"Indian leadership responded by hitting back, projecting strength, confidence" US Foreign Policy expert hails Operation Sindoor

Time of India

12-05-2025

Leading American Foreign Policy Expert, Michael Kugelman hailed the response of Indian leadership towards Pakistan as a part of
Operation Sindoor
. He highlighted how India's response to the crisis displayed strong leadership acumen.
#Operation Sindoor
India responds to Pak's ceasefire violation; All that happened
India-Pakistan ceasefire reactions: Who said what
Punjab's hopes for normalcy dimmed by fresh violations
Noting how the Pahalgam terror attack was different from the previous crises, Michael Kugelman said, 'This crisis was so different on so many levels. First, the nature of the attack that triggered this crisis... was unusually brutal. The fact that civilians, tourists were targeted, and singled out for their religion for being Hindus. This, I think, had a particular type of traumatic impact on India in ways that we have not seen with previous ones, which I think necessitated the Indian government and certainly much of the Indian public too, a particularly robust retaliation".
He emphasised, "The intensity of the initial Indian airstrikes in Pakistan were of a magnitude that we have not seen for many decades since the 1971 war. So that's a big difference right there".
Kugelman, while speaking to observed that with the hostilities lasting for a longer period of time than what has been in the case of previous military crises, "This is another reason why so many capitals around the world, Washington and London and the EU and, and various capitals in the Middle East, were so concerned about the direction of this crisis."
He also noted the difference of leadership between India and Pakistan during the tensions, Kugelman lauded India's response.
Live Events
He said, "If you look at the last few crises between India and Pakistan- 2016, 2019, and now this recent one, it's the same government in India- the Modi Government, and the leadership has responded in similar ways- hitting back, projecting strengths, confidence, defiance, and so on."
Kugelman said that the results shown by the Indian government deliver the important message of India achieving its tactical and strategic goals to protect itself from threat.
Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 to strike multiple terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir after a deadly attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam last month in which 26 tourists were killed.
In a joint press conference held at the National Media Centre on Sunday, the senior-most operational commanders from all three wings of the Indian Armed Forces revealed major outcomes of India's Operation Sindoor.
In addition to eliminating over 100 terrorists, the strikes destroyed 11 air bases inside Pakistan and inflicted significant damage on their military capabilities. The air, land and sea operations were carried out with calibrated restraint, with an emphasis on minimising civilian casualties.
Air Marshal AK Bharti on Sunday emphasised the country's military capabilities, stating that India has the ability to target every system at Pakistan's bases.
Air Marshal AK Bharti on Sunday said Operation Sindoor effectively destroyed terror camps, achieving its objectives with precision. He stressed that the operations' impact is evident to the world. Air Marshal Bharti said, "Have we achieved our objectives of decimating the terrorist camps, and the answer is a thumping Yes and the results are for the whole world to see."
During the briefing, Vice Admiral AN Pramod issued a clear warning to Pakistan stating, "This time, if Pakistan dare take any action, Pakistan knows what we are going to do, that's all".