How Operation Sindoor marks an evolution in India’s strategic posture

India’s military strike on Pakistan following the terrorist massacre at Pahalgam is the most expansive cross-border strike by New Delhi since the 2019 Balakot operation.

Operation Sindoor, carried out after midnight of Tuesday (May 6), targeted nine terrorist infrastructure belonging to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).

Officials in New Delhi said the multiple strikes represented an evolution in India’s strategic posture.

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Technologically robust

Earlier Indian military operations, including the 2016 Uri surgical strikes and the Balakot airstrikes, were limited in scale and scope.

“Operation Sindoor was technologically robust, expansive and unlike any mission India has ever carried out,” one official told NDTV.

While some of the targets were located in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, others were deep inside Pakistan, showing the reach of the Indian military.

70 terrorists killed

More than 70 terrorists were reportedly killed and more than 60 injured in the coordinated assault, government sources said.

"The sheer scale of militant loss sent a strong message to terrorist networks and their handlers,” the official told NDTV. “India now reserves the right to strike pre-emptively. No location is beyond reach."

Also read: Operation Sindoor: Which are the 9 targets India attacked and why?

Pahalgam massacre

The Indian military response followed the April 22 massacre by Pakistani terrorists of over two dozen civilians at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Resistance Front, which is linked to the JeM, claimed responsibility for the bloodbath.

All but one victim at Pahalgam were tourists and males who were shot dead from close range in front of their families for being Hindus. A lone Kashmiri Muslim was also killed.

Nine locations hit

Military officials say Operation Sindoor was meant to degrade the logistical and operational foundations of terrorism originating from Pakistani soil.

The operation struck nine locations across Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Bahawalpur, Rawalakot, Chakswari, Bhimber, Neelum Valley, Jhelum, and Chakwal.

The total number of missile strikes stood at 24, making this the most extensive single-day precision operation India has ever executed.

Also read: Operation Sindoor: PM Modi coined name for India's military response to Pahalagam

Intelligence-led operation

Each location was under long-term surveillance.

According to government sources, Indian intelligence combined satellite imagery, human sources and intercepted communications to establish the use of the compounds by groups such as JeM and LeT.

NDTV reported that the buildings that were hit were indoctrination centres, arms depots, logistical hubs, and sleeper cell planning facilities.

Multiple missiles

The operation utilised air-launched SCALP cruise missiles, HAMMER precision-guided bombs, and loitering munitions.

These were fired from Indian Air Force aircraft operating from deep within Indian territory and supported by mid-air refuelling and airborne early-warning systems.

SCALP (Storm Shadow) missiles, with a range of over 250 km, were employed to strike hardened targets, including reinforced bunkers and command posts.

Also read: Operation Sindoor: Top 10 takeaways from Armed forces press conference

Synchronised strikes

HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) bombs were used against multi-storey buildings believed to house training modules and operational leadership.

Loitering munitions, also known as kamikaze drones, played a dual role: providing real-time surveillance and striking high-value mobile targets as they emerged.

"The strikes were synchronised to avoid detection and maximise the element of surprise,” an official source told NDTV. “The decision to target deep inside Pakistan was a departure from prior doctrine and marked a new level of strategic assertiveness.