Operation Sindoor, launched by Indian forces at 1:05 am on Wednesday, marked a major escalation in India’s counter-terror technique by focusing on 9 terror camps, together with 4 in Pakistan’s Punjab province – a primary for such operations.
Indian forces launched Operation Sindoor at 1:05 am on Wednesday, placing deep into Pakistan’s Punjab province for the primary time in historical past. In contrast to earlier counterstrikes in 2016 (Uri) and 2019 (Balakot), which focused terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), this 25-minute operation struck 9 terror camps, together with 4 in Punjab, the political and army heartland of Pakistan.
In response to Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who briefed the media on Wednesday, the strikes in Punjab have been a calculated escalation, meant to ship a decisive blow to the fear infrastructure working with impunity inside Pakistan’s core territory. Certainly one of these, the Markaz Subhan Allah camp in Bahawalpur district, lies practically 100 km from the worldwide border, making it one of many deepest strikes into undisputed Pakistani territory since 1971. Regardless of this proximity to a Pakistani Military regimental heart, India has clarified that no army installations have been focused, focusing solely on terror camps.
Targets included key terror hubs
The 4 terror camps focused in Pakistan’s Punjab have been:
- Markaz Subhan Allah – Bahawalpur district, 100 km from the worldwide border
- Markaz Taiba – Muridke, Sheikhupura district, 18 km from the worldwide border
- Mehmoona Joya – Sialkot district, 18 km from the worldwide border
- Sarjal Camp – Sialkot district, 6 km from the worldwide border
Hanging deep inside Pakistan
The operation additionally destroyed 5 further camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, considerably disrupting the fear infrastructure answerable for repeated cross-border assaults. These websites are considerably deeper inside Pakistan than the targets hit in earlier strikes. As an illustration, the 2016 Uri surgical strikes centered on camps simply throughout the Line of Management (LoC), whereas the 2019 Balakot airstrikes focused a Jaish-e-Mohammed camp in KPK, roughly 60 km from the LoC.
Retaliation for Pahalgam assault
The strikes got here in response to the April 22 Pahalgam assault, the place Pakistani terrorists killed 26 civilians. Overseas Secretary Vikram Misri described the bloodbath as one of many deadliest in latest reminiscence, evaluating it to the 26/11 Mumbai assaults. “This was the most important variety of civilian casualties in a single assault since 26/11. The attackers singled out individuals primarily based on their religion, executed them in entrance of their households, and intentionally tried to incite communal unrest in Jammu and Kashmir and different components of India. The attackers even pressured survivors to hold their message again to their communities,” he added.
Misri famous that Pakistan’s broader goal gave the impression to be to derail the return of normalcy in Kashmir, which noticed a report 23 million vacationers final yr. He mentioned the strikes have been geared toward breaking the spine of Pakistan’s terror equipment.
Casualties and impression
Over 80 terrorists have been reportedly killed within the strikes, considerably disrupting the fear networks behind the Pahalgam assault. Indian officers emphasised that the strikes have been fastidiously deliberate to keep away from civilian casualties, focusing on solely confirmed terror hubs.
A message to Pakistan’s energy centres
In contrast to the earlier counter-strikes, which have been restricted to PoK or the tribal areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Operation Sindoor struck on the coronary heart of Pakistan’s Punjab – the province that hosts a lot of the nation’s army and political energy. “Punjab is the place the military-industrial advanced of Pakistan is deeply entrenched, together with key bases and regimental centres. Hanging right here sends a transparent message about India’s resolve to reply to terrorism at its supply,” a senior defence official mentioned.
A strategic shift in India’s retaliatory strikes
With Operation Sindoor, India has considerably expanded the geographical scope of its counterterrorism operations, signaling a brand new section in its response to cross-border terrorism. This shift showcases India’s willingness to strike on the core of Pakistan’s terror infrastructure, not simply in disputed areas, however inside Pakistan’s heartland, delivering a transparent message of deterrence.