Operation Sindoor - Post Conflict Analysis

[vonkabra]

Why are we publicly talking about our Ammo Quantity ?

Actually this brings up interesting point. With 3 days of intense shelling and border firing, we only had 16 civilian and 5 military casualties? Given the destructive power of modern artillery, this does not seem right, unless...they did not have many shells to fire since they had sold off their ammo stockpile to the Ukraine as some news reports suggested. In that case, the message to the Pakis about our ammo stockpile is loud and clear...

[Agasthi]

https://warontherocks.com/2025/05/opera ... -pakistan/

Above is a good article from Arzan Tarapore about the strategic implications of the conflict. Quoting a few salient points:

Over the past decade, India has progressively transformed its response to Pakistan’s campaign of terrorism. Its actions have grown in scale, using new technologies, triggering larger cycles of violence, and seeking more expansive effects.

missiles and drones are quicker to launch and easier to calibrate — as Operation Sindoor showed, successive waves of sorties can be ratcheted up or down, giving national leaders flexibility to escalate or de-escalate as required. For all these reasons, stand-off weapons, delivered from multiple domains, have emerged as India’s weapons of choice.

The evolution of India’s military responses was crystallized by Modi in a victory speech he delivered on May 12. He pronounced that henceforth India would by default respond militarily to terrorism, that Pakistan’s nuclear threats would not deter India, and that India would consider both terrorists and their military backers to be equivalent. All of these positions are a stark departure from Indian practice a decade ago. After successive evolutionary iterations, India implemented this doctrine in Operation Sindoor, and Modi proclaimed that this would be “a new benchmark in [India’s] fight against terrorism” and a “new normal.”

The execution of Operation Sindoor and the explanation by Modi, however, suggest that Indian thinking has now evolved. Threats of future punishment offer no guarantee of peace because the Pakistani military-terrorist complex cannot be dissuaded. For the Pakistan Army and its terrorist partners, violence against India is not a rational instrument of policy, but a core organizing principle, foundational to their identity and political legitimacy. They will persist with the campaign of sub-conventional provocations regardless of — or in some cases, even enticed by — the prospect of Indian retaliation. New Delhi appears to have now concluded that the best approach for such an adversary is attrition. The adversary’s intent cannot be changed, but the regular imposition of meaningful material costs could at least degrade its capacity to act.

In traditional deterrence, it is “the threat and not its fulfillment” that maintains the peace — if the adversary has attacked, then deterrence has already failed and all that is left is to unleash mutually-destructive violence. In this alternative concept of coercion that India seems now to be embracing, the retaliation, rather than its threat, is the instrument of coercion — levying tangible costs that force the adversary’s future attacks to be smaller or rarer. This form of coercion, sometimes called “cumulative deterrence,” is especially suited to enduring rivalries, where the two sides expect a continuous cycle of violence.

It reduces New Delhi’s policy freedom and ties its hands in a crisis. Modi has been careful to note that India’s response will come at a time and manner of its choosing — thereby retaining tactical agency — but India has nevertheless ceded the initiative to the terrorists. If groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, or the Pakistan Army calculate that a conflict is in their interests in the future, India is now openly committed to indulging their wishes.

Operation Sindoor has now kicked off a cat and mouse game where the terrorists, previously enjoying safe haven in Pakistan, will take greater measures to hide in peacetime and go to ground in crisis. They also have a very deep bench of cadres and recruits, so in the absence of very large attrition, Indian intelligence services will have to improve their targeteering skills, just as Israel and the United States have recently done, to identify and strike meaningfully important personnel and facilities.

Finally, Indian decision-makers will have to resist the temptation to consider this cost-imposition strategy as their primary counter-terrorism tool. The security threat is large and entrenched enough that it requires a broad suite of national policy tools, including not only peacetime intelligence operations but also coercive leverage such as the Indus Water Treaty, deft regional diplomacy to isolate Pakistan, and international coordination against terrorist financing. Military operations are only a supporting effort to manage crises.

this strategy anticipates that India’s challenge can at best be contained — only if India can summon the necessary tactical skill and manage the rising risks — but it will never end.

[Shaktimaan]

I am not joking Saars.

General Asim Munir (Bunker Wale) has just been promoted to Field Marshal by the Pakis.

I repeat, this is not a joke.

[bala]

Lt Gen Sumer Ivan D'cunha, SM, Director General Army Air Defence, in a fireside chat session with Lt Gen Dushyant Singh (Retd), Director General, Centre for Land and Warfare Studies (CLAWS).

Lt Gen Sumer Ivan D'cunha discusses Automated Air Defence of India which worked with almost 100% accuracy during Operation Sindoor. Many topical areas including Modular, plug'n'play, atmanirbhar components, layered defence, integration, detection, jammers, spoofers, active/passive radars, direct energy weapons, fragmentation rounds, cost benefit analysis, many types of guns, smart ammunition, vehicle mounted counter swarm drones, vshorads, missiles, multiple integrations and more causing a complete Air Denial of Pak land during Operation Sindoor. If you follow such things it is worth watching the YT for deep insights into how things were put together by DRDO, IA, IN, IAF in a concerted manner.

Gunners Shot Clips: INTERACTION WITH DIRECTOR GENERAL ARMY AIR DEFENCE

[sanjayc]

I am not joking Saars.

General Asim Munir (Bunker Wale) has just been promoted to Field Marshal by the Pakis.

I repeat, this is not a joke.

Promoted by whom? He promoted himself. There is no higher authority in Pakistan than him

[bala]

Another YT by ANI with Lieutenant General D’Cunha is the Director General of Army Air Defence (AAD). He assumed command as the Chief of Army Air Defence in 2023. An alumnus of the Indian Military Academy, he was commissioned into the Corps of Army Air Defence in December 1988. In this edition of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, he talks about how India’s air defence system foiled a bid by Pakistan to target the Golden Temple in Amritsar. He discusses how India’s indigenous 'Aksahteer', intercepted and neutralised projectiles from Pakistan and showcased India’s dominance in real-time, automated air defence warfare.

EP-299 | India's Air Defence System, Drone Warfare & Chinese Weapons | Lt. Gen. Sumer Ivan D’Cunha

[Deans]

I am not joking Saars.

General Asim Munir (Bunker Wale) has just been promoted to Field Marshal by the Pakis.

I repeat, this is not a joke.

In 1965, a reasonably competent Pak general could have captured Akhnoor. Yahya Khan made a mess of it and became Pak dictator,
responsible for the 1971 debacle. Musharraf totally effed up Kargil and became dictator.

[hnair]

No, not a joke. It is official

https://x.com/cmshehbaz/status/1924843057788211244?s=46

On behalf of the entire nation, I extend my heartfelt felicitations to General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M) on his well-deserved promotion to the rank of Field Marshal. His exemplary leadership during Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos crushed enemy’s nefarious designs and brought great honor to our Motherland. Under his command, our valiant Armed Forces staunchly defended Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity with unity, courage and the highest standards of military professionalism. Today, Pakistan salutes Field Marshal Asim Munir as well as our brave countrymen, soldiers, martyrs, and their families.
Pakistan Hamesha Zindabad..!!

[Deans]

Why are we publicly talking about our Ammo Quantity ?

Actually this brings up interesting point. With 3 days of intense shelling and border firing, we only had 16 civilian and 5 military casualties? Given the destructive power of modern artillery, this does not seem right, unless...they did not have many shells to fire since they had sold off their ammo stockpile to the Ukraine as some news reports suggested. In that case, the message to the Pakis about our ammo stockpile is loud and clear...

I don't believe either side used heavy artillery or MLRS - I was kind of hoping we would.
Pak reported 13 civilians killed and we reported 35-40 army and about 10 terrorists killed in cross LOC firing.

[SRajesh]

Nair-ji,

Neverwho gave himself Bharat Ratna
Munir gives himself a new shiny 'Danda'!!
All in good faith noo!!

[SRajesh]

Ayub lost his 'Balls' in Rajasthan
And Munir will loose his in J&K
As kids we used sing a ditty:
Ayub Khan of Pakistan........
.............
Lost his balls in Rajasthan
inky pinky..... vouz!!!

[RCase]

No, not a joke. It is official

https://x.com/cmshehbaz/status/1924843057788211244?s=46

On behalf of the entire nation, I extend my heartfelt felicitations to General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M) on his well-deserved promotion to the rank of Field Marshal. His exemplary leadership during Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos crushed enemy’s nefarious designs and brought great honor to our Motherland. Under his command, our valiant Armed Forces staunchly defended Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity with unity, courage and the highest standards of military professionalism. Today, Pakistan salutes Field Marshal Asim Munir as well as our brave countrymen, soldiers, martyrs, and their families.
Pakistan Hamesha Zindabad..!!

He saved the Pak Fauj from surrendering, no? THAT deserves a Field Marshall promotion for Operation Banyian-and-maro-sosoo!

[gakakkad]

No, not a joke. It is official

https://x.com/cmshehbaz/status/1924843057788211244?s=46

On behalf of the entire nation, I extend my heartfelt felicitations to General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M) on his well-deserved promotion to the rank of Field Marshal. His exemplary leadership during Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos crushed enemy’s nefarious designs and brought great honor to our Motherland. Under his command, our valiant Armed Forces staunchly defended Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity with unity, courage and the highest standards of military professionalism. Today, Pakistan salutes Field Marshal Asim Munir as well as our brave countrymen, soldiers, martyrs, and their families.
Pakistan Hamesha Zindabad..!!

Ak phyrrrrr!

[williams]

So Pakis are happy they did not lose any territory. However, the Modi Sarkar had no intention to take any territory but just add punitive costs for a terrorist attack. Modi Sarkar either feels that taking territory may breach escalatory threshhold or they have other plans to put the Pakis in place. Doval Ji should already know that Pakis will celebrate when they did not lose by much and will fake the loses to satisfy the local Abduls. Question is will this stop the Pakis from sponsoring Jihad. The answer should be, unfortunately, a big no. That means there is something else in play. Let us wait and watch.

[williams]

Mod Note: Please edit your post to learn how to post YouTube videos. I have edited your post. Please DO NOT post just the video and a title. Please provide a description of the video (either from the video itself or even in your own words). It helps readers and/or posters who are following the thread. Thank You for your co-operation in this matter.

I don't believe either side used heavy artillery or MLRS - I was kind of hoping we would.
Pak reported 13 civilians killed and we reported 35-40 army and about 10 terrorists killed in cross LOC firing.

Tanks and BMP guns were used in unconventional manner to destroy Paki posts.

NDTV At LoC: Tanks Unleashed - Indian Army's Bold Strike At The LoC

Witness the power of the Indian Army's tanks in Operation Sindoor at the LoC. Learn how tanks and BMPs took out dozens of enemy drones in a historic military operation.

[Avinandan]

I don't want to undermine our AD capabilities in the first 2 nights however did we waste our Ammo on dummy drones ? The next step would be a way to distinguish the type of drone to avoid ammo wastage.

Pakistan deployed attack and surveillance drones hidden in swarms of basic drones : https://indianexpress.com/article/india ... -10014686/

[madhu]

Guys please help me to understand the mind of pak army. As per our army pakis tried to attack golden temple which was neutralized by our ADS. The lights in the golden temple was switched off for first time. Kalis idiots twitted telling India attacked golden temple and the whole plot is out... Pakis also aimed at vishnov devi and missiles did fell close to some temple indicating they did target Hindu temple also.

But my question is why did they go to that extent foolishly. It would have been easy for pakis to bomb kartarpur with missile show some piece of Indian missiles that has fallen in any of there base as the missile that hit kartarpur and spin the story that India attacked kartarpur in search of kalistanis would have been easy story to sell right.Why did they not do it? Why they choose tough target?

[madhu]

I don't want to undermine our AD capabilities in the first 2 nights however did we waste our Ammo on dummy drones ? The next step would be a way to distinguish the type of drone to avoid ammo wastage.

Pakistan deployed attack and surveillance drones hidden in swarms of basic drones : https://indianexpress.com/article/india ... -10014686/

No we took there drones with just guns L70 and zu30. It was cheep and we have automated them too. Check out the interview in podcast with smita Prakash.

[vera_k]

But my question is why did they go to that extent foolishly. It would have been easy for pakis to bomb kartarpur with missile show some piece of Indian missiles that has fallen in any of there base as the missile that hit kartarpur and spin the story that India attacked kartarpur in search of kalistanis would have been easy story to sell right.Why did they not do it? Why they choose tough target?

IMO, Pak was a hired hand to test out Indian defenses. They went as far as they could until the punishment returned exceeded compensation received. Enemy intelligence needed a way to figure out real world performance of air defenses.

[vaibhavs]

I am seeing a whole lot of videos out there showing the Indian army and airforce (defense) capabilities along the LoC and IB for past few days. I hope its intentional by the govt and not giving in to TRP pressure of the media.

[VinodTK]

'Their biggest crime was targeting civilians': How Army flattened Pak posts in 10 minutes after aggressive shelling

[Jay]

I don't want to undermine our AD capabilities in the first 2 nights however did we waste our Ammo on dummy drones ? The next step would be a way to distinguish the type of drone to avoid ammo wastage.

Baad mein gaye wastage. You do not win a war by penny pinching and trying to distinguish everything to the last degree. The only efficiency that matters is killing the enemy and imposing destruction on them to make them realize its a lost cause to send dummy or real weapons. This is not an 'asset optimization' business case in the corp world. If you decide to fight an actual war with corporate board room metrics, you better be prepared to argue your nations fate in the halls of UN and submit to ICJ.

[gakakkad]

We can afford it . Wastage etc is for pakees to consider

[vera_k]

General Asim Munir (Bunker Wale) has just been promoted to Field Marshal by the Pakis.

Both China and Pak now have leaders for life, since neither Xi nor Munir have any way or need to retire.

[Amber G.]

After ""Wahan se goli chali gi, toh yahan se gola chale ga", mantra, spotted on LOC!

जहाँ बोला वहां गोला

[Amber G.]

India’s Top Diplomat and Former Envoy to @UN @ambtstirumurti on “The Politics of UN terror proscriptions”.

[A_Gupta]

https://warontherocks.com/2025/05/opera ... -pakistan/

Above is a good article from Arzan Tarapore about the strategic implications of the conflict. Quoting a few salient points:

For the Pakistan Army and its terrorist partners, violence against India is not a rational instrument of policy, but a core organizing principle, foundational to their identity and political legitimacy. They will persist with the campaign of sub-conventional provocations regardless of — or in some cases, even enticed by — the prospect of Indian retaliation.

Yes! Commission a terrorist attack on civilians, absorb punishment to vital assets and terrorists, see your military retaliation rendered futile, lose control of your country's rivers' water flow -- get promoted to Field Marshal!

If, Allah forbid, there is a nuke war, the last Pakistani standing will declare himself The Mahdi.

[chetak]

Don't miss this video...

How India Defeated Pakistan Even Before Military Ops, S Gurumurthy Explains

Renowned economist, commentator, and public intellectual S. Gurumurthy unpacks the lesser-known strategic, economic, and geopolitical moves that India employed to outmaneuver Pakistan—even before the first military action was taken. With his trademark insight and depth of historical understanding, Gurumurthy connects the dots between currency strategy, global alliances, and psychological warfare, revealing how India's strength was projected far beyond the battlefield. A masterclass in statecraft, this conversation redefines how wars are won—and when they really begin.

[Prem Kumar]

I am seeing a whole lot of videos out there showing the Indian army and airforce (defense) capabilities along the LoC and IB for past few days. I hope its intentional by the govt and not giving in to TRP pressure of the media.

Seems very calibrated & intentional by the Armed Forces/GOI. Good videos, which makes each Indian feel proud and demoralizes the enemy

The present COAS had ordered a drill for countering drone-warfare just before Op Sindoor, which turned out to be prescient

The Army had also done detailed surveillance and had the target-coordinates (Paki posts, launchpads) down to the square-meter. When the Pakis started shelling civilians, we went berserk. In the Army's own words, we went from "proportional response" to "indiscriminate destruction" of the enemy. Pak Army infrastructure across Leepa Valley has been completely destroyed. The IA estimates that the enemy will take 9 - 12 months at a minimum, to rebuild

Full marks to the RM & the COAS for giving full freedom to our Army!

There are many sub-stories in Op Sindoor, which are coming out only now. The talk last week was all about IAF, our missiles & AD - and their absolute superiority. This week, its about the sheer dominance of the IA!

[Prem Kumar]

So Pakis are happy they did not lose any territory. However, the Modi Sarkar had no intention to take any territory but just add punitive costs for a terrorist attack. Modi Sarkar either feels that taking territory may breach escalatory threshhold or they have other plans to put the Pakis in place. Doval Ji should already know that Pakis will celebrate when they did not lose by much and will fake the loses to satisfy the local Abduls. Question is will this stop the Pakis from sponsoring Jihad. The answer should be, unfortunately, a big no. That means there is something else in play. Let us wait and watch.

I like the cognitive dissonance & denial by the Pakis. I say, we let it continue and even feed it. It will make their Armed Forces remain complacent, so that, by the time the next Op Sindoor happens, we won't be just 10X better than them, but 100X better

A penny dropped for me in the aftermath of Op Sindoor: their Armed Forces, especially the leadership, has lost the will to fight a war. They are no longer the zealots who want to establish the Islamic banner all over India. They are just fat-cats who want to retire in London

Let the tree rot from within. When we eventually strike it with the axe, one blow will be enough

[uddu]

Why the Netherlands Arms Terror Sponsor Pakistan

India's foreign minister S Jaishankar picked the Netherlands for his first foreign trip after Operation Sindoor. After China, the Netherlands was the biggest weapons supplier to Pakistan from 2020 to 2024. Why does the Netherlands arm a terror sponsor like Pakistan? Can India weaken this nexus? Palki Sharma tells you.

[ashthor]

Military infra at PoK decimated, will take months to rebuild: Army

https://www.rediff.com/news/report/mili ... 250520.htm

Based on information from various sources, the officials said at least 64 Pakistani military personnel were killed and 96 injured by the Chinar Corps during the retaliatory strikes in the second week of May.

"The message was clear "our retaliation follows a 1:3 ratio, meaning the Indian Army will strike three times as hard for every Pakistani ceasefire violation," a top Chinar Corps official said.

[Cyrano]

Mod Note: Please edit your post to learn how to post YouTube videos. I have edited your post. Please DO NOT post just the video and a title. Please provide a description of the video (either from the video itself or even in your own words). It helps readers and/or posters who are following the thread. Thank You for your co-operation in this matter.

A very competent Group Captain debrief.

Ex IAF pilot reveals BIGGEST learnings from Operation Sindoor

Group Captain Ajay Kumar Ahlawat (Retd.) is a distinguished former fighter pilot of the Indian Air Force (IAF), with a service career spanning over two decades. During his tenure, Group Captain Ahlawat held several key positions, including serving as the Commanding Officer of the Operational Conversion Unit at Air Force Station Kalaikunda from July 2014 to March 2016. He also completed a staff course at the Air Command and Staff College in Montgomery, Alabama, in December 2011. Following his retirement, he transitioned into the technology sector and is currently the Chief Operating Officer at NuChain, a blockchain infrastructure company. In this role, he focuses on integrating Web3 technologies into enterprise and government applications.

[chetak]

VI@WA

Red Sindoor and Cold Steel: India, Pakistan, and the Theatre of Escalating Ironies

A 2025 Analysis of Conflict, Compromise, and the Geo-Strategic Kamasutra of the Subcontinent

The Trigger: A Valley Bleeds, A Tiger Roars

On 22 Apr 25, the Pahalgam terrorist attack left 26 dead and over 70 injured. The images were brutal—charred remains on pilgrimage routes, grieving families frozen in disbelief, and the collective national outrage palpable like monsoon humidity. India responded not with the usual dossier diplomacy, but with cold steel: Operation Sindoor. The symbolism was deliberate—sindoor, the vermilion of marital sanctity, invoked both blood and red lines. Within 36 hours, Indian Rafales struck deep, flattening nine terror camps across the Line of Control, backed by coordinated ground-based artillery and ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) assets.

But just as India raised the metaphorical sword, the US—armed with satellite imagery and unsolicited advice—apparently brokered a ceasefire within 72 hours. The Guardian and Atlantic Council hailed it as “preventing escalation,” but in Raisina Hill, it felt more like being muzzled mid-roar. Once again, India was the lead actor in a geopolitical theatre directed from Washington.

Tactical Gains, Strategic Stalemates

Op Sindoor was operationally flawless. Real-time feeds from Indian military satellites confirmed precise hits, with zero collateral damage and multiple high-value targets neutralised. Yet the strategic calculus remained stubbornly unchanged. Pakistan’s nuclear deterrence bluff, China’s veiled patronage, and Western discomfort with escalation combined to form the holy trinity of inaction.

The operation, however, illuminated three worrying trends for New Delhi:

a) Technological parity is narrowing
Pakistan’s induction of JF-17 Block III fighters with AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radars and the growing presence of Chinese J-10Cs signal a closing airpower gap. More alarmingly, OSINT reports confirmed that Pakistani pilots were training on Rafales in Qatar, embedded within Qatari Air Force joint exercises. Though France denies direct technology transfer, even limited exposure to flight characteristics and sensor profiles could severely compromise India’s air superiority.

b) The EW edge is blunted
Gone are the days when India held a quiet dominance in the electronic spectrum. Turkey, flexing its neo-Ottoman muscles, supplied Pakistan with advanced KORAL Electronic Warfare systems—capable of radar jamming, signal misdirection, and drone deception. Worse, Bayraktar TB2 drones reportedly outfitted with anti-jamming upgrades were used for ISR roles near Rajouri during the skirmish. Ankara’s defence diplomacy has taken a decisive tilt—backing Islamabad with both tech and theatre.

c) Information war is the new jihad; while Indian airstrikes made news, Pakistan’s digital psy-ops went viral. Deepfake videos, AI-generated soldier “testimonies,” and targeted disinformation campaigns swamped Indian social media, sowing confusion. This cognitive blitzkrieg was aided by internal discord—particularly the arrest of Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad of Ashoka University under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). A vocal critic of India's Kashmir policy, Mahmudabad’s detention divided academia and civil society. Some cited “national security,” others cried “fascism.” Either way, Pakistan’s narrative warfare succeeded in making India fight itself on prime-time panels.

A Two-Front Nightmare Realised?

As India struck terror camps, its eastern flank began to stir uneasily. According to South China Morning Post (SCMP)—South China Morning Post, for the uninitiated—Chinese and Pakistani foreign ministers met days after Operation Sindoor, discussing “joint security preparedness.” Signals intelligence picked up chatter about cyber-synchronisation, satellite tracking, and digital decoys—hallmarks of joint offensive readiness.

Simultaneously, Turkey’s diplomatic flirtation with Islamabad deepened. Beyond providing EW support, Ankara is allegedly aiding Pakistan in retrofitting Bayraktars with AI-assisted targeting algorithms and expanding drone-operating infrastructure in Balochistan. Reports from Nikkei Asia confirm joint naval drills are planned in the Arabian Sea, with Turkish frigates offering training modules to the Pakistan Navy.

But Ankara’s most controversial move was arguably the alleged leaking of S-400 technical data to NATO channels—a retaliatory act after US CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) sanctions on Turkey. This data reportedly includes radar frequency profiles, ECCM (Electronic Counter-Counter Measures) protocols, and system limitations during mobile deployment. India, having procured the Russian-made S-400 for $5.4 billion, now faces the chilling possibility that its “trump card” may have already been trumped.

Procurement Psyche and the Theatre of Recalibration

Wars reveal not just enemy weaknesses but one's own procurement follies. The 2025 skirmish forced India to re-evaluate everything—from weapons sourcing to doctrine deployment.

Strategic Autonomy 2.0 : India is now aggressively pivoting from Russian dependence. French and Israeli firms are seeing increased MoD (Ministry of Defence) traction, while indigenous efforts like the AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft) and DRDO’s directed-energy weapons are receiving renewed urgency. HAL has been asked to compress delivery timelines by 18 months.

Artillery and Air Defence Upgrades : The K9 Vajra howitzer, previously relegated to Ladakh, is being adapted for high-altitude warfare across J&K. Indigenous Pinaka systems are being networked with satellite feeds for better targeting. Meanwhile, the vulnerability of India’s S-400 systems post-data leak has catalysed demand for Indian-made XRSAM (Extended Range Surface to Air Missile) as an eventual replacement.

Poseidon’s Glare : The Indian Navy, finally at the Table
The Indian Navy, long treated as a ceremonial force with strategic brochures, is seeing operational assertiveness. Carrier-based drones, Project 75I submarines, and increased exercises with Quad nations are changing its posture. The Arabian Sea is no longer a maritime afterthought—it’s becoming India’s geopolitical moat.

When Pakistan convened its National Command Authority (NCA) in response to Operation Sindoor, the world held its breath—but only briefly, and mostly for comic relief. Nuclear deterrence doctrine, once viewed as a stabilising force, has become increasingly performative theatre—a blend of posturing and PowerPoint.
Both India and Pakistan possess roughly 170 nuclear warheads each. But here’s the rub: while India maintains a No First Use (NFU) posture, a recent Cabinet note cheekily hinted that “circumstances may demand reinterpretation.” Translation? "We won’t throw the first punch—unless we feel like it."


Foreign Powers: The Calculated Chorus

China: The Puppeteer in Silk Robes
Beijing’s role during this episode has been subtle but strategic. Cyber units based in Ürümqi were allegedly placed on standby for coordinated jamming of Indian digital systems. Intelligence-sharing with Pakistan’s ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) has moved from whispers to standard protocol. China's interest in keeping India bogged down in a low-intensity war aligns with its long-term BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) stability calculus.

Turkey: New Age Disruptor
Far from being just a drone dealer, Ankara is positioning itself as a pan-Islamist tech ally. Turkey’s aggressive diplomacy, defence exports, and joint training with Pakistan are not just transactional—they are symbolic. Erdogan is crafting a geopolitical Ummah bloc with himself as its modern-day Caliph, and India—secular, sovereign, and strong—is an obstacle to be diplomatically isolated.

The US: Umpire, Investor, Enigma
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and Atlantic Council have urged the US to rebalance its South Asia priorities. Publicly, the US talks of “India’s right to self-defence.” Privately, Pakistan remains the familiar albeit flaky partner with a history of low-cost utility. India has begun to read this duplicity and is pushing for quad-anchored independence, while quietly diversifying arms and intel alliances with Israel, France, and Japan.


Epilogue: Red Sindoor, Still Fresh — Or Just Smudged?

In the end, India walked off the stage with smouldering launch pads and a half-written doctrine, while Pakistan limped back across the LoC, busy awarding itself medals and updating Twitter bios. It’s a familiar rhythm: one side bleeds, the other blusters, and the global gallery applauds the ‘restraint’ of both as if nuclear-armed neighbours are unruly toddlers in a Montessori classroom.

But beneath the rubble and rhetoric lies a larger truth: this is no longer just about borders, but bandwidths. India may have struck targets with precision, but Pakistan struck perceptions—with drone footage, deepfakes, and diplomatic decoys. And while New Delhi recalibrates missile trajectories, Islamabad simply recalibrates the algorithm.

And speaking of recalibrations—a sarcastic applause to Pakistan’s new Field Marshal, Asim Munir, self-promoted custodian of eternal victimhood and accidental martyrdom. In a country where coups are more common than clean water, being Field Marshal is a bit like being crowned the tallest minaret in a collapsing mosque. No wars won, no fronts stabilised, no doctrines drafted—just an upgraded parking spot at GHQ and a ceremonial baton polished more than national strategy. If delusion had a uniform, it would have four stars and a Field Marshal’s sash.

Meanwhile, India continues its lonely trek up the moral high ground, occasionally pausing to check if anyone's watching—spoiler: they're not. The West still measures Indian action in column inches and Pakistani reaction in megatons of imagined grievance. Strategic empathy remains inversely proportional to actual credibility.

Meanwhile, Turkey, having supplied drones to Pakistan during the conflict , found its exports facing an unexpected adversary: Indian consumer sentiment. Udaipur's marble industry, accounting for 70% of India's marble imports from Turkey, suspended Rs 3,000 crore worth of imports . E-commerce platforms like Myntra and AJIO removed Turkish apparel brands , and travel bookings to Istanbul and Antalya plummeted by 60% . The strategic silence from traditional allies was not lost on Indian citizens, who turned their frustration into economic action. From boycotting Turkish chocolates and coffee to halting imports of Turkish apples in Prayagraj , the message was clear: national interest trumps trade.

So, here we are—a region teetering on the cusp of both glory and absurdity, where a counter-terror operation gets defused by ceasefire diplomats who still think "Kashmir" is a tea flavour, and where grand strategy is interrupted regularly by Instagram reels and internet outages.

And yet, the sindoor remains. Not just on the forehead of retribution, but smeared across the face of a republic trying to balance justice with geopolitics, retaliation with restraint, and memory with modernity.

The red hasn't faded. It’s simply waiting—like the steel it came from—to strike again when the theatre calls for another act.

[chetak]

Vi@WA

Some of Unsung heroes in the entire India-Pakistan escalation is Mumbai Airport and its staff.

Nobody’s talking about it, but they should be !

While of course the media and all of us zoomed in on missiles, ceasefires, the politics and military operations, Mumbai ATC was holding India’s sky together.

Silently ! Seamlessly !!

After Pakistan’s airspace ban and shutdown of several airports across North India, flights through Mumbai’s airspace surged by over 60% !

Mumbai airport handles about 750 international overflights daily. And Domestic flights aparts. That too with one criss cross runway.

But now, during Indo-Pak disturbances, it had to manage 1,200 flights, pushing the total daily traffic in Mumbai’s airspace beyond 2,000 flights (when combined with the airport’s 900+ movements and domestic overflights)

Just imagine, in the time span of 24 hours which is 1440 minutes, they managed Air Traffic of more than 2000 flights !

Hardly less than a minute per flight !!

Even international airlines like British Airways, Lufthansa, Thai Airways International, etc. had to find new flight paths, most of which were via BOM.

Imagine 10 planes trying to land at once. Imagine if even one miscalculation happened. One wrong clearance. One delay too long.

Keeping the airport open and operational as usual is crucial for aircrafts movement but also a sense of normalcy.

And, one miscalculation by the ATC would’ve been disastrous. And, spun globally as

“ India can’t handle war-time coordination !"

So while we salute our Army and Air Force, let’s also take a moment to salute the Air traffic controllers, ground staff, and operations teams at Mumbai Airport.

They didn’t fight. But they stopped panic from spreading.

And in a way, that’s moral building strategy too.

P.S : Not every hero wears a uniform. Some wear headsets, carry logbooks, and save the day 30,000 feet above ground !

Jai hind

Cheers

[Manish_P]

Via WA

...
Just imagine, in the time span of 24 hours which is 1440 minutes, they managed Air Traffic of more than 2000 flights !

Hardly less than a minute per flight !!
....

I can attest to this, Chetak sir.

My office is very close to the airport runaway and practically right next to the western railways lines.

Those days I saw more planes taking off and landing per minute than I saw mumbai metro trains going to and fro past the station!

Never thought such a thing was possible

[Hriday]

https://x.com/TheLegateIN/status/192444 ... XiTyg&s=19

Indian Army confirms it used ground based EW systems to jam air defence radars of Pakistan Army's Air Defence Command (PAAD-C)

The above is a well known military news handle, but will not provide any links. But considered trustworthy by other major OSINT handles.

[chetak]

One of the failed Chinese HQ-9BE missile crashed in Rajasthan, pretty much intact.

Will be transported to a DRDO facility for strip-down and technical analysis.

[chetak]

VI@WA

Do you see Turkey helping Pakistan?

One thing Indians need to understand is that Turks are our traditional enemies.

Starting from Ghazni... Btw Mughal stands for (Turk+Mongol)

We Hindus and they the Turks are both old civilizations ... and history never dies.

That is why Nehru's admiration of Turks and Mustafa Kemal bothers me so much.

You have been taught about the British Empire. But because of secularism, you have never been taught about the cruelty of the Ottoman Turkish Empire.

The Ottoman Empire lasted a lot longer than the British or French Empire. The Ottoman Turks carried out genocide after genocide in the early 20th century ... 1.5 million innocent Armenians, 1 million Greeks

These are the exact massacres that inspired Hitler.

Both Hitler and Nehru were fans of Mustafa Kemal of Turkey. In Glimpses of World History, Nehru even triumphantly proclaims that Turkey had solved its "racial problems."

And yes, take pride in what the Indian Army did to the Turks in WW1. It is the Indian Army that liberated the Arabs from Turkish rule. The Indian Army liberated Baghdad and Haifa and Jerusalem.

The Indians marched triumphantly into Constantinople (Istanbul) at the end of WW1 and liberated it.

I can assure you the Turks have not forgotten nor forgiven.

But you probably didn't even know.

[gakakkad]

A pro India OSint x account (osinttv) suddenly disappeared.