los Angeles, following last night's immigration raid protest. (Video credit: X) For the third night in a row, downtown Los Angeles became the epicentre of chaos and confrontation as protests against US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown boiled over into violence, with police deploying tear gas, rubber bullets, and flashbangs to subdue demonstrators. Protesters set self-driving cars ablaze, blocked the 101 freeway, and clashed with law enforcement late into Sunday night, leaving parts of the city scorched and on edge.The flashpoint came after Trump took the extraordinary step of deploying the National Guard to California without the consent of the state's governor, an act not seen in decades. More than 300 troops arrived over the weekend, with 2,000 authorised and 500 US Marines on standby.Meanwhile, California governor Gavin […]
Be the first to leave a comment