In a bold and unprecedented show of force, the Indian Armed Forces launched a precision strike operation, codenamed Operation Sindoor, targeting what New Delhi has called “terror infrastructure” located deep within Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The campaign, executed with meticulous coordination and powered by an array of Western-origin precision-guided munitions, marks a decisive evolution in India’s approach to cross-border counterterrorism.
The air and drone strikes were conducted in retaliation for the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, a town in South Kashmir. The attack, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians and security personnel, was blamed on Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), two Pakistan-based terror outfits. According to Indian intelligence sources, the assault bore the hallmarks of cross-border planning, with intercepts and electronic surveillance pointing to active involvement by handlers located across the Line of Control (LoC).
The Indian government swiftly announced its intent to respond, but unlike previous responses which focused on symbolic targets or restricted raids near the LoC, this operation aimed for strategic depth. Officials in the Ministry of Defence emphasized that the strikes were designed to send a message — India’s tolerance threshold has shifted, and its strike capabilities have matured.
Operation Sindoor was executed using stand-off weapons, meaning the platforms that launched the munitions never crossed into Pakistani airspace. This standoff strategy is designed to mitigate risks of escalation while allowing India to strike high-value targets. According to officials, the use of cruise missiles and loitering drones allowed Indian forces to maintain deniability while delivering precise punishment.
Real-time intelligence and surveillance data provided by India’s ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) network — including satellites, UAVs, and airborne sensors — enabled pinpoint targeting. The goal was to neutralize militant infrastructure while avoiding Pakistani military assets or civilian casualties, a tactic that also aligns with international norms and reduces diplomatic fallout.
Nine high-value targets were reportedly struck. These included JeM’s headquarters in Bahawalpur and LeT’s nerve center in Muridke — both long known to be ideological and logistical hubs of anti-India militancy. Other targets included ammunition depots, training camps, communication bunkers, and safe houses scattered across Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Punjab.
A mix of air-launched cruise missiles, smart bombs, and loitering munitions were used in a coordinated fashion. The weapons platforms involved included India’s Rafale fighters, UAV squadrons, and special operations units handling ground-based targeting intelligence.
The backbone of the operation was the SCALP EG cruise missile, also known as Storm Shadow. Developed jointly by the UK and France under MBDA, SCALP is a stealthy, subsonic cruise missile capable of precision strikes against heavily fortified targets. Weighing 1,300 kg and equipped with a 450 kg BROACH warhead, it can obliterate underground command centers and hardened bunkers.
SCALP missiles were launched from within Indian airspace by Rafale jets. With a range of over 500 kilometers, the missiles followed terrain-hugging flight paths to avoid radar detection, then climbed and dove onto their targets for maximum penetration. Their guidance systems — combining GPS, INS, TERPROM, and Imaging Infrared (IIR) — delivered pinpoint accuracy even in adverse weather and complex terrain.
These missiles were instrumental in targeting key LeT and JeM compounds, allowing India to strike at the very core of the command and control infrastructure supporting cross-border terrorism.
In addition to cruise missiles, India employed the French-origin HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) smart bombs. These modular weapons convert conventional Mk 80-series bombs into precision-guided munitions capable of hitting targets up to 70 km away.
Launched from Rafale jets, the HAMMER bombs offer different guidance modes — including INS/GPS, infrared, and laser — allowing them to engage a variety of target types. Their accuracy (Circular Error Probable of under 10 meters) makes them ideal for targeting training camps, vehicle convoys, and temporary hideouts.
Sources indicate that HAMMER bombs were used against mobile assets and camouflaged installations in the Neelum Valley and Leepa sectors. These areas are known for their use by militant groups during infiltration attempts into Kashmir.
Completing the strike package were Polish-origin WARMATE loitering munitions — man-portable, kamikaze drones that deliver explosive payloads with surgical precision. Each WARMATE unit weighs just under 6 kg and can stay aloft for up to an hour, feeding real-time video to operators before diving into the target at 150 km/h.
These drones were used to eliminate targets that emerged during the operation itself, such as moving vehicles, secondary hideouts, and exposed leadership elements. They were also deployed in high-altitude zones to compensate for terrain challenges that make traditional artillery or air strikes less effective.
Indian infantry units in forward posts had been equipped with WARMATE drones under an emergency procurement program, making this the first known combat use of these systems in a large-scale coordinated mission.
Operation Sindoor reflects more than just a technological leap — it signals a doctrinal transformation. India has long relied on conventional deterrence and diplomatic pressure to deal with cross-border terrorism. Surgical strikes in 2016 and the Balakot airstrike in 2019 marked the beginning of a shift, but Operation Sindoor elevates the approach to a new level of strategic maturity.
The current doctrine emphasizes preemption, precision, and deniability — three principles that align more closely with Western counterterror strategies than the traditional South Asian approach of restraint. Analysts say the use of stand-off precision weapons and real-time ISR has created a model that could be repeated with minimal international backlash.
Moreover, by avoiding Pakistani airspace, India has left little room for plausible military retaliation, thereby managing escalation. The focus on ideological centers like Muridke also sends a strong symbolic message: leadership sanctuaries are no longer off-limits.
As expected, the operation has triggered outrage in Islamabad. The Pakistani government has denied the presence of any terror camps, characterizing the Indian strike claims as “fabrications aimed at domestic political gain.” However, Pakistani military sources have been largely silent, and there has been no visual or satellite-confirmed evidence of Pakistani air response or civilian casualties.
Internationally, responses have been muted. The United States, France, and the UK have reiterated their condemnation of terrorism and called for “de-escalation and dialogue.” Notably, none of these powers explicitly criticized India’s actions — a tacit nod to the country’s growing role as a regional security actor.
Within India, the operation has been widely praised. Opposition parties have offered cautious support while seeking more transparency on the mission’s success metrics. Public sentiment, especially in Jammu and Kashmir, appears buoyed by the perception of decisive action.
Operation Sindoor has also underscored India’s growing reliance on high-end imported weapons platforms. But simultaneously, it has accelerated calls for indigenous alternatives. India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is actively working on equivalents to SCALP and WARMATE, including the long-range Nirbhay cruise missile and loitering munitions like ALS-50 and Nagastra-1.
Under the “Make in India” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiatives, Indian planners aim to reduce strategic dependence on foreign suppliers. Yet, for now, India’s access to Rafales, SCALP, HAMMER, and WARMATE has enabled it to achieve a level of strike sophistication comparable to NATO standards.
In sum, Operation Sindoor may well redefine South Asia’s security architecture. By demonstrating its capacity and will to conduct precision, intelligence-driven, cross-border counterterrorism operations without escalating into full-scale war, India has redrawn the red lines in its neighborhood.
