Brigadier Preet Pal Singh, AVSM, VSM

This paper examines Operation Sindoor, a landmark politico-military campaign that redefined India’s counterterrorism doctrine and showcased the nation’s transition from strategic restraint to proactive deterrence. Conducted over 90 hours in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, the operation demonstrated India’s ability to execute swift, precise, and multi-domain strikes deep inside Pakistan using advanced indigenous technologies, drones, and precision-guided munitions. This paper highlights how Operation Sindoor embodied the principles of Atmanirbhar Bharat, validating the integration of cyber, space, and information warfare while maintaining escalation control below the nuclear threshold. The campaign underscored India’s growing capability to impose costs on adversaries without breaching international norms, reinforcing its image as a responsible yet assertive regional power. Politically, it affirmed the government’s ‘New normal’—resolute retaliation against terrorism irrespective of nuclear threats. Strategically, it reflected unprecedented tri-service coordination and operational innovation, even as it exposed gaps in intelligence fusion, narrative control, and defence self-reliance. This paper concludes that Operation Sindoor exemplifies India’s technological strength and offers a blueprint for artificial-intelligence-enabled hybrid warfare ensuring strategic autonomy.