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First Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Operation Sindoor: For India, deterrence lies in hard military power
Operation Sindoor has proved that conventional power, wielded with precision, can eliminate threats and convey a message without the attendant fear of a mushroom cloud read more From Left to Right: Air Marshal AK Bharti, Director General (DG) of Air Force Operations, DG of Military Operations Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, and DG of Naval Operations, Vice Admiral AN Pramod at a press briefing for Operation Sindoor. May 11, 2025. File image. After 88 hours of clinical and precision strikes, the Indian Armed Forces, who had been given full 'operational freedom', achieved their objectives in a calibrated, controlled and decisive manner. What also stood out in an era of unending conflicts was the wise drawing of a finish line. Operation 'Sindoor' represented an evolution in our war-fighting doctrine, showcasing the capability and ability of our Armed Forces. There was a marked escalation in the scope, intensity and precision targeting compared to India's earlier responses to terror attacks. Soon after the prime minister articulated India's 'new normal'. The doctrine was clear and unambiguous. This watershed moment marked the unveiling of a new national security posture, one that treats state-sponsored terrorism as an act of war. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Parliament, Mumbai, Pathankot, Uri, Pulwama and now Pahalgam all had one thing in common: Pakistan's use of terror as an instrument of state policy, but now the Indian armed forces had drawn the 'sindoor line' and targeted terror sites in the heartland of Pakistani Punjab, literally going for Pakistan's 'jugular'. The fact is that India's actions were aimed at forcing Pakistan to change its behaviour as far as using terrorism as an instrument of state policy is concerned. The question remains as to whether our political will and military action have ensured deterrence. Understanding Deterrence The challenge of deterrence, implying discouraging states from taking unwanted actions, especially military aggression, is a principal theme of a nation's defence policy. In his press briefing after the initial operation, the Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that Pakistan's failure 'to take action against the terrorist infrastructure on its territory' necessitated a military operation 'to deter and to preempt'. Deterrence can be further amplified as the practice of discouraging or restraining someone in world politics, usually a nation-state, from taking unwanted actions. It involves an effort to stop or prevent an action, as opposed to the closely related but distinct concept of 'compellence', which is an effort to force it to do something. If a state considers attacking an adversary but refrains due to concern over that adversary's military power, it has been deterred. Deterrence typically takes two forms: deterrence by denial and deterrence by punishment. Deterrence by denial strategies seeks to deter an action by making it infeasible or unlikely to succeed, thus denying a potential aggressor confidence in attaining its objectives by deploying sufficient local military forces to defeat a design, in other words, convincing an adversary that its attack would be unsuccessful because it would be physically blocked. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Whereas deterrence by punishment, on the other hand, threatens severe penalties if an attack occurs. It is based on the threat of imposing costs through retaliation. Steps taken include placing significant military capabilities directly in the path of an aggressor, which speaks loudly and clearly. Deterrence is usually unnoticed by the public since it is about preventing aggression rather than taking visible action. However, crises reveal where and how deterrence is failing or succeeding, since visible military decisions are now made public. India earlier deterred terror attacks attributed to militants based in Pakistan by threatening a conventional military response. Following the Parliament attack India mobilized its troops all across the border with Pakistan. As per Jaswant Singh 'the objective of India's mobilisation was to defeat cross border terrorism and infiltration without conflict'. Pakistan, in turn, looked to prevent retaliatory conventional military action through the threat of nuclear weapons. The fact is that if these terrorist incidents keep happening at a regular pace followed by India's retaliation, it suggests there were gaps in deterrence. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The failure of deterrence has led to leaders and policymakers sometimes referring to military operations as being designed to 'restore deterrence'. However, even this can be a misleading phrase, as Professor Debak Das of the University of Denver states, 'There may be something wrong with the method of deterrence'. Over the coming weeks and months, analysts and policymakers will assess how successful both sides' military operations were in restoring deterrence, a key question with the potential to shape regional security dynamics going forward. Nuclear Deterrence The most powerful deterrent a state can possess is nuclear weapons. Soon after the development of nuclear weapons, scholars argued that these capabilities were so powerful that no two nuclear-armed states would dare to fight one another. In other words, they would be deterred from doing so. But while nuclear weapons may ensure stable deterrence at the strategic or nuclear level, instability and conflict are likely to occur at lower levels because both sides believe in controlling escalation till that point. This led to Pakistan feeling there was space to conduct a sub-conventional proxy war against India. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India has taken action to punish Pakistan militarily in response to terror attacks. Notable examples have included Operation Parakram in 2001; the development of the Cold Start military doctrine intended to quickly capture territory to extract concessions; 'surgical strikes' across the Line of Control in 2016; and the airstrike at Balakot in 2019. Each response pushed the envelope further both vertically and horizontally, displaying the ability to impose costs within a nuclear overhang. Following Pahalgam, India dramatically increased the scope of its military action against Pakistan in response to terrorism. This represented an expansion in its willingness to conduct conventional operations beneath the nuclear threshold. Operation Sindoor has proved that conventional power, wielded with precision, can eliminate threats and convey a message without the attendant fear of a mushroom cloud. Pakistan's military-backed terrorist groups would no longer be able to operate with impunity, secure in the knowledge that India won't risk nuclear escalation. Pakistan's space for nuclear deterrence has been shrunk due to India's non-contact kinetic actions facilitated by newer technologies. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Escalation During Operation Sindoor What was witnessed were multiple rounds of retaliation, including strikes on major military bases, and the use of capabilities never previously employed between the two countries. On the opening day of strikes, the Indian Armed Forces demonstrated the ability to identify and destroy terrorist-linked infrastructure in Pakistani territory, employing stand-off weapons to deliver precision strikes at speed without crossing the international border. The intent was clear: India was focused on degrading the terrorist ecosystem that exists in Pakistan. In the following days, operations expanded in scope, as Pakistan chose to retaliate, and India then penetrated Pakistan's Chinese-supplied air defence network to target selected airbases for the first time since the 1971 war. Further India's multi-layered air defence ensured the security of Indian airspace by eliminating Pakistani drones and missiles. Operation Sindoor was a calibrated use of force, intended to signal resolve, degrade terrorist infrastructure, demonstrate capability, and impose costs for supporting terrorism. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Escalation control depends on taking carefully calibrated actions in the fog of war. As per Walter Ladwig of RUSI, 'This conflict illustrates that limited military engagement under the shadow of nuclear weapons can be contained provided escalation thresholds are mutually understood, signalling remains disciplined, and objectives are narrowly defined.' Application of Military Power Operation Sindoor demonstrated India's ability to apply military power with restraint and precision. India's signal of intent to retaliate against cross-border terrorism marks a clear shift in posture. Yet deterrence by punishment carries inherent risks – chief among them the possibility that fringe actors may attempt to provoke confrontation in order to manipulate state responses. Hence, in a strategic environment shaped by tempo, perception, and public pressure, preserving space for discretion may be as vital as projecting resolve, particularly when domestic audiences may expect increasingly forceful responses in the wake of future provocations. Equally salient is the operational challenge of maintaining the effectiveness of coercive military action over time. As targeted groups adapt, dispersing their assets, improving their concealment techniques, and altering their operational rhythms, the demands placed on India's intelligence and targeting means will intensify. An iterative contest of adaptation may also play out in which each side seeks to outpace the other's capacity for detection and response. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Conclusion As the damage to Pakistani assets increased and their vulnerabilities were exposed, the Pakistani DGMO reached out over the hotline to his Indian counterpart in asking for a ceasefire. There was no doubt that India had achieved its stated objectives. Its decisive response was not a product of improvisation but due to the professionalism of Indian armed forces and the result of structural reforms and investment in India's defence capabilities to include doctrines, weapon systems and infusion of cutting-edge technologies. The contours of its response toolkit had been redefined. The instrument of force was now more calibrated and precise. There is no doubt that in future, India's response in degrading assets enabling terrorism will be of a greater magnitude. Given the fact that India was able to use force over a long trajectory and attack Pakistan at will with precision and lethality, degrading its capabilities. One of the lessons that stands out is that hard power matters, though building deterrence through hard power may be costly, but wars are even more costly, which is a lesson Europe is facing presently, having prematurely celebrated victory at the end of the Cold War by downsizing military structures and capabilities. Hence, there needs to be an urgency while addressing military imbalances, as despite being tactically and operationally successful, we cannot afford to be prone to coercion. Hard military power is the key. While India has demonstrated its muscular policy, the instrument of force needs to be continuously nourished to ensure that it always retains the element of deterrence. The author is a retired Major General of the Indian Army. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.
India Today
26-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Words of war: Kinetic vs non-kinetic warfare
At a high-stakes military briefing following India's Operation Sindoor, senior officials, including the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) and Deputy Head of Naval Operations (DGNO), repeatedly used the phrase 'kinetic domain' while outlining India's response to the Pahalgam terror why are military leaders suddenly invoking what sounds like physics terminology during a war briefing?The term kinetic—from the Greek word kintikos, meaning 'motion'—has increasingly become a part of military In military-speak, kinetic refers to direct, physical force—actions we typically associate with conventional warfare: bullets, bombs, artillery fire, missile strikes, and air raids. These are tangible, destructive operations where the damage is visible and why use the term at all? Because in the modern theatre of conflict, not all warfare is visible. Kinetic helps distinguish physical attacks from a different category known as non-kinetic measures—subtler forms of state action that can be just as damaging but don't involve traditional weaponry. These include:CyberattacksPower grid disruptionsEconomic sanctionsDiplomatic pressureIn the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, India took several non-kinetic steps, such as:1. Shutting down the Attari-Wagah border checkpost2. Restricting entry of Pakistani nationals3. Expelling Pakistani High Commission staff4. Suspending the Indus Waters TreatyadvertisementEach of these actions was intended to damage the adversary without a single shot being fired—coercive, but came Operation Sindoor, where India moved into the kinetic domain:1. Precision strikes on nine terror-linked targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir2. Artillery bombardment across the Line of Control3. Counterattacks on Pakistani drones and radar systems4. Missile and air strikes on Pakistani air basesAs Lt. General Rajiv Ghai put it, these were kinetic actions—and their impact was unmistakable and visible to the world.
Mint
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
India says terror tactics shifted in last few years, ‘civilians being targeted': ‘Pahalgam tak paap…'
Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai stated at a special media briefing on Monday afternoon that the nature of terrorist activities has changed in recent years, with a disturbing shift towards targeting civilians. Citing the recent Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians—mostly tourists—lost their lives, he remarked, 'Pahalgam tak paap ka ye ghada bhar chuka tha [When it reached Pahalgam, the cup of sins had already overflowed]" DGMO Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai said, 'In the last few years, the character of terrorist activities have changed. Innocent civilians were being attacked… 'Pahalgam tak paap ka ye ghada bhar chuka tha'.' Lt. Gen. Rajiv Ghai said the terrorists have increasingly begun targeting innocent civilians, citing recent attacks such as the 2024 attack on pilgrims en route to the Shivkhori temple in Jammu in 2024. He said Pahalgam terror attack was recent example of alarming shift in terrorist tactics. India also reiterated the Indian military forces, during Operation Sindoor, only targeted the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) on May 7, and Pakistan is itself responsible for the losses it incurred. 'India's fight was only with the terrorists and not Pakistan's military. Unfortunately, Pakistan's military chose to side with terrorists…They are themselves responsible for their losses. Since we attacked them across the border, we had expected attacks on is. We kept our air defence ready,' Air Marshal AK Bharti said. Air Marshal Bharti also revealed that a Chinese-origin PL-15 missile, which missed its target, was intercepted, with its debris recovered by Indian forces. Additionally, a long-range rocket, loitering munitions, and other unmanned aerial systems (UAS) deployed by Pakistan were successfully brought down. Director General Naval Operations Vice Admiral AN Pramod was also present at the briefing.
First Post
12-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Watch: DGMOs explain how India's multi-layered air defence system countered Pakistan's attacks
Indian forces gave a detailed graphic presentation of the multi-layered air defence system, featuring Akash, S-400, and Akashteer, intercepted all Pakistani drones and missiles, keeping Indian bases secure after Operation Sindoor. read more From Left to Right: Air Marshal AK Bharti, Director General (DG) of Air Force Operations, DG of Military Operations Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, and DG of Naval Operations, Vice Admiral AN Pramod at a press briefing for Operation Sindoor. In a comprehensive briefing, India's Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) detailed how the country's advanced, multi-layered air defence system successfully countered Pakistan's aerial attacks after Operation Sindoor. This came as India-Pakistan ceasefire remained intact without a major incident on the third day of its implementation. The IAF's AK Bharti, the director general of air force operations, and Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, the DGMO of the Indian Army, outlined the coordinated response that shielded Indian military and civilian targets from waves of drones, missiles, and fighter jets. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Air Marshal Bharti highlighted that the primary objective was to neutralise terror infrastructure, but Pakistan's military escalated the conflict by supporting militants and launching direct attacks on Indian assets. He praised the performance of India's indigenous Akash missile system, which, alongside the Russian S-400, Israeli Barak-8, and SPYDER systems, formed a robust, layered shield capable of intercepting threats at various ranges and altitudes. These systems, integrated via the Akashteer command-and-control network, enabled real-time detection and rapid neutralisation of incoming threats. Watch the video below on how Indian forces thwarted Pakistan's air offensive. During the attacks, Pakistan deployed multiple waves of drones and missiles, including Chinese-origin PL-15 air-to-air missiles, targeting Indian airfields and logistics hubs. All major threats were intercepted, with Indian forces showcasing recovered debris as evidence of their success. Vice Admiral AN Pramod added that continuous surveillance using multiple sensors and inputs ensured early detection and targeting of hostile objects, reinforcing the effectiveness of India's layered defence. The DGMOs asserted that all military bases and systems remain fully operational and ready for future missions if needed. The officers underscored that India's defensive success was the result of years of investment in indigenous technology and seamless coordination among the armed forces.
News18
12-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Indian Navy's Readiness To Attack Karachi Port Led To Pakistan's Urgent Ceasefire Request? Exclusive
Last Updated: Vice-Admiral A N Pramod, DG, Naval Operations, on Sunday said the Indian Navy's operational edge at sea played a decisive role in Pakistan's 'urgent request for ceasefire' Did Indian Navy's readiness to target Pakistan's Karachi port lead to Pakistan's urgent request for ceasefire? Top intelligence sources told News18 that the Indian Navy was all set to target the Karachi port just before the India-Pakistan ceasefire was announced on Saturday. Director General, Naval Operations, Vice-Admiral A N Pramod, too, in the press briefing on Sunday, said that the Indian Navy's operational edge at sea played a decisive role in Pakistan's 'urgent request for ceasefire". 'Along with the kinetic actions by the Indian Army and Indian Air Force, the overwhelming operational edge of the Indian Navy at sea contributed towards Pakistan's urgent requests for a ceasefire." #WATCH | Delhi: #OperationSindoor | Vice Admiral AN Pramod says, 'In the aftermath of the cowardly attacks on innocent tourists at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistani sponsored terrorists on 22nd April, the Indian Navy's Carrier battle group, surface forces, submarines and… — ANI (@ANI) May 11, 2025 WHY KARACHI PORT MATTERS 'India was upset because of use of Karachi port for ammunition supplies. The Navy wanted to participate in a big way in Operation Sindoor. They had given a full plan for Karachi port to the NSA and it was almost approved. A complete round-up of Karachi was on the cards before ceasefire. This intervention would have worked as major supplies disruption for Pakistan," said sources. 'Our forces remained forward deployed in the Northern Sea in a decisive and deterrent posture with full readiness and capacity to strike select targets, including Karachi, at a time of our choosing," Pramod said. 'QUALITATIVE, QUANTITATIVE EDGE': NAVY SURVEILLANCE CONTINUES 'In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attacks, on innocent tourists by Pakistani-sponsored terrorists, the Indian Navy's carrier battle group, surface forces, submarines, and aviation assets were immediately deployed at sea with full combat readiness in concert with the joint operation plan of the Indian Defence Forces," Pramod said during the briefing. The Vice-Admiral stated that weapon firings were conducted in the Arabian Sea to refine procedures and validate readiness. 'We had and continue to have good battlespace transparency, using our maritime domain awareness grid. Our response has been measured, proportionate, non-escalatory and responsible from day one…" #WATCH | Delhi: Vice Admiral AN Pramod says, 'Effectively using multiple sensors and inputs, we are maintaining continuous surveillance to degrade or neutralise threats as they emerge or manifest to ensure targeting at extended ranges. All these are conducted under the umbrella… — ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2025 'We have quantitative and qualitative edge to deliver a massive blow to our adversaries. We dominate the maritime front…This time if Pakistan dares to take any action, Pakistan knows what we are going to do…As we speak, the Indian Navy remains deployed at sea in a credible deterrent posture to respond decisively to any inimical action." At Monday's press briefing, Pramod said, 'No enemy aircraft was allowed to come within hundreds of kilometres of Indian territory during Pakistan's attempts to target the country's installations last week…The presence of the navy's aircraft carrier, with a large number of MIG 29 K fighters and airborne early warning helicopters prevented any suspicious or hostile aircraft from coming close to the Carrier Battle Group." He added, 'Effectively using multiple sensors and inputs, we are maintaining continuous surveillance to degrade or neutralise threats as they emerge or manifest to ensure targeting at extended ranges. All these are conducted under the umbrella of a comprehensive and effective layered fleet air defence mechanism that caters for all threats, be it drones, high-speed missiles or aircraft, both fighters as well as surveillance aircraft…"
