Overview

• In early May, Indian forces executed Operation Sindoor to retaliate for the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, destroying 11 installations along with radar and communication hubs and an airfield across the Line of Control.
• The campaign marked a shift to calibrated grey-zone warfare, combining precise cross-border strikes with diplomatic measures such as freezing key provisions of the Indus Water Treaty.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s clear directive on April 23 granted service chiefs full freedom to plan the response under codename ‘Sindoor,’ chosen to forge an emotional link between soldiers and civilians.
• India reinforced its narrative management system by deploying targeted information operations to mobilize domestic support and influence regional perceptions of the strikes.
• In response, Pakistan promoted Army Chief Asim Munir to field marshal to bolster morale and is now negotiating for American air-defense platforms like THAAD to shore up its weakened defenses.