'With a military-led strategy to counter terrorism emanating from Pakistan, India has clearly signalled that it would respond decisively to future terrorist threats.'
In response to the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, India launched Operation Sindoor with precision strikes on terror infrastructure inside Pakistan on May 7.
Pakistan then targeted civilian and military sites in India over more than three days, drawing retaliatory strikes on 13 Pakistani military installations.
On May 10 afternoon, Pakistan's director general of military operations called his Indian counterpart, after which both sides agreed to stop all military action from 5 pm IST.
With Operation Sindoor only suspended, Lieutenant General Deependra Singh Hooda (retd), the former General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Army's Northern Command who held the position during the September 2016 surgical strike in retaliation to the Pakistan-backed Uri terrorist attack, speaks to Bhaswar Kumar/Business Standard about India's strategic messaging and the changing character of its conflict with Pakistan. The concluding segment of a two-part interview:
- Part 1 of the Interview: Why Pakistan Was Desperate For Ceasefire
How has warfare in the subcontinent changed after Operation Sindoor, given that this was the first time since 1971 India targeted military installations in Pakistan-proper and the Pakistan military targeted Indian cities across both the Line of Control and the International Border?
Purists of military language would say that the nature of war is constant, but the character of war keeps changing.
The character of conflict with Pakistan is also evolving. India's last war with Pakistan in Kargil was a test of human endurance and involved close-quarter battles fought in high-altitude terrain.
Operation Sindoor has been a battle fought from afar using drones, stand-off precision weapons, and long-range missiles.
In such a conflict, the civilian population will not be insulated from the fighting.
We have also seen a furious information battle playing out with fake news and disinformation being weaponised to create alternative realities.
This will be a feature of any future conflict.
What lessons does this shift in the conflict's 'character' offer for defence planning, acquisition, and budgeting?
We need to think hard about the type of weapon systems required for future warfighting.
Drones have become central to combat, and we must find the right mix of manned-unmanned platforms.
Technology is changing rapidly, and our acquisition systems have to become more agile to keep pace.
On the budget, most experts agree that if we are to maintain a credible military force against our two main adversaries, military spending must be increased.
What are the doctrinal changes needed, if any?
Historically, the Indian military has followed a reactive, defensive-oriented strategy, shaped by wars with Pakistan and China.
However, the changing character of warfare -- including cyber, space, information, and artificial intelligence-driven conflicts -- demands a proactive, deterrence-based doctrine.
We must plan for the whole spectrum of operations, from dealing with minor border clashes, to limited conflicts, to full-scale war.
At the same time, we must be able to counter Grey Zone warfare, which remains below the threshold of conventional conflict.
What has Operation Sindoor achieved?
Apart from the immediate destruction of terror infrastructure in Pakistan, Operation Sindoor's main achievement has been a redefinition of India's counterterrorism approach.
With a military-led strategy to counter terrorism emanating from Pakistan, India has clearly signalled that it would respond decisively to future terrorist threats.
The onus is now on Pakistan to rein in terrorism or face military strikes from India.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
© 2025