"Army Chief Gen Dwivedi discusses the innovative strategies of Operation Sindoor, revealing its operation within the ambiguous region, in regards to Pakistan"
In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack on 22 April 2025, India launched a bold military operation named Operation Sindoor. This coordinated, multi-branch response involving the Army, Air Force, and Navy targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The operation was defined by Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi as a "game of chess in a grey zone." He explained that it involved instances where India was giving Pakistan a checkmate and other instances where India was going in for the kill at the risk of losing its own. The political leadership granted the military complete freedom to decide the course of the operation.
The strikes, which lasted approximately 25 minutes, marked India’s deepest bombing inside Pakistan since the 1971 war. Nine sites, including camps and military infrastructure in Pakistan’s Punjab province and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, were targeted. Advanced weaponry such as precision long-range M982 Excalibur artillery rounds, Israeli Indo-Israeli SkyStriker loitering munitions, Rafale jets equipped with SCALP missiles and AASM Hammer bombs, BrahMos cruise missiles, and the Russian-supplied S-400 missile defense system were used.
The outcome of Operation Sindoor was significant. Indian forces inflicted heavy damage on Pakistan’s terrorist hideouts, air defense systems, command centers, radars, aircraft (including advanced systems like AEW&C and F-16 hangars), and critical nuclear facilities at PAF Base Mushaf. Pakistan suffered an estimated 155 military casualties and severe damage to second-tier army defenses, resulting in a compromised ability to counterattack.
The operation was seen as a strategic success for India, forcing Pakistan to seek a ceasefire and exposing vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s military and diplomatic posture. Analysts described the operation as a "stunning masterstroke" and an "epochal recalibration" that redefined the regional balance of power and deterrence dynamics in South Asia.
The first meeting about Operation Sindoor was held on 23 April, with the three chiefs of the armed forces meeting Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. He made it clear that decisive action was required, telling the military leaders, "Enough is enough." The S-400 air defence system was used in Operation Sindoor, and the Indian Air Force faced no operational restrictions during the mission. Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh revealed that India shot down five Pakistani fighter jets during Operation Sindoor, a fact that was not mentioned earlier. Additionally, a large Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft was also destroyed during the operation.
General Dwivedi praised the clarity and confidence provided by political leaders during the planning stages of Operation Sindoor. He also mockingly stated that if Pakistanis were asked whether they lost or won, they would say their chief (Asim Munir) has become Field Marshal so they must have won only. However, the strategic and tactical gains for India amid heightened India-Pakistan tensions in 2025 were undeniable.
- The Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, framed the direction for Operation Sindoor during its initial meeting with the armed forces, stating emphatically, "Enough is enough."
- The S-400 missile defense system, a crucial asset in India's Defense, was deployed and effectively utilized during Operation Sindoor.
- The strategic victory of Operation Sindoor, deemed a "stunning masterstroke" by analysts, has had profound implications on general-news, finance, politics, and sport circles in South Asia, with some even likening it to an "epochal recalibration" of the regional balance of power.
