New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): India’s bold military campaign, Operation Sindoor, has delivered a resounding message: Terror attacks will no longer be tolerated with restraint. After coordinated and high-impact air strikes on May 9 and 10, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir, New Delhi has entered what sources describe as “a new normal” in its fight against cross-border terrorism.
Senior officials confirmed that the operation was not yet over, and India remains on high alert. The campaign was launched in response to the brutal Pahalgam attack, in which 26 civilians, including a Nepali national, were killed.
“It’s not business as usual anymore. This is the new normal. If Pakistan fires, we fire. If they strike, we respond harder,” said a high-level Indian official.
Airstrikes Redraw Battlefield Balance
Nine strategic sites were hit during Operation Sindoor, including terror hubs in Muridke, Muzaffarabad, and Bahawalpur, known to be controlled by Jaish-e-Mohammed and backed by Pakistan’s ISI. In a significant escalation, Indian fighter jets also struck Pakistan Air Force assets, with Rahim Yar Khan airbase’s runway left in ruins, and Chaklala’s Nur Khan base severely damaged.
Sources describe India’s strike capability as unmatched in the engagement. “Pakistan’s responses were minimal and largely ineffective. The gap in technical and military application was stark. They realized they’re not in our league.”
India’s Strategic Goals: Mission Accomplished
Indian officials say Operation Sindoor has met its core strategic objectives:
- Military: Destroying Pakistan-based terror launchpads and sending a message of zero tolerance.
- Political: Suspending the Indus Waters Treaty until Pakistan halts terror activities.
- Psychological: Reclaiming deterrence by hitting deep, hard, and precisely — what one source called “a strike to the heart of terror.”
“PM Modi’s direction was clear — ‘mitti me mila do’. That’s exactly what happened to Bahawalpur, Muridke, and Muzaffarabad,” said a top official.
Diplomatic Messaging: No Talks, No Mediation
As tensions escalated, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reached out to EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar after speaking with Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir. India reiterated that only military-to-military communication (DGMOs) was acceptable, rejecting the involvement of national security advisors or foreign ministries.
India had informed Pakistan’s DGMO on May 7 about limited strikes on terror camps. There was no response — until after the more severe airbase attacks. Pakistan then requested a DGMO-level dialogue on May 10 at 1 PM, suggesting a shift in posture under pressure.
India Moves to UNSC with Evidence Against Pakistan
In the coming week, India will present new evidence of Pakistan’s terror complicity to the UN Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee, aiming to expose and isolate Islamabad further on the global stage.
India’s Final Word: Only PoK Left to Discuss
Sources stressed India’s firm stance that talks with Pakistan will only concern the return of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir or the handover of wanted terrorists. “We don’t need a mediator. We don’t want a mediator. There is nothing else to talk about,” one official said.
Operation Sindoor also included a powerful psychological blow — by attacking ISI-run command centers, India demonstrated it is no longer interested in symbolic messaging, but in tangible degradation of terror capability.
“India has fundamentally altered the rules of engagement. There is no going back,” said a top intelligence official. “The days of measured warnings are over. This is the era of pre-emptive justice.”
