The impact of half of the bombed portraits must have fallen from the wall, resulting in a missile strike shows that Pakistan is proud of its ability to launch a “war against India with a thousand cuts.”
Also read: ‘Okay. Tested’: Operation Sindoor has abandoned many ammunition bestsellers
What India calls Pakistan’s bluff
It all started with Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, who said Kashmir was Pakistan’s jugular vein just days before the Pahargam attack. “Our position is very clear, it’s our jugular vein, which will be our jugular vein, and we won’t forget it. We won’t leave the heroic struggle of the Kashmir brothers,” he said. Munir made full performances of his jihadist motives and political aspirations, reinventing himself as his predecessors such as Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf, who made Indian bait and bleeding India their exclusive domestic political strategy.
Pakistan’s military has long been involved in an indirect war strategy with India encapsulated in the doctrine of “Indian bloodshed with a thousand cuts”. This approach involves supporting insurgent groups and activists to perpetuate low-intensity conflict along India’s borders.
General Munier cited the “jihad fi sabilillah” to emphasize Pakistan’s commitment to this doctrine, positioning India as its main opponent in its military calculations. However, the Sindoor operation not only undermined this strategy, but also exposed the limitations of Pakistan’s military capabilities, which were facing a strong technical opponent at the time.
Also read: Not over yet! Action only stopped – PM Modi warned Pakistan
In a direct response to the Pahalgam attack, Indian fighters were equipped with scalp missiles and AASM hammer bombs, and conducted 14 precise strikes at nine locations in Pakistan. It is worth noting that Bahawalpur and Muridke, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, are the target locations. The action lasted 23 minutes, and Indian officials described it as “focusing, measuring and non-scaling”.
By contrast, Pakistan’s retaliation measures, including drone and missile strikes in Indian cities such as Amritsar, were largely offset by India’s advanced air defense systems. India confirmed the neutralization of the Pakistani air defense system in Lahore, further reducing Pakistan’s military response capabilities. What happened next was even worse. India shocked Pakistan by attacking nearly a dozen major military bases deep inside Pakistan.
Pakistan’s military and political leaders are in chaos. Ironically, General Munier was forced into a military bunker. Now, Times reported that General Munier spent two to three hours in the bunker, worried about his life when India slammed Pakistan’s military base.
Facing losses and international pressure, Pakistan seeks U.S. intervention to facilitate a ceasefire. U.S. President Donald Trump, along with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, promoted the truce.
Operation Sindoor marks a critical moment in the ongoing Indian-Pakistan competition. It demonstrates India’s determination and ability to effectively protect its sovereignty and offset cross-border terrorism. Despite internal and external challenges in Pakistan’s military regime, India’s strategic clarity and operational success have set new precedents for security dynamics in the region. Although the ceasefire temporarily ceased hostilities, it reflected a major shift in power balance, and India became the main force in South Asia’s geopolitics.
