India’s Operation Sindoor, conducted on May 7, 2025, appears to have significantly impacted Pakistan’s defence and governance structure, according to Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan. The operation, a targeted strike on terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, was India’s response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 civilians.

Immediate Aftermath of Operation Sindoor

• The operation led to four days of cross-border drone and missile exchanges between India and Pakistan.
• On May 10, 2025, both countries reached an understanding to halt hostilities.
• The operation exposed weaknesses in Pakistan’s military coordination and leadership, prompting Islamabad to undertake hasty constitutional and structural changes.

Constitutional Changes in Pakistan

• Pakistan amended Article 243 of its Constitution, which defines the relationship between the civilian government and the military.
• These amendments led to a reorganization of Pakistan’s top defence structure, centralizing authority and reducing checks and balances.

Key Military Restructuring

1. Scrapping the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC):
   • The post was replaced with a Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), consolidating control over all branches of the armed forces.
2. Creation of New Commands:
   • National Strategy Command and Army Rocket Forces Command were established, strengthening strategic and nuclear capabilities under centralized command.
3. Leadership Consolidation:
   • Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s Army Chief since November 2022, was handed control over the Army, Navy, and Air Force, along with lifetime immunity from arrest or prosecution.
   • This effectively placed land, joint, and strategic military authority in a single individual, reducing civilian oversight and raising concerns about potential autocracy.
4. Land-Centric Focus:
   • According to General Chauhan, the creation of the Rocket Forces Command and centralized military authority reflects Pakistan’s land-centric defence mindset, highlighting deficiencies in joint operational readiness that Operation Sindoor had exposed.

Strategic Implications

• The swift amendments indicate Pakistan perceived vulnerabilities in its military posture following the Indian operation.
• By centralizing command and establishing new strategic units, Pakistan aimed to prevent future operational surprises, particularly against India.
• Critics argue that the lifetime immunity and concentration of power could destabilize internal governance and weaken institutional checks.

Takeaways from General Chauhan

• Operation Sindoor demonstrated that precision strikes and operational readiness can have far-reaching strategic and political effects.
• It forced Pakistan to rapidly rethink its military and constitutional arrangements, revealing weaknesses in its prior command structure.
• The changes underscore the long-term influence of tactical operations on regional security dynamics and civil-military relations.

In essence, Operation Sindoor not only averted immediate terror threats but also reshaped Pakistan’s military leadership and constitutional framework, highlighting the broader strategic impact of well-executed defence operations.