The decisive response was not a product of improvisation but the result of years of structural reform and strategic investment in India’s defence capabilities under the Modi government.
India’s security doctrine has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years, culminating in a decisive response to the Pakistan-backed terror attack in Pahalgam. This watershed moment marked the unveiling of a new national security posture, one that treats state-sponsored terrorism as an act of war. In its retaliation, India articulated this doctrine through a calibrated blend of diplomatic assertiveness, economic pressure, cyber resilience, and military precision. The strategic ripples of Operation Sindoor, India’s precision military campaign, are already being felt far beyond the subcontinent.
The opening response was diplomatic and strategic. India suspended the Indus Water Treaty, a substantive cornerstone of India-Pakistan relations since 1960. This was not just a revocation of a water-sharing agreement. It was a declaration that goodwill cannot coexist with state-sponsored terror. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphatically remarked. “Blood and water cannot flow together.” Parallel to this, trade across the Attari border was shut down, choking a key economic artery and underscoring the message that terror and trade are mutually exclusive. These steps, taken before a single missile was launched, redefined the rules of engagement, setting the tone that India’s patience should not be mistaken for passivity.
The military component of this new doctrine came alive with Operation Sindoor. In a coordinated, high-precision campaign, Indian forces targeted nine terrorist training camps deep inside Pakistan-occupied territory, neutralizing over 100 terrorists. These operations were executed with technological finesse and minimal collateral damage. Advanced combat aircraft, precision-guided missile systems, and a robust network of surveillance and intelligence made these strikes proportionate, measured, calibrated, non-escalatory and powerful. India’s air defence matrix, comprising the S-400 Triumf system, the Akash missile system, and the recently deployed Akashteer Command and Control System, formed an impenetrable shield that enabled seamless coordination and real-time threat neutralization.
Pakistan’s retaliatory drone and missile strikes targeting Indian civilian and religious sites were swiftly intercepted by this multi-layered air defence grid. India’s kinetic response then escalated to precision airstrikes targeting 12 key Pakistani air bases including Chaklala, Sargodha, Skardu, and Jacobabad. These strikes, executed within a 90-minute window, crippled Pakistan’s air defence and command infrastructure, neutralizing its capacity to sustain counter-air operations without triggering a full-scale war. Pakistan’s attempt to provoke wider escalation by endangering civilian air traffic was foiled by India’s professional restraint and overwhelming technological superiority.
This decisive response was not a product of improvisation but the result of years of structural reform and strategic investment in India’s defence capabilities under the Modi government. India’s transformation into a formidable military force has been driven by the twin engines of self-reliance and global collaboration. Under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative, India’s indigenous defence manufacturing has reached unprecedented heights. In FY 2023-24, the value of domestic defence production hit a record Rs 1.27 lakh crore, a staggering 174% increase from 2014-15. More importantly, nearly 65% of India’s defence requirements are now being met domestically, reversing decades of dependency on foreign imports.
This transformation is powered by a robust defence industrial base, comprising 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), over 430 licensed private firms, and approximately 16,000 MSMEs. Joint ventures with trusted global partners have brought critical technologies home, allowing India to develop and deploy platforms tailored to its strategic needs. Whether it’s the Tejas fighter aircraft, the Arjun Main Battle Tank, the Dhanush and ATAGS artillery systems, or naval platforms like INS Vikrant, India’s indigenous capabilities have come of age. These were not mere procurement milestones; they were the very backbone of Operation Sindoor. India’s naval assets were strategically deployed in the Arabian Sea with full operational readiness and situational awareness throughout the duration of the operation.
India’s military edge is further sharpened by its embrace of new-age warfare technologies. The integration of Artificial Intelligence, software-defined radios, and 5G and 6G capabilities into India’s command systems has created a networked force capable of real-time response. Initiatives like the Signals Technology and Evaluation and Adaptation Group (STEAG) are streamlining the fusion of cutting-edge technology with combat operations. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and AI-led surveillance played a critical role in Operation Sindoor, allowing Indian forces to strike with precision while minimizing the risk to civilian and military personnel’s lives and installations.
Equally significant is India’s cyber warfare preparedness. During Operation Sindoor, cyber-attacks aimed at critical Indian infrastructure were effectively neutralized. This resilience stems from the Modi government’s far-sighted reforms, including the National Cyber Security Strategy. These frameworks are buttressed by the joint Doctrine for Cyberspace Operations, a keystone document issued by the Chief of Defence Staff in 2024, which institutionalizes India’s approach to cyber defence across all military branches. As Prime Minister Modi rightly stated, “India’s cyber security is not an option; it is a necessity in a connected world.”
India’s evolving doctrine, encapsulated in Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s articulation of “Adaptive Defence,” has added intellectual clarity to this transformation. Adaptive Defence is not about reacting to past threats, it’s about anticipating future ones. It champions flexibility, resilience, and seamless integration of man and machine. This doctrine aligns India’s strategic thinking with the realities of grey zone and hybrid warfare, where boundaries between peace and conflict blur. In this context, India’s investments in cyber resilience, ISR capabilities, and layered air defence are not just modernizations, they are strategic imperatives.
This new posture is also reflected in India’s emerging role as a net exporter of defence systems. Defence exports reached an all-time high of Rs 21,083 crore in 2023-24, a 21-fold increase over the previous decade. India now exports arms and equipment to over 85 countries, including high-value platforms like Akash Missile Systems, BrahMos, and the PINAKA rocket systems. These exports are not just commercial successes, they are strategic instruments that project India’s influence and credibility in the global defence arena.
Reforms in the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) have further anchored this ecosystem, giving primacy to domestic manufacturers and simplifying procurement protocols. Initiatives like iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) and the Technology Development Fund are democratizing defence R&D, engaging start-ups, academic institutions, and MSMEs in the innovation process. The consolidation of the Ordnance Factory Board into seven new DPSUs has streamlined production and enhanced accountability, pushing India closer to its Rs 3 lakh crore defence production goal by 2029.
Operation Sindoor is a culmination of this transformation. It was not just a response to terror, it was a statement of intent. India, once known for its strategic restraint, has shown that while it seeks peace, it will not tolerate provocations. The country has moved from reacting to threats to shaping the strategic environment around it. Its actions are now guided by a coherent doctrine, backed by indigenized capability, empowered by innovation, and reinforced by global partnerships.
As India marches forward, the lessons of Operation Sindoor will serve as a blueprint for future engagements. It has signalled to adversaries and partners alike that India will define the terms of peace, and that terror, in any form, will be met with decisive strength. This is not the India of the past. This is a new India that is resilient, self-reliant, and ready to lead with resolve.
* Anil K. Antony is a National Secretary and National Spokesperson of Bharatiya Janata Party.
