In the early days of May 2025, the tranquil valley of Pahalgam turned into a scene of horror. A deadly terrorist attack claimed the lives of 26 civilians, most of them Hindu tourists, shaking the country’s conscience. This wasn’t the first time terrorism had reared its head in Kashmir, but the brazenness and timing of the attack provoked an unusual sense of urgency across New Delhi’s security corridors.
Three days later, India responded with more than words or diplomatic protests. Operation Sindoor was born. It was a swift, tightly coordinated, and deeply symbolic military operation that marked a watershed in India’s approach to cross-border terrorism. Since then, there has been a barrage of misinformation and conspiracy theories across social media and news channels regarding the same. The aim of this article is to put all this misinformation to rest based on the briefing by the Indian Armed Forces.
Nine Terror Camps Destroyed
India successfully targeted and dismantled nine significant terror launchpads located across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu & Kashmir. These sites were reportedly under the control of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen, and served as vital hubs for training and coordinating attacks against Indian interests.
Intelligence inputs, collected from electronic surveillance, ground assets, and satellites, were used to mark these locations with high precision. Once the green light was given, Indian forces unleashed a wave of strikes designed to dismantle the Pakistani terror infrastructure.
Coordinated Strike: Army, Navy, Air Force Together
India’s retaliation unfolded through a carefully coordinated military campaign that involved all three branches of its armed forces, Army, Navy, and Air Force. Each element moved in tandem, as part of a unified strategy shaped by shared intelligence and operational clarity. This was a departure from earlier approaches, like in Balakot airstrikes or post-Uri surgical strikes, where operations were often led by individual services.
India redefined the boundaries of military engagement by extending its strikes far beyond Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. For the first time, Indian forces hit locations deep within Pakistan’s mainland, including areas in Punjab province long considered off-limits due to their proximity to core military installations. The operations targeted not only the militant groups but also the infrastructure and support systems enabling them, challenging the long-held separation between attackers and their sponsors. With locations like Bahawalpur on the list, India demonstrated that distance and terrain no longer offered protection. The message was direct: if violence is planned or supported from Pakistani soil, no location will be treated as untouchable.
A Shift in Counterterror Strategy
India, for the first time, treated terror groups and their support networks as part of a single threat. Strikes were directed not only at operatives but also at those enabling them from within Pakistani territory, challenging the belief that certain actors could operate without consequence.
Revealing Weaknesses in Pakistan’s Air Defence
Indian forces managed to carry out high-precision strikes while avoiding detection, highlighting serious gaps in Pakistan’s air surveillance and response systems. Within a span of just 23 minutes, Indian aircraft completed their mission without losses, pointing to both operational efficiency and technological advantage. The deployment of Rafale jets with SCALP missiles and HAMMER bombs played a central role in the success. It was also made clear in the press conference by the Indian Armed Forces officials that Pakistani jets definitely suffered at the hands of Indian action. However, it was not made clear how many or which ones.
Demonstrating India’s Air Defence Readiness
India’s own air defence response was layered and well-coordinated. It also marked the first major test of its ability to counter foreign-built defence systems, many of which Pakistan had acquired from China. The use of indigenous systems such as Akashteer, which was instrumental in neutralising a large number of incoming drones and missiles, underscored India’s integration capabilities and its growing presence in global defence markets.
Targeted Response, Controlled Scope
India limited its strikes to terror-linked sites, deliberately avoiding civilian and conventional military infrastructure in the initial wave. The approach reflected a policy of firm retaliation without triggering a wider conflict.
Neutralising Terrorists
A number of high-ranking members of terror outfits were eliminated, including individuals long pursued by Indian security agencies. The strikes disrupted multiple operational networks in a matter of hours.
Strikes on Military Infrastructure
On the night of May 9–10, Indian forces targeted several air bases across Pakistan in a rare move against a nuclear-armed state’s military infrastructure. Eleven bases were struck, including key sites such as Nur Khan, Sargodha, and Bholari. The attacks reportedly resulted in the destruction of a significant portion of Pakistan’s air assets and installations. Among the casualties were senior personnel, and multiple aircraft were confirmed damaged or destroyed.
A Clear Signal to the International Community
India conveyed that it would act decisively to protect its citizens, without waiting for external approval. The strikes targeted both operatives and those directing them, sending a message that accountability would reach across borders. The operation also demonstrated India’s ability to absorb potential retaliation and respond with greater intensity if required.
Redefining the Kashmir Discourse
For the first time, India-Pakistan tensions were viewed through the lens of cross-border terrorism rather than the Kashmir dispute. This shift was reinforced by the fact that the strikes focused solely on terror infrastructure, not on civilian or territorial targets.
A Tactical Success with Strategic Ripples
Militarily, India’s gains were clear: training camps dismantled, leadership targets eliminated, and a temporary disruption of terror planning infrastructure. But the larger achievement lay in the signal sent to Islamabad and the international community.
For Pakistan, the message was one of consequence: continuing to harbour terrorists would not remain cost-free. And for the world, India demonstrated that even a nuclear-armed South Asian democracy could act with precision and restraint in the face of grave provocation.
There are still a number of questions that need to be answered from India. Why did India back out when it had a leading edge? What was the role of China here? And the role of the USA? The weaponry used as part of these operations? Were any Indian jets downed? If yes, which ones? What is the precise damage to Pakistani weaponry and defence systems by India?
Time is likely to give answers to these questions. Till then, as Air Marshal AK Bharti said, India’s job was to hit the targets, not to count body bags.
