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News18
16-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Operation Sindoor Strategic Success, Decisive Indian Victory, Says Modern War Institute's John Spencer
Last Updated: The operation wasn't just tactical success, says Spencer, but also 'a doctrinal execution under live fire' Operation Sindoor met and exceeded its strategic aims—destroying terrorist infrastructure, demonstrating military superiority, restoring deterrence, and unveiling a new national security doctrine—says John W Spencer, a retired United States Army officer, researcher of urban warfare, and author. 'This was not symbolic force. It was decisive power, clearly applied," says Spencer. 'This wasn't just tactical success. It was doctrinal execution under live fire." Spencer serves as the chair of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute. During his military career, he was an infantry platoon leader and company commander, including two combat tours during the Iraq War. In Iraq, Spencer served during the initial invasion in 2003 and later in 2008 during the Iraq War troop surge and the Battle of Sadr City. He was also assigned to Ranger School, Joint Chiefs of Staff, etc. Later, he became a fellow with the chief of staff of the Strategic Studies Group, until he moved to the Modern War Institute (MWI). According to him, the following strategic effects were achieved by India through Operation Sindoor: 1. A New Red Line Was Drawn—and Enforced: Terror attacks from Pakistani soil will now be met with military force. That's not a threat. It's precedent. 2. Military Superiority Demonstrated: India showcased its ability to strike any target in Pakistan at will—terror sites, drone coordination hubs, even airbases. Meanwhile, Pakistan was unable to penetrate a single defended area inside India. That is not parity. That is overwhelming superiority. And that is how real deterrence is established. 3. Restored Deterrence: India retaliated forcefully but stopped short of full war. The controlled escalation sent a clear deterrent signal: India will respond, and it controls the pace. 4. Asserted Strategic Independence: India handled this crisis without seeking international mediation. It enforced doctrine on sovereign terms, using sovereign means. The halt in operations is not the end of Operation Sindoor, says Spencer. According to him, it is a pause. India holds the initiative: if provoked again, it will strike again. 'Operation Sindoor was a modern war—fought under the shadow of nuclear escalation, with global attention, and within a limited objective framework," Spencer says. 'And by every measure that matters, it was a strategic success—and a decisive Indian victory." First Published: May 17, 2025, 00:16 IST
News18
14-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
'India Of 2008 Absorbed Attacks, This One Hits Back': John W Spencer Hails Operation Sindoor Against Pakistan
Last Updated: John W Spencer hailed India's 'Operation Sindoor' as a decisive military success. He said India's response to terrorism marked an era of deterrence without international mediation. Retired United States Army officer John W Spencer on Wednesday termed India's 'Operation Sindoor' 'a decisive victory in modern warfare" and said that the country has not yet declared the operation complete. He also said the new India hits back, while the India back in 2008 absorbed attacks and waited. In a lengthy X post, Spencer, who is also a researcher of urban warfare and an author, said India achieved a 'massive victory" in its operation against Pakistan. 'Operation Sindoor' met and exceeded its strategic aims through decisive powers and a symbolic force, he said. 'India has not declared Operation Sindoor completely over. What exists now is a sensitive halt in operations—some may call it a ceasefire, but military leaders have deliberately avoided that word. From a warfighting perspective, this is not merely a pause; it is a strategic hold following a rare and unambiguous military victory," Spencer wrote on his timeline on X. 'After just four days of calibrated military action, it is objectively conclusive: India achieved a massive victory." 'Operation Sindoor met and exceeded its strategic aims—destroying terrorist infrastructure, demonstrating military superiority, restoring deterrence, and unveiling a new national security doctrine. This was not symbolic force. It was decisive power, clearly applied," he wrote. 'India was attacked. On April 22, 2025, 26 Indian civilians, mostly Hindu tourists, were massacred in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir. The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility. As has been the case for decades, the group is backed by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)," Spencer wrote on X. 'But unlike previous attacks, this time India didn't wait. It didn't appeal for international mediation or issue a diplomatic demarche. It launched warplanes. On May 7, India initiated Operation Sindoor, a swift and precisely calibrated military campaign. The Indian Air Force struck nine terrorist infrastructure targets inside Pakistan, including headquarters and operational hubs for Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. The message was clear: terror attacks launched from Pakistani soil will now be treated as acts of war," he added. Spencer also hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and mentioned how he made firm that India would not tolerate any nuclear blackmail. 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the new doctrine unmistakable: 'India will not tolerate any nuclear blackmail. India will strike precisely and decisively at the terrorist hideouts developing under the cover of nuclear blackmail." More than a retaliation, this was the unveiling of a strategic doctrine. As Modi said, 'Terror and talks can't go together. Water and blood can't flow together."," he wrote. Spencer also wrote down how India's 'Operation Sindoor' was executed in phases. 'Operation Sindoor was executed in deliberate phases · May 7: Nine precision strikes were launched deep into Pakistani territory. Targets included key terror training camps and logistics nodes in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Muzaffarabad, and elsewhere. · May 8: Pakistan retaliated with a massive drone swarm across India's western states. India's multi-layered air defense network—domestically built and augmented by Israeli and Russian systems—neutralized nearly all of them. · May 9: India escalated with additional strikes on six Pakistani military airbases and UAV coordination hubs. · May 10: A temporary halt in firing was reached. India did not call it a ceasefire. The Indian military referred to it as a 'stoppage of firing"—a semantic but deliberate choice that reinforced its strategic control of the situation. This wasn't just tactical success. It was doctrinal execution under live fire." Also underlining the impacts of the 'Operation Sindoor', Spencer wrote, 'Strategic Effects Achieved 1. A New Red Line Was Drawn—and Enforced Terror attacks from Pakistani soil will now be met with military force. That's not a threat. It's precedent. 2. Military Superiority Demonstrated India showcased its ability to strike any target in Pakistan at will—terror sites, drone coordination hubs, even airbases. Meanwhile, Pakistan was unable to penetrate a single defended area inside India. That is not parity. That is overwhelming superiority. And that is how real deterrence is established. 3. Restored Deterrence India retaliated forcefully but stopped short of full war. The controlled escalation sent a clear deterrent signal: India will respond, and it controls the pace. 4. Asserted Strategic Independence" Spencer, in his X post, also highlighted that the situation was dealt with by India single-handedly, without seeking international mediation. 'India handled this crisis without seeking international mediation. It enforced doctrine on sovereign terms, using sovereign means. Operation Sindoor was not about occupation or regime change. It was limited war executed for specific objectives. Critics who argue India should have gone further miss the point. Strategic success isn't about the scale of destruction—it's about achieving the desired political effect," he wrote. 'India was not fighting for vengeance. It was fighting for deterrence. And it worked. India's restraint is not weakness—it is maturity. It imposed costs, redefined thresholds, and retained escalation dominance. India didn't just respond to an attack. It changed the strategic equation," Spencer mentioned. 'In an age where many modern wars spiral into open-ended occupations or political confusion, Operation Sindoor stands apart. This was a demonstration of disciplined military strategy: clear goals, aligned ways and means, and adaptive execution in the face of unpredictable escalation. India absorbed a blow, defined its objective, and achieved it—all within a contained timeframe." 'The use of force in Operation Sindoor was overwhelming yet controlled—precise, decisive, and without hesitation. That kind of clarity is rare in modern war. In an era defined by 'forever wars" and cycles of violence without strategic direction, Sindoor stands apart. It offers a model of limited war with clearly defined ends, matched ways and means, and a state that never relinquished the initiative." Comparing the India back in 2008 – during the UPA's regime, and the present India, Spencer wrote, 'The India of 2008 absorbed attacks and waited. This India hits back—immediately, precisely, and with clarity." 'Modi's doctrine, India's advancing domestic defense industry, and the professionalism of its armed forces all signal a country no longer preparing for the last war. It is preparing for the next one. The halt in operations is not the end of Operation Sindoor. It is a pause. India holds the initiative. If provoked again, it will strike again," he wrote. 'This is deterrence restored. This is a new doctrine revealed. And it should be studied by all nations confronting the scourge of state-sponsored terrorism. Operation Sindoor was a modern war—fought under the shadow of nuclear escalation, with global attention, and within a limited objective framework. And by every measure that matters, it was a strategic success—and a decisive Indian victory," his X post read. 'After just four days of calibrated military action, it is objectively conclusive: India achieved a massive victory. Operation Sindoor met and exceeded its strategic aims—destroying terrorist infrastructure, demonstrating military superiority, restoring deterrence, and unveiling… — John Spencer (@SpencerGuard) May 14, 2025 India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 to destroy nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack. All subsequent retaliations to Pakistani offensives were carried out under 'Operation Sindoor'. top videos View all On May 10, India and Pakistan announced reaching an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea, with effect from 5 pm that day. ALSO READ | Trump At It Again: After Ceasefire Post, US President Asks India To 'Go Out To Dinner' With Pakistan Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : india pakistan conflict Operation Sindoor Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: May 14, 2025, 11:39 IST News india 'India Of 2008 Absorbed Attacks, This One Hits Back': John W Spencer Hails Operation Sindoor Against Pakistan
News18
11-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
‘India Demonstrated Evolving Nature Of Modern Air Defense': John W Spencer Of Modern War Institute
Last Updated: India has shown in the confrontation with Pakistan that effective penetration is possible through a mix of electronic warfare, kinetic strikes, and doctrinal agility, he said John W Spencer, a retired United States Army officer, researcher of urban warfare, and author, has lauded India's air defence while commenting on this month's military confrontation with Pakistan. Spencer serves as the chair of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute. 'In recent weeks, India has demonstrated the evolving nature of modern air defense—not only in defending its own airspace with a robust, layered architecture, but also in successfully penetrating the Chinese-made systems fielded by its adversary, Pakistan. It's a reminder that defense is not about what you buy—it's about what you integrate," he has written in a Substack post. During his military career, Spencer was an infantry platoon leader and company commander, including two combat tours during the Iraq War. In Iraq, he served during the initial invasion in 2003 and later in 2008 during the Iraq War troop surge and the Battle of Sadr City. He was also assigned to Ranger School, Joint Chiefs of Staff, etc. Later, he became a fellow with the chief of staff of the Strategic Studies Group, until he moved to Modern War Institute (MWI). 'India's air defense network today features a mix of indigenously produced platforms like the Akash and QRSAM, paired with Israeli Barak-8 systems and the Russian-made S-400. These layers—long, medium, and short-range—are designed to function together in a seamless, multi-tiered web of protection," he wrote. 'Across the border, Pakistan fields primarily Chinese-built systems like the HQ-9/P (a long-range SAM akin to the S-300), LY-80, and FM-90. These systems are capable on paper, but as India has shown, effective penetration is possible through a mix of electronic warfare, kinetic strikes, and doctrinal agility." First Published: May 11, 2025, 18:46 IST
