New Delhi, Dec 31: Operation Sindoor — India’s most extensive and coordinated military mission in over five decades — marked a transformative moment in the nation’s counter-terror and strategic doctrine in 2025. The operation was launched to deliver a decisive blow to Pakistan for its continued support to cross-border terrorism, making the year a turning point in India’s defence and security posture.
India carried out a series of precision missile strikes on nine terror camps located across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the early hours of May 7, eliminating around 100 terrorists in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack, which had claimed 26 civilian lives.
The Indian strikes targeted key terror hubs including the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) headquarters in Bahawalpur, Lashkar-e-Taiba’s base in Muridke, and several terrorist infrastructures in Sialkot, Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Bhimber, and Sialkot sectors. Following the offensive, India conveyed to Pakistan that its actions were focused solely on terror camps, not on escalating hostilities.
However, when Pakistan retaliated militarily, India responded with overwhelming force, deploying advanced platforms such as the S-400 Triumph, Barak-8, and Akash missile systems, alongside the Integrated Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Grid. Multiple Pakistani military assets, including radar sites, hangars, command centres, and air base runways, suffered heavy damage.
Describing the strikes as a declaration of India’s “political will,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi affirmed that India would not succumb to nuclear threats. “If Pakistan wants peace, it must dismantle its terror infrastructure. There is no other path,” he stated. He further emphasised there would be no distinction between terrorism’s masterminds and its state sponsors.
The three-day conflict, which concluded after a hotline dialogue between senior military officials on May 10, showcased unprecedented inter-service coordination and the use of next-generation warfare technologies, including drones and counter-drone systems.
In a powerful diplomatic move, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, asserting it would remain withdrawn until Pakistan ceased backing cross-border terrorism. Given that Pakistan depends on the Indus system for nearly 80% of its agricultural land and over 90% of its water use, the step carried significant strategic implications.
As part of its deterrent stance, the Indian Navy swiftly deployed its carrier battle group, submarines, and naval aviation assets across the Indian Ocean Region, ensuring full combat readiness. The year also witnessed progress in India’s underwater nuclear capability, with ‘INS Aridaman’, the nation’s third indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), nearing induction.
India deepened its strategic partnerships, notably with France and the United States. In April, New Delhi signed an intergovernmental agreement with France for 26 Rafale-Marine jets worth ₹64,000 crore for INS Vikrant, and also advanced the ₹70,000 crore Project 75-India submarine programme.
In a landmark move, India and the US inked a 10-year defence framework pact, reaffirming their commitment to an open and secure Indo-Pacific amid strained trade relations.
In tandem, India conducted several strategic missile tests — including the Agni-5 intermediate-range ballistic missile with a 5,000 km range, capable of reaching all key regions in Asia and parts of Europe.
Operation Sindoor was widely hailed as India’s most significant military action since the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, marking the establishment of a new counter-terror “normal”. The campaign reinforced India’s zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism, demonstrated advanced joint-force capabilities, and reasserted the nation’s deterrent strength across land, air, sea, and space.
