By Chandran Iyer
In the 1973 martial arts classic Enter the Dragon, Bruce Lee’s character faces off against the brutish and arrogant O’Hara. As O’Hara shatters a wooden board in an ostentatious display of power, Lee, calm and unfazed, delivers one of cinema’s most iconic lines:
“Boards don’t hit back.”
Moments later, Lee demolishes his opponent with lightning-fast precision and controlled rage.
For decades, India was that board—stoic and still, absorbing one terrorist strike after another from across the border without hitting back. But that has changed.
On May 7, 2025, India shed that passivity with Operation SINDOOR, a meticulously planned and surgically executed military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, launching a new chapter in its national security doctrine—one defined by decisive leadership, integrated force, and strategic retaliation.
The Flashpoint: The Pahalgam Massacre
On April 22, 2025, tranquility turned to tragedy in the scenic valley of Pahalgam, a tourist haven nestled in Kashmir. Terrorists unleashed coordinated attacks targeting vacationing families, killing 26 innocent civilians, primarily male tourists. The images of grieving widows, some still wearing sindoor—the red vermillion mark signifying marriage—seared the nation’s conscience.
That image, symbolic of pain and resilience, moved Prime Minister Narendra Modi deeply. Vowing a response that would shake the perpetrators to their core, he named India’s counter-offensive Operation SINDOOR—a tribute to the lives lost and a message to the enemies of peace: India would no longer absorb attacks in silence.
A Strike Beyond Imagination
Exactly two weeks after the Pahalgam tragedy, India struck back—not with rhetoric, but with precision firepower. In a rare, coordinated tri-service military action involving the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, India executed a high-precision, multi-domain offensive targeting nine key terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
What stood out was the strategic brilliance and element of deception. On the day of the operation, the Indian government publicly announced a large-scale mock drill, diverting the attention of Pakistani intelligence. Believing India to be focused inward, Pakistani defenses relaxed.
Then came the real assault.
Using advanced stand-off weapons and smart missiles fired from within Indian airspace, Indian forces devastated targets including the Jaish-e-Mohammad headquarters in Bahawalpur and the Lashkar-e-Taiba base in Muridke—both long recognized as epicenters of anti-India terror activities. Over 100 terrorists were reportedly eliminated. The strikes were so precise that collateral damage was minimal.
India’s message was clear: its actions were measured, controlled, and non-escalatory—but devastatingly effective.
Pakistan Retaliates—and Misfires
Unnerved and humiliated, Pakistan retaliated with targeted drone strikes and artillery shelling, but instead of hitting military installations, they deliberately chose religious sites—including the Shambhu Temple in Jammu, a Gurdwara in Poonch, and several Christian convents. This was not retaliation—it was psychological warfare aimed at dividing India along communal lines.
But India stood united.
On the night of May 7-8, Pakistan attempted to escalate further. Using drones and missiles, they targeted Indian military facilities in Awantipora, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj. However, the Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and Indian Air Defence systems intercepted and neutralized all incoming threats.
India’s Game-Changing Air Response
India responded swiftly and decisively. On the night of May 9, the Indian Air Force (IAF) launched a counter-strike that would reshape regional power dynamics. In a carefully calibrated operation, Indian fighter jets targeted 11 Pakistani Air Force (PAF) installations, including airfields, hangars, logistical hubs, and ammunition depots.
These airbases were strategically located across all three of Pakistan’s Air Commands:
- Northern Air Command (Rawalpindi)
- Central Air Command (Sargodha)
- Southern Air Command (Jacobabad and Sukkur)
Strikes were carried out even at Bholari Airbase, nearly 270 km inside Pakistani territory, demonstrating the extended reach of Indian air power.
The IAF named its targets: Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Sargodha, Rahim Yar Khan, Jacobabad, Sukkur, Bholari, and Shorkot. In addition, radar installations at Pasrur and Sialkot, part of Pakistan’s central air defense network, were obliterated.
According to the PIB report, the strikes resulted in the death of 50 personnel, including Squadron Leader Usman Yusuf and four airmen. Several PAF fighter jets were destroyed, and nearly 20% of Pakistan’s air force infrastructure was rendered non-operational.
Pakistan, overwhelmed and outmaneuvered, sought an immediate ceasefire on May 10.
“They Ran Like Scared Dogs”: The Global Response
Michael Rubin, a former Pentagon official and South Asia expert, commented bluntly: “Pakistan ran like a scared dog with its tail between its legs to secure a ceasefire.” He praised India’s restraint and precision, declaring that Pakistan had “lost very, very badly—both militarily and diplomatically.”
Speaking to ANI, Rubin emphasized that India not only demolished terror infrastructure, but also blunted Pakistan’s ability to retaliate, exposing its military and diplomatic vulnerabilities. “All eyes are now on Pakistan’s sponsorship of terrorism,” he added. “India won this round.”
Two Doctrines: Modi vs. Manmohan
Operation SINDOOR was not just an act of retaliation—it was a manifestation of a larger strategic shift in India’s defense doctrine. It marked a clear departure from the UPA era, particularly the response—or lack thereof—to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, when 166 people died over four horrifying days and the Indian government refrained from any military action.
Under Prime Minister Modi, India has moved from moral posturing to measurable deterrence. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s warning after Pahalgam—“We will give a fitting reply”—was not a political soundbite. It was a declaration of intent, carried out with chilling efficiency.
India, like Bruce Lee, no longer watches from the sidelines. It hits back.
Non-Kinetic Warfare: Weaponizing Water
Parallel to the military operations, India launched a non-kinetic strike that was equally impactful: the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
Signed in 1960, the IWT allows Pakistan significant use of the Indus river system. Pakistan, a water-stressed nation, depends on the Indus for over 75% of its water needs—agriculture, drinking water, and electricity generation.
India’s decision to suspend the treaty sent shockwaves through Islamabad. With limited water storage and processing infrastructure, Pakistan’s vulnerability was exposed. India had weaponized geography, applying pressure without firing a single shot.
A Multi-Pronged Strategy to Isolate Pakistan
India’s response to Pahalgam wasn’t limited to missiles and water. It unfolded across multiple dimensions:
- Economic Measures
- The Attari-Wagah border was sealed, and all bilateral trade suspended.
- India banned key Pakistani imports like textiles and cement.
- Export restrictions, especially on onions and essential commodities, were enforced to choke economic inflows.
- Cultural and Diplomatic Sanctions
- Visas for all Pakistani nationals were revoked.
- India withdrew from the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme.
- Pakistani artists and content were banned across cinemas and streaming platforms.
- Pakistani military advisors in Delhi were expelled, and the High Commission’s strength was halved.
- Global Diplomacy
Through back-channel diplomacy and global outreach, India secured international support for its actions, projecting them as defensive, justified, and proportional. Global powers—many of whom had long grown weary of Pakistan’s terror duplicity—acknowledged India’s right to self-defense.
Modi’s Commanding Leadership
What makes Operation SINDOOR particularly historic is Prime Minister Modi’s leadership.
Even while on a scheduled diplomatic tour, Modi remained hands-on. Reports indicate he was in constant touch with the Cabinet Committee on Security, the Defense Minister, and service chiefs. Under his watch, India crafted a response that was strategic, not emotional.
Perhaps most transformative was Modi’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty—a decision that simultaneously punished Pakistan and promoted development in Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, and Haryana.
The Doctrine of Sindoor: India’s New National Security Vision
In his address to the nation on May 12, Prime Minister Modi laid out the broader philosophy behind Operation SINDOOR:
“This is not just an operation. This is a pledge of justice, born from the pain of our people. We have always defeated Pakistan on the battlefield. This time, Operation SINDOOR has added a new dimension.”
India’s updated national security doctrine, as articulated by the Prime Minister, now includes:
- Zero tolerance for terrorism—retaliation will be swift and severe.
- No distinction between terrorists and their state sponsors.
- Nuclear blackmail will not deter precision strikes.
- No dialogue unless tied to terrorism and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
- No trade, no water, and no talks until terror ends.
What Operation SINDOOR Achieved
The strategic and tactical gains from Operation SINDOOR are undeniable:
- Nine major terror camps destroyed, including key hubs of LeT, JeM, and Hizbul Mujahideen.
- Over 100 terrorists eliminated, disrupting terror networks across PoJK.
- 20% of Pakistan’s air force infrastructure disabled, with air bases and radar systems rendered ineffective.
- Diplomatic and economic isolation of Pakistan on the international stage.
- Domestic unity and bipartisan political support at home, bolstering national morale.
Conclusion: From Silence to Strength
Operation SINDOOR marks a watershed moment in Indian defense policy. It is not merely a military response—it is a declaration of a new national identity: resolute, strategic, and fearless.
India has moved from absorbing attacks to dismantling terror sanctuaries, from global pleading to global leadership, and from symbolic outrage to measurable action.
As Bruce Lee once said, “Boards don’t hit back.”
India now does.