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First Post
29-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
India won tech war, Pakistan lost as China's proxy, says John Spencer
Under Operation Sindoor, India did not just win a military conflict with Pakistan, but also scored a victory over China in the technological domain as Pakistan essentially fought as a Chinese proxy by relying heavily on Chinese platforms, according to world's leading military expert John Spencer. read more The medium-range Akash air defence system is in service with the Indian Army and Air Force. (Photo: BEL) With Operation Sindoor, India did not just win a military conflict with Pakistan but also scored a victory in a technology war with China, according to world's leading military expert John Spencer. While India fought and won as a sovereign military power, Pakistan fought and lost as a proxy of China, said Spencer, the Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute at the US Army Military Academy. In an article on X, Spencer said that Operation Sindoor witnessed a face-off between India's indigenous capabilities against Pakistan's Chinese military platforms and India's victory amounted to a referendum on the technological competition. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Operation Sindoor pitted India's indigenously developed weapons systems against Chinese-supplied platforms fielded by Pakistan. And India didn't just win on the battlefield — it won the technology referendum. What unfolded was not just retaliation, but the strategic debut of a sovereign arsenal built under the twin doctrines of Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat,' said Spencer. Under Operation Sindoor, India struck terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK). When Pakistan launched missile and drone attacks, India attacked Pakistani military. In the four-day conflict that ended on May 10 with Pakistan's request for a ceasefire, India struck at least eight Pakistani airbases in addition to other military sites, such as air defence units and radar sites. In the four-day conflict, Pakistan relied heavily on foreign-made platforms, ranging from China's JF-17 fighter planes, US F-16s, and Turkish drones to Chinese HQ-9 air defence systems, which were beaten by Indian indigenous systems, such as BrahMos missiles, Akash and Akashteer air defence systems, and integration of foreign-made fighter planes and air defence systems, such as Rafale fighters, Scalp missiles, and S-400, with Indian systems. 'Operation Sindoor a full-scale validation of India's defense transformation under PM Modi' Spencer said that Operation Sindoor proved to be a 'full-scale validation of India's defense transformation' that began with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' initiative in 2014 and picked up renewed pace in 2020 with the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative. With Operation Sindoor, India showed the world 'self-reliance in modern warfare looks like'. Spencer said, 'Operation Sindoor wasn't just a military campaign. It was a technology demonstration, a market signal, and a strategic blueprint. India showed the world what self-reliance in modern warfare looks like—and proved that 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' works under fire.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In a sign that India is going double down on indigenisation of military systems after the success of Operation Sindoor, India has approved the building of the prototype of Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), an indigenous fifth-generation fighter plane.
First Post
13-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Operation Sindoor: With battlefield edge, India cornered Pakistan to seek peace & that's new normal
Under Operation Sindoor, India maintained escalation dominance and never allowed Pakistan to respond, forcing it on the backfoot and making it seek peace. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has signalled that such an offensive will now be India's defence against terrorism. read more The medium-range Akash air defence system is in service with the Indian Army and Air Force. Image courtesy BEL US President Donald Trump might claim that he leveraged trade to bring India and Pakistan to a ceasefire, but the reality is that it was the Indian military campaign that forced Pakistan to seek a ceasefire — as Prime Minister Narendra Modi also said. Under Operation Sindoor, India maintained escalation dominance from the beginning, did not allow Pakistan to retaliate, and imposed costs so substantial while remaining beneath the nuclear threshold that even a leader as rabid as General Asim Munir sought a ceasefire. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD After the first round of Indian strikes on nine terrorist sites in the early hours of May 7, Pakistan rebuffed Indian outreach in false confidence. Three days later, after taking a beating across the spectrum, Pakistan reached out with a request for ceasefire. India hammered at least eight Pakistani airbases in addition to several air defence units and radar sites. The airbases struck included some of Pakistan's crown jewels, such as the Chaklala and Sargodha airbases. The Chaklala airbase is next door to the Pakistan Army headquarters in Rawalpindi — the true seat of power in the country. India also struck Lahore and took out the city's air defence system. India neither called Pakistan for a ceasefire nor gave it an off-ramp and maintained an upper hand throughout the conflict, says Yusuf Unjhawala, a scholar of geopolitics at the Takshashila Institution. Unjhawala tells Firstpost, 'India initially gave Pakistan a chance to de-escalate. As soon as Pakistan indicated its intention to not de-escalate, India struck Pakistan and kept striking until Pakistan reached out to seek a ceasefire. Pakistan could never respond to the first round of Indian strikes and was left confused with Indian strikes left, right, and centre and was reduced to playing catch-up. That was by design as India kept the heat on so much that Pakistan simply did not have any room to attack. India threw the final punches and came out on the top in the conflict.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As Firstpost had previously reported, the Modi government had decided that there would not be any de-escalation from India's side and the ball of de-escalation lay in Pakistan's court. The government was firm that there would neither be any off-ramp to Pakistan nor any face-saving for Munir — and the government stayed true to these commitments until the end. India's calculated and continuous escalation achieved the desired outcome, says Unjhawala. India calls out Pakistan's nuclear bluff, forces Pakistan For more than two decades, the Kargil War was thought to be the last conventional conflict between India and Pakistan. Once Pakistan acquired nuclear weapons, its leaders started invoking them at every chance. Pakistan's development of lower-yield tactical weapons and the dominance of a jihadist military convinced many leaders and strategists that Pakistan had acquired the ultimate deterrent against conventional attacks from India. But that was until last week. As India struck every corner of Punjab, including the prized airbases housing top fighter planes, and reached as far as Karachi with precision strikes, India called out Pakistan's nuclear bluff. To be sure, Pakistan's cry for help to the international community included nuclear blackmail — the so-called 'alarming' intelligence received by the Donald Trump administration that made Vice President reach out to PM Modi is understood to be Pakistan's false claim about India going for its nuclear sites or nuclear chain of command. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD When Vance asked Modi to exercise restraint, Modi listened to him but told him that India would respond to Pakistan with more force and strength come what may — and it did. India kept hitting Pakistan and forced it into a corner. In an address to the nation, Modi called out Pakistan's nuclear bluff. 'India will not tolerate any nuclear blackmail. India will strike precisely and decisively at the terrorist hideouts developing under the cover of the nuclear blackmail,' said Modi in Hindi. Modi further referred to Pakistan playing foreign powers, like Vance, and how India did not allow such games to deter its response. 'Pakistan was pleading to the world to ease tensions. And after suffering heavy losses, Pakistan's army contacted our DGMO on the afternoon of 10th May. By then, we had destroyed the infrastructure of terrorism on a large scale,' said Modi. India proves combat capabilities — and draws lessons Under Operation Sindoor, India struck a host of targets across Pakistan with precision. India cratered runways, hit aircraft hangars, terrorist infrastructure, radar sites, air defence units, and established combat superiority. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Unjhawala, the geopolitics specialist at Takshashila, says that India gained immense insights into Chinese military systems in the conflict with Pakistan, which will help the country in confrontation with China. 'Around 80 per cent of the Pakistani military's equipment is of Chinese origin, ranging from missiles and fighter planes to air defence systems. Pakistan used all of them against India and India successfully dealt with all of them. The greatest successes are the destruction of the Chinese HQ-9 air defence system and missiles mounted on JF-17s,' says Unjhawala. Learnings from the conflict would undeniably be put to use soon. As Pakistan's perpetual war on India is driven by a self-consuming jihadist national ideology, it is not possible to impose permanent restraint. What is possible is to impose costs so high that the frequency of misadventures is minimised — and that is what India has done. 'The Balakot airstrike brought India six years of deterrence. Operation Sindoor should also bring many years of restraint. But Pakistan will attack again and India should be prepared. The preparation has to start now. The first step should be to raise the defence budget, hopefully to 4 per cent. Then, India should smoothen the procurement process and go heavy on indigenisation,' says Unjhawala. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As India denies him face-saving, Munir stands weaker than ever Munir, otherwise the strongest man in Pakistan, stands weaker than ever. With the Pahalgam attack and the response to Indian strikes on May 7, he overplayed his hand and now finds himself in a corner. 'While Munir's position was already untenable, it is now weaker than ever. We are not used to seeing the Pakistani Army this week,' says Unjhawala. One of the reasons behind Munir greenlighting the Pahalgam attack was to enter into a conflict with India and restore the military's primacy inside Pakistan. Now that Pakistan stands as a loser in the conflict, Munir has neither received a victory nor a face-saving exit. It remains to be seen how long Munir would be able to rely on a pliant media and rally-around-the-flag effect. As Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif declared victory over India, victory parades have been reported in the country. But, when stories of continued bombardment and images of devastated airbases, trickle to the public, would the propaganda still hold? As Pakistani generals attended funerals of terrorists, the entire world saw what India had been saying for years — there is no difference between the Pakistani military and terrorists. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With Operation Sindoor and the speech laying down the 'Modi Doctrine', the prime minister has promised a new normal regarding terrorism and Pakistan — one and the same thing for most Indians. Under the Modi Doctrine, Operation Sindoor will serve as a benchmark for response to a terrorist attack, terrorists and governments sponsoring them will not be differentiated, and nuclear blackwill will not be tolerated. Unjhawala says, 'Now that the government has set a new normal, it has to live up to it. It is yet to be seen whether attacks on soldiers would also have a response like Operation Sindoor.'
First Post
11-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Beyond S-400: Operation Sindoor shows the new era of air defence as India batters Pakistan
Battered by Operation Sindoor, when Pakistan launched a wave of missiles and drones, India's Akashteer 'Iron Dome' fused S-400s, Akash, and legacy guns into a 100 per cent interception shield. It signals a new air defence theory that integration not acquisition trumps isolated tech read more The medium-range Akash air defence system is in service with the Indian Army and Air Force. (Photo: BEL) The Operation Sindoor has proved to be bigger and bolder than the punitive military strikes that India carried out in 2016 and 2019 in territories under Pakistan's control. In each case, the trigger was a dastardly terror attack — in Uri and Pulwama earlier and in Pahalgam the last month — that stemmed from the so-called policy of 'bleeding India by a thousand cuts', institutionalised by the Pakistani military bosses through a maze of terror outfits created, cultivated and cultured over decades. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pakistan launched an attack on India after the post-Pulwama pre-emptive strike by India in Pakistani province Khyber Pakhtunkhaw's Balakot. The dogfight tested the aerial combat readiness of the two forces in quick time, in which Indian forces reportedly shot down, not acknowledged by Pakistan, a fighter jet, and in the process lost a Mig aircraft, whose pilot Abhinandan Varthaman ejected safely but landed on the other side of the Line of Control (LoC). Pakistan projects his landing and subsequent custody by its military as a badge of honour. His release was seen as a major victory of India's muscular diplomacy. In between a lot of changes happened in Jammu and Kashmir, and a sense of positivity soared in the Valley. When development and economic goals looked to get mainstreamed, a bunch of terrorists — owned by a group backed by Pakistan — killed 26 people, including one local person. The rest were tourists, who were picked for the bullet on the basis of their religious identity and their ability to recite an Islamic prayer. With anguish diffusing through the air, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to bring the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack and their patrons, read Pakistan Army-established network, to justice. He said, 'India will identify, trace and punish every terrorist and their backers' in ways they would never have imagined. Pakistan immediately denied its role, though no official charge had been made. When the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) discussed the matter to condemn the terror attack not only for terrorism but also for choosing targets by identifying their religiosity, Pakistan ensured the name of the organisation which had claimed responsibility for the attack was dropped from the UNSC statement. As it happened, the said group retracted its statement and disowned the attack it had taken pride in having carried out. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Two weeks after the terror attack, India launched Operation Sindoor. It is now talk of the world's defence-military town. India has been guarded in sharing information except showing evidence of having inflicted severe damage on Pakistan's terror hubs on the first night of operation, May 7-8, and hitting Pakistan's military targets in retaliation to attacks that were launched from the other side. Among the sites having suffered heavy damages in India's Operation Sindoor were at least six Pakistani military bases including one in Rawalpindi and a number of air defence systems including one in Lahore. The Indian government has not confirmed reports about missiles intercepted, including one in Haryana's Sirsa that was apparently fired by Pakistan to target Delhi, or about shooting down Pakistani jets. What India did confirm was the Pakistan used Turkey-made drones, a point New Delhi is likely to stress going forward at international forums discussing fighting terrorism. There have been reports and expert opinions flowing thick and fast that India may look to explore the defence and weapons technology of the projectiles that Pakistan fired at the country. All projectiles had foreign technology, whether Turkish or Chinese. A treasure trove for those interested in reverse engineering. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But a big talking point of the three-four days of military engagement is India's air defence systems. While India easily breached Pakistani air defence systems and penetrated deep into the heart of its haughty military heart, its own air defence systems shot down most drones, missiles, including high-speed ones, and reportedly fighter aircraft too. The story is how India's multi-layered defence thwarted Pakistan's aerial onslaught. The night of precision On the night of May 8-9, Pakistan launched 15 coordinated strikes across northern and western India, deploying drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. India's air defence architecture sprang into action. Rather than relying on a single system, India deployed a deeply integrated, four-layered shield-combining Russian S-400s, Israeli Barak-8s, indigenous Akash and QRSAM missiles, and a suite of anti-aircraft guns and electronic warfare tools. India's Akashteer Air Defence System-a fully indigenous command network-integrated data from 3D radars, mobile sensors, and satellite feeds to orchestrate a flawless interception. Over two dozen drones, eight missiles, and possibly three Pakistani jets were neutralised, with no reported damage on Indian soil. Let's dig deeper into the anatomy of India's air defence shield: Outer layer: S-400 'Sudarshan Chakra' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 400 km range: Engages stealth aircraft, ballistic missiles (up to 4.8 km/s speed), and hypersonic threats at altitudes up to 30 km. Multi-target mastery: Tracks 300 objects simultaneously, engaging 36 threats at once with four missile types (long-range 40N6, medium-range 48N6). Mobility: Deploys within five minutes, enabling rapid repositioning along volatile borders. Proven efficacy: Achieved 80 per cent interception rates in recent exercises, with three squadrons operational and two more arriving by 2026. Mid-layer: Barak-8 and Akash Barak-8: Co-developed with Israel, this 100–150 km range system uses Derby missiles for naval (LRSAM) and land (MRSAM) defence. Its modular Barak MX variant adapts to evolving threats. Akash: Indigenous, mobile, and export-ready (₹6,000-crore Armenia deal). Covers 4.5–25 km with 60 kg warheads, neutralising multiple targets via phased-array radar. Inner layer: SPYDER, QRSAM, and Legacy systems SPYDER: Israeli system firing Python-5 (20 km) and Derby (50 km) missiles for rapid response against low-altitude threats. QRSAM: Indigenous Mach 4.7 missiles (30 km range) on mobile launchers, designed for short-range, high-speed engagements. Legacy integration: Soviet-era Pechora SAMs (25 km) and OSA-AK-M (10 km), upgraded with electro-optical guidance, complemented by Zu-23 guns and Shilka platforms. Very Short Range: VSHORAD and MANPADS VSHORAD: Shoulder-fired missiles (6 km range) for last-ditch defence against drones. SAMAR: Repurposed Russian Vympel missiles (12 km) for cost-effective drone swarms. The next question is Why India's air defence model works Interoperability over isolation Akashteer's neural network: Merged IAF and Army radar data into a single battlefield picture, enabling real-time prioritisation-e.g., S-400s tackled ballistic threats while Akash handled drones. Hybrid tactics: Combined kinetic strikes (missiles, guns) with electronic warfare (jamming, spoofing) to disrupt Pakistani guidance systems. Cost-effective layering Legacy modernisation: Upgraded 1960s Pechora systems with digital fire control, extending their service life. Export potential: Akash's Armenia deal and Akash-NG's development (70 km range) position India as a rising defence exporter. What it means for defence players Pakistan's limitations: Relies on Chinese HQ-9/P and LY-80 systems, which lack integration with legacy platforms, creating gaps that India exploited. Ukraine parallels: Mirroring Kyiv's fusion of Soviet-era SAMs with Western tech, India's approach validates layered defence as the global standard against drone swarms and hypersonics. There is more India's upcoming Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Programme, featuring Prithvi and Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptors, aims to counter ICBM (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile) threats, something experts point to China as posing towards its southern neighbour. Coupled with plans to export Akash and Akash-NG, India looks poised to redefine modern aerial security-proving that resilience lies not in isolated marvels, but in orchestrated layers. India's approach is now a global case study, buttressing the point that modern air defence is not about buying the latest missile, but about integrating diverse technologies into a responsive, layered shield. As threats evolve-from drones to hypersonic missiles-India's model demonstrates that real security comes from interoperability, agility, and constant innovation. India showed that its strength lay not in the mere possession of advanced systems, but in their seamless integration. The Akashteer command network-dubbed, 'India's Iron Dome', fused radar data from the Air Force and Army, enabling real-time tracking and coordinated interception of every incoming threat. This synergy allowed Indian forces to neutralise over two dozen drones and multiple missiles, with no reported damage to Indian soil. These lessons are not limited to India or South Asia. They are applicable globally, especially as air threats diversify with drones, cruise missiles, and hypersonic weapons.
First Post
10-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Airbases battered, Pakistan reaches out to India for de-escalation: Report
After getting its airbases and other military bases hammered, Pakistan has reached out to India for direct talks for de-escalation read more The medium-range Akash air defence system is in service with the Indian Army and Air Force. (Photo: BEL) After getting its airbases and other military bases hammered, Pakistan has reached out to India for direct talks for de-escalation, government sources told CNN-News 18. Since last night, India has struck at least four Pakistani airbases that are the mainstay of the country's air forces. India has also hammered Pakistan's air defence systems and neutralised key system at major centres like Lahore. This is a developing story. It will be updated as details emerge. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
First Post
10-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Chaklala, Murid and Rafiqui: The 3 airbases India targeted in retaliation at Pak military heart
Under Operation Sindoor in response to Pakistan's attacks on India, including on Delhi via a ballistic missile, India struck Nur Khan airbase at Rawalpindi's Chaklala and Murid in Chakwal district and Shorkot in Jhang district read more The medium-range Akash air defence system is in service with the Indian Army and Air Force. (Photo: BEL) Under Operation Sindoor in response to Pakistan's attacks, India on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday struck three airbases in Pakistan's Punjab province. India struck the Nur Khan airbase at Rawalpindi's Chaklala and Murid in Chakwal district and Shorkot in Jhang district. The Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi is located next door to the Pakistan Army headquarters and carries great symbolic values. Visuals shared by Pakistani witnesses on X show the airbase engulfed in a ball of a fire. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD نور خان ایئربیس، یا اللہ رحم۔۔!! — Khurram Iqbal (@khurram143) May 9, 2025 At the time of writing of the story, Indian and Pakistani operations were ongoing. Pakistan is attacking the entire northern and western India and India is responding forcefully. Even as Pakistan is targeting civilian areas and religious sites, India is limiting strikes on military and terrorist facilities. With strikes on the Nur Khan base, India has signalled to Pakistan that nothing is off the table — not even the crème de la crème facilitu next door to the Army headquarters, which is the real seat of power. For context, the US equivalent of it would be a strike on a facility next door to White House. 1. Nur Khan airbase, Rawalpindi The Nur Khan airbase is located at Rawalpindi's Chaklala area. Five to six squadrons of the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) are stationed at the airport and they include some of the premier transporters of the air force. The base also houses VIP transport planes used by the political and military leaders of the country. A top source in the Indian government ahve said that 'Pakistan should understand that we are committed for proportionate response they shoud stop now otherwise next time it will be more serious and severe'. This is in line with with our reporting yesterday that the ball of de-escalation lies in Pakistan's court and India has decided to maintain escalation dominance and keep the heat on. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 2. Murid, Chakwal The Pakistani Murid airbase is located in Chakwal district of Punjab province. The Murid airbase is a hub of drone operations that have hit India for at least past two days. The Murid airbase houses multiple Pakistani Air Force squadrons specialising in drones. It is understood that these squadrons were engaged in carrying out and facilitating drone attacks on India. These attacks are ongoing. As the Murid airbase has been at the core of attacks on India with several hundreds of drones, the Indian strike at the base is a direct response to Pakistan's aggression. At a press briefing on Friday, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said that Pakistan attacked India on Thursday night with 300-400 drones that targeted the entire northern and western India from Leh to Gujarat. The attack that began on Friday night, and is still ongoing at the time of writing of the story, is understood to have involved an equal if not more number of drones. However, most of the drones in the current barrage are understood to be armed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 3. Rafiqui airbase at Shorkot The third Indian base to be struck was the Rafiqui airbase at Shorkot in Jhang district of Punjab. The airbase houses multiple squadrons of China-made JF-17 and Mirage fighter planes and some utility helicopters. In attacks on India this week, Pakistan is understood to have used JF-17 warplanes and other China-made weapons as its mainstay assets.
