THE SINDOOR DOCTRINE : REDEFINING INDIA’S COUNTER-TERROR RESPONSE

In 1947, British India was divided into Islamic Pakistan and secular India. Jammu and Kashmir, a Muslim majority state ruled by Hindu Maharaja Hari Singh, initially sought independence but faced pressure from both India and Pakistan. In October 1947, Pakistani backed tribal militias invaded Kashmir, aiming to force its accession to Pakistan. Facing the invasion, Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession, joining India in return for military aid. India airlifted troops to repeal the invaders. Intense battle ensued and Indian forces captured about two thirds of Jammu and Kashmir.

 Against the advice of the winning forces, India took the matter to the United Nations in January 1948. The UN called for a plebiscite after Pakistan withdrew its forces, but this never happened. Approaching the UN on Kashmir issue is widely regarded as a strategic blunder. The first war between India and Pakistan ended with Karachi Agreement, establishing the Line of Control (LoC), dividing Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan administered Azad Kashmir, which India refers to as Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). Both the nations continue to claim the entire region, fueling decades of conflict and insurgency.

The unresolved status of Jammu and Kashmir led to the 1965 India-Pakistan war, also known as the Second Kashmir War, which ended on 23rd September 1965 following a UN mandated ceasefire. The 1966 Tashkent Agreement, mediated by the USSR, restored pre-war borders. Prime Minister Shastri mysteriously died shortly after signing the agreement.

The 1971 India-Pakistan war, also known as the Third Indo-Pak war, was a decisive military conflict that resulted in the creation of Bangladesh. On 16th December 1971, Lt General AAK Niazi surrendered with 93000 troops to Indian Lt General Jagjit Singh Arora, and the war began on 3rd December and ended with India’s victory. The defeat paved the way for Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s rise to power. In 1972, the Shimla Agreement was signed between Indira Gandhi and Bhutto. Despite India returning 93,000 POWs and over 13,000 square km of captured territory, it received only a vague commitment to resolve the Kashmir issue through bilateral talks. Bhutto was later overthrown in a military coup by General Zia-ul-Haq and was later executed in 1979. Zia radicalized Pakistan’s army, knowing it could not match India in conventional warfare. He once said ‘we will bleed India with a thousand cuts’, signaling a long term covert strategy to destabilize India, a doctrine that continues to influence Pakistan’s military and ISI.  

 The 1987 J&K elections widely believed to be rigged, disillusioned many Kashmiris and sparked armed resistance. Pakistan’s ISI began training, arming, and funding militants. After the Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989), jihadist fighters and resources were redirected to Kashmir. Pakistan backed groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahiddin comprising mostly Pakistani and Afghan soldiers became more active. The genocide of Kashmiri Pundits led to a mass exodus of non-Muslims, turning them into refugees in their own country. There was a shift from Nationalism to Islamism, with support to groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, although there is no direct link between these groups and Indian Muslims. Despite repeated peace efforts such as Shimla, Lahore, and Agra summits, the Kashmir dispute remains unresolved.

 The 2001 attack on Indian Parliament brought both nations to the brink of war. 2008 Mumbai attack killed 166 people, but India failed to respond effectively against Pakistan. A shift occurred with the 2016 Uri attack, prompting surgical strike on terror launchpads. The 2019 Pulwama attack on CRPF personnel was responded with the Balakot airstrike, destroying the JeM camps and killing many terrorists and commanders.

Following the abrogation of articles 370 and 35A in 2019, the situation in J&K improved significantly. Terrorism sharply declined with a surge in development and tourism. Over two crore tourists visited Kashmir last year, generating jobs and boosting infrastructure.

On 22nd April 2025, five heavily armed militants attacked tourists at the Baisaran meadow, a popular scenic site near Pahalgam, and killed 26 Hindu tourists. This horrific incident highlighted a major security and intelligence failure. The Resistance Force (TRF), linked to LeT, initially claimed the responsibility of the act. The attack was universally condemned, including by Kashmiri’s who observed two minute silence in mosques after the Friday prayers. Chief Minister Omer Abdullah’s speech in the assembly was widely praised.

 India responded with series of political and strategic actions: the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) was put in abeyance, revoked visa for Pakistani nationals, banned certain You Tube channels, and expelled Pakistani military advisers. Suspending the IWT marked a strategic shift from diplomatic restraint to pressure tactics, potentially affecting regional water security and diplomacy. On 7th May 2025, at 1.04 am, India carried out 24 precision missile strikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK, in retaliation for the Pahalgam massacre two weeks ago. The 26 minute action codenamed ‘Operation Sindoor’ was announced by the Defense Ministry at 1.44 am. The strike destroyed terror hubs of UN proscribed groups like LeT and JeM, killing over 100 terrorists, including Rauf Azhar, the operational head of JeM and the mastermind of IC 814 hijacking. The key targets included JeM’s stronghold in Bahawalpur and LeT’s base in Muridke.

 In retaliation, Pakistan launched a series of drone and missile attacks (supplied by Turkey and China) targeting Indian military and civilian sites, including the Golden Temple at Amritsar. However India’s air defense system effectively intercepted the threats effectively. In response, India expanded Operation Sindoor to target Pakistani military installations, including air defense system in Lahore, destroying eleven air bases. Pakistan was unable to counter India’s BrahMos missiles and sought international support for ceasefire.

 On the afternoon of 10th May, Pakistan’s DGMO contacted his Indian counterpart requesting ceasefire which India accepted temporarily. President Donald Trump’s ambiguous involvement in this ceasefire remains unclear. Government of India has declared the ceasefire as temporary, reiterating that any future terror attacks will be treated as an act of war.

Pakistan continues to operate as a rogue state, plagued by political instability and poverty. For years, its survival has relied on foreign aid from America, China, Saudi Arabia, and the IMF, without meaningful reforms. Post 9/11 terror attacks, Pakistan received huge aid from the US and other western powers, but these funds failed to bring long term stability. Internal insurgencies in Balochistan, KPK, and PoK threaten the country’s territorial integrity. The military-dominated regime, obsessed with terrorism over development, is to be blamed. PM Shehbaz Sharif and General Asim Munir are widely viewed as liabilities. Asim Munir has been elevated as Field Marshal, with no retirement age, indicating limited days left for Shehbaj Sharif. Their most popular leader, Imran Khan, has been jailed. Pakistan openly honors terrorists, burying them with state honors and offering compensation to their families.  The IMF must take the cognizance of this matter, and ensure that the loan given to Pakistan is not used to promote terrorism. Pakistan is using terrorism as an instrument of the state policy. The international community, including the IAEA, must act decisively to safeguard its nuclear arsenal.

 Pakistan manufactures no defense equipment and is entirely dependent on China and America, casting a doubt over the sustainability of the ceasefire. China has decided to provide advanced fighter jets to Pakistan to contain India and America has always supported Pakistan being its non NATO ally. Despite India’s swift humanitarian aid during Turkey’s 2023 earthquake, Turkey has supported Pakistan for religious reasons. India has since revoked the airport operating permits of the Turkish company Celebi over security concerns.

 Osama bin Laden was killed in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and former President Pervez Musharraf hailed terrorists as national heroes. Imran Khan admitted the presence of thousands of terrorists in Pakistan, and its own defense minister recently acknowledged over three decades history of terrorism in the country. Pakistan has become the epicenter of global terrorism. The UN has to be rational and logical in dealing with such problems. India continues its diplomatic outreach and has decided to send seven multi-party delegations to visit key partner nations to expose Pakistan’s terror links and present a united front against terrorism, transcending political divisions.

 Pakistan has never won a war against India, and it never will. India must remain prepared for a decisive fight to eradicate terrorism. Our armed forces are fully capable of achieving this mission.

By Manoj Dubey,
Principal (Retd.), Delhi Public Schools
(The content of this article reflects the views of writers and contributors, not necessarily those of the publisher and editor. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Delhi/New Delhi only)