New Delhi, Dec 31: The year 2025 marked a decisive turning point in India’s counter-terror doctrine, with Operation Sindoor emerging as the most expansive and consequential military response undertaken by the Indian armed forces in nearly five decades. The multi-domain operation not only punished Pakistan for its continued sponsorship of cross-border terrorism but also firmly established what officials and analysts describe as India’s new normal in counter-terror response.
Operation Sindoor was launched in the early hours of May 7, following the brutal Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 innocent civilians were killed. In a calibrated yet forceful response, India carried out precision missile strikes on nine major terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, eliminating at least 100 terrorists, according to official estimates. The strikes targeted key hubs of terror organisations, including Jaish-e-Mohammed’s headquarters in Bahawalpur, Lashkar-e-Taiba’s base in Muridke, and multiple launch and training facilities in Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Bhimber, Sialkot and Sarjal.
New Delhi’s action sent an unmistakable message of political resolve. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it clear that India would no longer tolerate terrorism under the shadow of nuclear intimidation, asserting that nuclear blackmail would not deter decisive action against terror infrastructure.
After the initial strikes, India conveyed to Pakistan that the operation was limited to terrorist assets and that New Delhi did not seek escalation. However, Pakistan’s military retaliation triggered a robust and multi-layered Indian response, employing advanced air defence and counter-drone systems, including the Integrated Counter-UAS Grid, S-400 Triumph missile systems, Barak-8, and Akash surface-to-air missiles.
Indian forces inflicted substantial damage on Pakistani military infrastructure, destroying or disabling hangars at three locations, radar installations at four sites, command and control centres at two locations, and runways at two air bases. The campaign highlighted unprecedented tri-service synergy among the Army, Navy and Air Force and showcased India’s growing capability in new-age warfare involving drones, electronic warfare and precision systems.
Hostilities ceased on May 10 following hotline-level talks between the two armies. Yet the episode fundamentally reshaped India’s security posture. Widely regarded as the most significant military operation since the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, Operation Sindoor demonstrated that India’s response to terrorism would now be swift, punitive and strategically integrated.
As part of its deterrent posture, the Indian Navy deployed its carrier battle group, submarines and aviation assets with full combat readiness immediately after the Pahalgam attack. Prime Minister Modi, addressing the nation on May 12, underlined that India had only paused its retaliatory action and that Pakistan’s future conduct would determine the next steps.
He reiterated that India would no longer differentiate between terror masterminds and the state machinery that shelters them. “If Pakistan wants peace, it must dismantle its terror infrastructure. There is no other path,” he said.
Operation Sindoor also extended beyond kinetic action. In a major diplomatic and strategic move, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, linking its revival to Pakistan’s irreversible abandonment of cross-border terrorism. The decision carries deep implications for Pakistan, which depends on the Indus system for 80 percent of its agricultural land and 93 percent of its total water use.
Throughout 2025, India also maintained a firm posture along the 3,500-kilometre Line of Actual Control, strengthening surveillance to monitor Chinese military activity. The Indian Navy expanded its strategic footprint across the Indian Ocean amid growing Chinese presence, reinforcing India’s maritime dominance.
Significant defence modernisation milestones were achieved during the year. Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi announced that the third indigenous nuclear-powered submarine Aridaman is nearing commissioning, strengthening India’s sea-based nuclear deterrence alongside INS Arihant and INS Arighat. India also sealed a ₹64,000 crore deal with France for 26 Rafale Marine jets for INS Vikrant and fast-tracked plans to acquire six stealth submarines under Project 75I.
India’s strategic partnerships deepened, particularly with the United States, with the signing of a 10-year defence framework agreement aimed at ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific. Meanwhile, India successfully tested multiple strategic weapons, including the Agni-5 ballistic missile, capable of striking targets up to 5,000 km away.
Taken together, 2025 redefined India’s defence and security doctrine, with Operation Sindoor standing as a clear declaration that terrorism will be met with decisive force, strategic clarity and unwavering national resolve.