Operation Sindoor: Is this the end or the beginning of the end… We must always be ready for the reaction after the action

Indian Armed Forces put Women Officers on the frontline for Media Briefing after India’s Operation Sindoor- Photo- PTI

The media briefing on Operation Sindoor by two women army officers symbolically sends a very big message. In the constantly changing circumstances, it remains to be seen whether this is the end or the beginning of the end.

Debris of Terrorist infrastructure after missile attack in Pakistan – Photo: PTI

On the morning of May 7, 2025, the nation woke up to a pleasant surprise. A pleasant surprise that had been long awaited, but had become more anxious in the last fortnight. It was more pleasant because just when the whole country was getting ready for the sirens and mock drills, the terrorist strongholds in the neighbouring country were being given a bitter taste of reality. Indian military forces precisely targeted nine terrorist training centres in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Muridke outside Lahore and the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Bahawalpur, both located in Pakistan’s Punjab.

At midnight on May 7, India finally began to exercise its right to retributive justice. It was also obliged to do so because the guilty Pakistan was neither admitting its crime in Pahalgam, nor was it expressing commitment to prevent any such incident in future. In such a situation, it was necessary to take a tough step against Pakistan. But even while doing so, India has maintained its ‘responsible nation’ status in the global community by showing a lot of restraint in the selection of targets and the manner of action, by attacking only the strongholds of terrorists.

How measured the Indian action was can be gauged from the fact that no Pakistani military facilities or civilian areas were targeted, as the Defense Ministry’s press release also states. The fact that India has shown excellent strategic restraint by deliberately not targeting innocent civilians and active Pakistani military infrastructure has also been well accepted by the international community. The world is also aware of India’s military capability and competence along with its ability to understand responsibilities at the international level. A member of the US Congress has said that India has the right to protect its people and territory. Israel has also supported India’s right to self-defense. Israel’s ambassador to India Reuven Azar said on X, “Israel supports India’s right to self-defense and terrorists should know that there is no place to hide after committing heinous crimes against innocent people.” Most countries as well as the United Nations have appealed to India and Pakistan to exercise restraint.

It is worth mentioning here that if Pakistan takes this attack lightly and dares to show any audacity, then India’s patience will fail. This fact has also been expressed by our female Air Force officer in her press conference. Indian defense forces are ready to respond to any cross-border audacity of Pakistan. The world and especially our unruly neighbor should not forget that two of our women defense officers have conducted a media briefing on Operation Sindoor today. This is a message to those with evil intentions from across the border – you target our families; our Durga and Kali Shakti are ready to respond to you in a language you understand. Do not underestimate the power of Indian women.

Yet, in the euphoria of today’s action, we must not let our guard down. Civil defence mock drills, especially against enemy air and missile attacks, must be conducted all over the country with renewed vigour and sincerity and credibility. This must be a national effort, cutting across all regional, sectarian or linguistic biases. Just as we have attacked their terror infrastructure, which the neighbouring country considers as its national asset, we must also focus on protecting our own strategic national assets. A fresh analysis of our vulnerabilities, especially in areas close to the Pakistani border and within the range of Pakistani weapons, must be undertaken with utmost diligence.

In this context, security along the entire length of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) has become of utmost importance. The synergy between the efforts of the common citizens, the local administration as well as the entire security machinery must be such that it not only deters and thwarts any nefarious designs but is also robust enough to withstand the effects of enemy attacks. It becomes important that the citizens of the country unite in this national effort of preparedness. Every individual understands his role. We must remember that in adversity, the solidarity of citizens and joint efforts become a great strength. Let us rededicate ourselves and contribute constructively to the national efforts to teach our wayward Pakistan a lesson.

Is Operation Sindoor the end, or the beginning of the end? Is it a step towards a permanent solution to eliminate the long-lived Pakistani ghost of Islamic terrorism? The answer lies in the future. As our former COAS General Manoj Naravane tweeted on X, ‘Picture abhi baki hai.’ We await more pleasant surprises, but we are prepared for any retaliation from Pakistan.