Opinion | Operation Sindoor: Testament To PM Modi’s Political Fortitude
Be it the surgical strike of 2016, Balakot strike of 2019 or Operation Sindoor of 2025, they all have one thing in common -- vision and political fortitude of PM Modi
Through Operation Sindoor, India has used its ‘right to respond’ to the attack on its soil and the armed forces scripted history by acting with precision, precaution and focus to destroy the camps used to train terrorists in Pakistan and PoK. No civilian population was harmed. The armed forces, by giving a befitting reply under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have showcased how political will matters – indeed, Modi has no dearth of either willpower or determination, given his stated policy of zero tolerance for terror. The action was limited only to the terror camps and other terror infrastructure used for training terrorists, with the aim of breaking their morale. PM Modi personally named the operation “Sindoor," a reference to the red vermilion worn by married Hindu women, symbolizing their marital status. The name was chosen to honour the widows of the Pahalgam attack, humanising the victims and emphasising the emotional toll of the tragedy. The attack killed 26 people, predominantly Hindu men, including newlyweds, leaving behind widowed women. A widely circulated image of a grieving widow symbolised the tragedy, influencing the operation’s codename. The codename also reflects the warrior spirit, as sindoor is sometimes associated with valour in Indian culture. Within a few hours of Operation Sindoor, there was a virtual dedication of 50 strategically-significant infrastructure projects of BRO – 30 bridges, 17 roads and three other works, to the nation by the Modi government. These projects, constructed at a total cost of Rs 1,879 crore, are spread across six border States and two Union Territories – Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Mizoram, West Bengal & Rajasthan, reinforcing India’s security, connectivity and development in remote regions. In the last two years alone, BRO has completed a record 161 infrastructure projects worth Rs 5,600 crore, including 111 projects last year. In the last four years, BRO has completed 456 infrastructure projects with a total expenditure of Rs 13,743 crore. Modern defence capability depends not just on weaponry but also on the infrastructure that supports it. You can have the fastest tank or the most advanced aircraft, but if they can’t reach where they are needed on time, they serve no purpose. Hence border infrastructure is crucial and critical. BRO plays an instrumental role in making sure our military is always ready and well-positioned. The Sela Tunnel has become a symbol of this resolve to enhance connectivity in strategically important areas. The vision of PM Modi to revitalise border villages, with initiatives like the Vibrant Villages Programme under which the Modi government is increasing connectivity by building about 35 kilometres of roads every day, is exemplary.
Operation Sindoor was only retaliatory and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities were targeted. India under Modi, demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution. These steps come in the wake of the barbaric Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were murdered. Operation Sindoor is Modi’s way of living up to his avowed commitment that those responsible for this attack would be identified, tracked and duly punished. The razor-sharp precision planning was evident in the results. Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Hafiz Saeed, the key perpetrator of the 2008, 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and Masood Azhar, the kingpin of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), responsible for numerous attacks, including the 1999 IC-814 hijacking and the 2019 Pulwama bombing, saw their terror camps being demolished by Indian forces. Muridke, 30 km from Lahore, has been LeT’s headquarters since 1990, while Bahawalpur in Pakistan’s Punjab province is JeM’s operational base. Both these areas were targeted by India, to send out a loud and clear message that under PM Modi, Pakistan’s days as a terror State are numbered unless it decides to stop terror financing and emboldening terrorists on its soil.
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Operation Sindoor was a tri-services effort involving the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, coordinated from Indian territory, in what was a brilliantly conceptualised and executed operation with no room for even minor glitches. Nine terrorist facilities linked to banned groups Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen were destroyed. Four targets were in mainland Pakistan, and five were in PoJK. The sites destroyed were (1) Markaz Subhan Allah, Bahawalpur (JeM): Ideological and operational headquarters of JeM, (2) Markaz Taiba, Muridke (LeT): A 200-acre LeT compound used for indoctrination and logistics, linked to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, (3) Sarjal, Tehra Kalan (JeM): Pre-infiltration camp for new recruits, (4) Markaz Abbas, Kotli (JeM): Hub for suicide bomber training, destroyed at 1:04 AM, (5) Syedna Bilal Camp, Muzaffarabad (JeM): Infiltration and training facility, (6) Shawai Nalla Camp, Muzaffarabad (LeT): Infiltration point for sleeper cells, (7) Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala (LeT): Regional logistics hub, (8) Makaz Raheel Shahid, Kotli (Hizbul Mujahideen): Training centre, and (9) Mehmoona Joya, Sialkot Hizbul Mujahideen’s operational base.
Rafale jets equipped with SCALP cruise missiles for deep strikes and HAMMER precision-guided bombs for targeting hardened infrastructure, Kamikaze drones used for surveillance, target acquisition and strikes and Standoff and Beyond-Visual-Range Weapons, for ensuring precision and minimising collateral damage, worked superbly to India’s advantage. Operation Sindoor was described as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory," avoiding Pakistani military facilities to prevent escalation. Targets were selected based on credible intelligence to minimise civilian casualties. That no civilian lives were lost is a glowing testimony to how even in a war-like situation, PM Modi never ever loses sight of the larger picture. Between 80 and 90 terrorists were reportedly killed, including 10 family members and 4 aides of JeM chief Masood Azhar. All nine targeted terror camps were successfully neutralised, including key training, indoctrination, and logistics centres. Prime Minister Narendra Modi monitored the operation throughout the night, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval spearheaded the planning, emphasising a surgical and selective strategy. India briefed envoys of UN Security Council members (excluding Pakistan) and other nations, justifying the strikes as a response to Pakistan’s inaction against terrorist infrastructure. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri highlighted Pakistan’s links to LeT and TRF. The UK, Japan, France, Germany, Spain, and Indian-American lawmakers supported India’s right to self-defence.
Operation Sindoor was the most expansive cross-border strike since the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, following the 2016 surgical strikes. It marked a significant escalation in India’s response to cross-border terrorism. The operation underscored India’s zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism and its willingness to act decisively, while maintaining a non-escalatory stance to avoid a broader conflict. The codename and messaging emphasised the human cost of terrorism, ensuring the victims’ stories remained central to the narrative. Pakistan alleged civilian casualties, including attacks on mosques, and accused India of aggression. India refuted these claims, citing precise targeting based on intelligence. India effectively countered disinformation, notably from China’s Global Times, urging fact verification.
Operation Sindoor (2025), the 2016 Surgical Strike, and the 2019 Balakot Airstrike are three significant Indian military operations targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan or Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), each in retaliation to terror attacks on Indian soil. While all were retaliatory and aimed at neutralising terrorist threats, they differ in scope, execution, technology, targets, and geopolitical impact. In the Uri attack on September 18, 2016, four Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists attacked an Indian Army brigade headquarters, killing 19 soldiers and injuring 19–30 others. Pre-emptive neutralisation of terrorist launch pads along the Line of Control (LoC) to prevent further planned attacks was the key aim of the 2016 Surgical Strike. In the Pulwama attack on February 14, 2019, a JeM suicide bomber attacked a CRPF convoy, killing 40 personnel. The Balakot Strike of 2019 therefore, targeted a JeM terrorist training camp in Balakot, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to eliminate terrorists. In the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025, where 26 civilians (25 Indian, 1 Nepali) were killed, by The Resistance Front, an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Launched 15 days after the attack, on May 7, 2025, Operation Sindoor targeted nine terrorist sites across Pakistan and PoK, including JeM headquarters in Bahawalpur, LeT’s base in Muridke, and Hizbul Mujahideen sites in Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Sialkot, Barnala, and Tehra Kalan. Sindoor is India’s most extensive cross-border military action in five decades, involving simultaneous strikes on multiple, geographically dispersed targets. Deep strikes, included targets near Lahore (Muridke) and Sialkot, up to 100 km inside Pakistan, a significant escalation from previous operations. Under Sindoor precision missile and drone strikes were launched entirely from Indian soil, avoiding airspace violations. Involved a multi-domain assault (land, sea, air). Technology employed was sophisticated standoff weapons, including SCALP (Storm Shadow) cruise missiles, HAMMER precision-guided munitions, and loitering munitions (drones that hover before striking). The 2019 Balakot Strike marked a doctrinal shift with the use of airpower across the international border.
Operation Sindoor on the other hand showcased a brand new doctrine of deep, multi-target strikes with advanced technology, signalling stronger deterrence. The operation’s scale and depth raised stakes, prompting Pakistan to close airspace and escalate shelling along the LoC. The 2016 Surgical Strike established India’s policy of proactive, pre-emptive ground operations against terrorism, but limited to PoK to avoid major escalation. It emphasised covert, low-risk ground operations with minimal collateral damage. The 2019 Balakot Strike demonstrated India’s willingness to use airpower and cross the international border, dispelling notions that air strikes were too escalatory. It introduced airpower as a viable tool for retaliation, with standoff capabilities to control escalation. The 2025 Operation Sindoor marked a strategic shift toward deep, simultaneous, technology-driven strikes targeting major terrorist hubs, reflecting a more assertive counter-terrorism doctrine. India proactively briefed major powers (US, Russia, UK, Saudi Arabia) and the UNSC, framing the strikes as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory," avoiding Pakistani military facilities. Operation Sindoor emphasised tri-services integration, standoff weapons, and unmanned systems, minimising risk to Indian personnel while maximising tactical surprise and geopolitical impact. It represents an evolution from manned operations to remote precision strikes. The term “surgical" in the 2016 Surgical Strike emphasised precision and minimal collateral damage, aligning with global military terminology for targeted operations. The 2019 Balakot Airstrike named after the target location, underscored the operation’s focus on a specific terrorist camp, with no cultural or symbolic connotations. Operation Sindoor is however, a “quantum leap" from the localised 2016 Surgical Strike and the single-target 2019 Balakot Airstrike, targeting multiple, high-value sites deep inside Pakistan’s heartland, including Punjab. From basic ground combat (2016) to advanced air-delivered munitions (2019) to sophisticated standoff missiles and drones (2025), Sindoor reflects India’s shift to technology-driven warfare, under the bold and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Operation Sindoor’s simultaneous strikes within minutes contrast with the sequential raids of 2016 and the single strike of 2019, showcasing enhanced coordination and speed. Sindoor’s proactive international briefings and tri-services integration signal a more confident and assertive Indian posture. Be it the Surgical Strike of 2016, Balakot Strike of 2019 or Operation Sindoor of 2025, they all have one thing in common and that is the commanding vision and political fortitude of Prime Minister Modi, who has shown he has what it takes to ensure that no one in any part of the world can take this country of 1.4 billion people lightly.
Sanju Verma is an economist and national spokesperson for the BJP and Bestselling Author of ‘The Modi Gambit’. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
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