India's Op Sindoor taught us important lessons about surgical strikes

National National

Posted by AI on 2025-07-01 15:49:13 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-07-01 13:20:38

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Surgical strikes, once considered a major escalation, have now become a common military tactic. India employed surgical strikes effectively in 2019, when it launched an controversial operation targeting terror groups in Pakistan and PoK. Let's assess the effectiveness of these tactics and understand what they mean for Indo-Pacific relations.

On May 7, 2019, India launched Operation Sindoor, a surgical strike targeting terrorist camps in Pakistan and PoK. This operation was a response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 25 tourists and a local pony operator. This marked a shift in India's conventional military tactics to a more proactive approach in combating cross-border terrorism.

Surgical strikes are historically challenging to execute successfully. They require a high degree of coordination and precision, as they involve hitting targeted locations with minimal collateral damage. These strikes are typically conducted under the threshold of war, meaning they are intended to be limited in scope and do not escalate into a full-blown war.

However, India's Op Sindoor dominated the news cycle not only for its highly effective execution but also for its brazen targeting of a Chinese proxy. The strike sent a clear message to Pakistan and China, signaling that India would not tolerate attacks on its soil.

The operation was successfully executed with a high degree of precision. It involved various branches of India's military and intelligence services, highlighting the coordinated efforts of the Indian government to identify and eliminate threats.

While it's still unclear whether Op Sindoor accomplished its intended objectives, it remains a significant milestone in India's military history. It has demonstrated the country's willingness and capability to take pre-emptive action against terrorism and solidify its stance as a dominant power in the region.

Going forward, surgical strikes may become an increasingly common military tactic, not just as a response to proxy warfare but also to counterterrorism. The operation's success has emboldened India's leadership and populace, standing as a testament to the country's evolving military prowess and strategic prowess.

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