As 2025 draws to a close, it is increasingly clear that the year will be remembered as a turning point in India’s security posture and strategic outlook. Marked by warlike escalation, hard diplomatic signalling, and a redefinition of deterrence, the year underscored how profoundly the nature of conflict—and India’s response to it—has changed. At the centre of this transformation stood Operation Sindoor, an unprecedented assertion of military power that reshaped the rules of engagement with Pakistan and articulated a new national security doctrine.

Operation Sindoor: A Defining Moment

At precisely 1.04 am on May 7, Indian armed forces launched coordinated precision strikes on nine targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Using a combination of air-launched and ground-based missiles, smart munitions, and advanced electronic warfare, India struck deeper inside Pakistan than it had at any point since the 1971 war.

The government confirmed the operation 40 minutes later. The targets included five terror training camps across the Line of Control, located between 9 km and 30 km inside PoK, and four targets across the international border, some as far as 100 km inside Pakistani territory. The strikes were carried out in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 22 civilians and was the deadliest attack on Indian soil since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

The operation was named Sindoor by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a term laden with symbolic meaning—signalling both loss and resolve. It was not merely punitive but demonstrative, intended to recalibrate deterrence and redraw Pakistan’s assumptions about India’s red lines.

Technology, Precision, and Escalation Control

A key feature of Operation Sindoor was the extensive use of stand-off weaponry. Indian forces first jammed Pakistan’s Chinese-origin air defence systems, creating windows of vulnerability. Rafale fighter jets then fired Scalp deep-strike cruise missiles, enabling pilots to hit fortified ground targets without crossing into hostile airspace.

Other weapons systems used included Hammer smart munitions, BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles launched from Sukhoi-30 aircraft, and precision-guided bomb kits. Among the most significant targets was Markaz Subhanallah, the operational headquarters of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), located nearly 100 km from the border. Another was Markaz Taiba, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) headquarters led by Hafiz Saeed—an outfit directly linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

These strikes were calibrated to inflict maximum damage on terror infrastructure while retaining escalation control, a balance that would soon be tested.

Pakistan’s Response and India’s Counteroffensive

Pakistan responded initially with artillery shelling along the Line of Control, followed by a sharp escalation. By 8.30 pm on May 7, Islamabad had launched drone and missile attacks on multiple Indian towns and cities along the western frontier.

India activated its multi-layered air defence network, deploying the S-400 Triumf system, Akash surface-to-air missiles, indigenous anti-drone systems, and electronic countermeasures. Incoming threats were intercepted with high success rates. Simultaneously, India launched kamikaze drone attacks, including Israeli-origin Harop loitering munitions, to suppress Pakistan’s air defence infrastructure. An air defence system in Lahore was neutralised during this phase.

On May 8, India intensified its drone strikes to demonstrate reach and dominance. High-value targets reportedly included the Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters, the Strategic Plans Division overseeing nuclear assets, and an ISI wing handling Kashmir operations in Rawalpindi. Other strikes hit the residence of the Lahore corps commander and installations in Malir cantonment in Karachi.

The Sharpest Exchange Since 1971

The conflict peaked in the early hours of May 9. Pakistan launched drones at 26 locations, targeting both military and civilian infrastructure. Later, airbases in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir—including Srinagar, Awantipora, and Udhampur—came under attack, along with medical facilities and schools within air force bases.

India’s retaliation was swift and devastating. The Indian Air Force struck 13 Pakistani airbases and military installations, inflicting what officials described as Pakistan’s worst military damage since 1971. BrahMos missiles were used to hit eight key bases, including Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi and Bholari airbase. Targets ranged from runways and hangars to command centres, radar installations, missile sites, and weapons depots.

Pakistan’s final attempt to retaliate came at 5 am, when Bayraktar YIHA III kamikaze drones were launched towards Amritsar. India’s air defence systems detected and neutralised the threat within seconds.

Ceasefire and Diplomacy

By midday, the military balance had decisively tilted. At 12.37 pm, Pakistan’s high commission contacted India’s external affairs ministry, seeking talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs). The call took place at 3.35 pm, and both sides agreed to halt all military action across land, air, and sea from 5 pm.

At 5.25 pm, US President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire had been reached, a claim India would later contest. At 6 pm, foreign secretary Vikram Misri confirmed the cessation of hostilities, carefully framing it as a bilateral military understanding.

A New Security Doctrine

Operation Sindoor emerged as the defining event of the year, not just militarily but strategically. It revealed how modern warfare has evolved—where precision strikes, drones, cyber capabilities, and information warfare matter as much as boots on the ground. It also showed how diplomacy and narrative management are now integral to conflict, illustrated by India’s global outreach through parliamentary delegations.

Most significantly, the operation prompted Prime Minister Modi to articulate a new security doctrine. Its core tenets were clear:

• Every terror attack against India will invite a strong response.
• Nuclear blackmail will not deter Indian action.
• No distinction will be made between terrorists and the governments that shelter or sponsor them.

Beyond the Battlefield

The year, however, was not defined by conflict alone. Politically, it belonged to the National Democratic Alliance, with the BJP returning to power in Delhi after 27 years and Nitish Kumar securing a fifth consecutive term in Bihar. The Opposition struggled to find momentum or a coherent narrative.

Elsewhere, the year exposed institutional weaknesses. Indian aviation faced intense scrutiny after the country’s worst-ever aircraft crash, controversies over the investigation, and operational chaos at IndiGo. Violence in Manipur largely subsided but without durable political solutions. Winter brought another reminder of governance gaps as toxic air blanketed north India, highlighting failures in planning and coordination.

Looking Ahead

2025 was a year of warnings—about security, governance, and geopolitics. Operation Sindoor showed India’s capacity for decisive action and strategic restraint, but it also underscored the complexity of modern threats. As the country steps into 2026, the challenge will be to translate military confidence into lasting peace, institutional reform, and a development trajectory that matches India’s global ambitions.