India’s military leadership has declared that Operation Sindoor, launched after the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, delivered a swift and decisive message to Pakistan within days, with senior commanders asserting that the mission remains active and preparations for a potential next phase are underway.
Lieutenant General Rajesh Pushkar, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Kharga Corps, described the operation as a calibrated but powerful demonstration of India’s military resolve. “In just 4 days, they were brought to their knees and called our DGMO and asked to stop this war,” he stated.
Operation Sindoor a very small sample
Addressing mediapersons recently, Lt Gen Pushkar said the operation achieved its objective in just four days. “We gave Pakistan a very small sample in the operation,” underlining that in just four days, they were brought to their knees. Calling it a “very small example,” the Corps Commander indicated that the scale of action was deliberately limited, even as it showcased India’s capacity for rapid escalation dominance.
Crucially, he underlined that the mission is not over. “Operation Sindoor is ongoing… The preparations for Operation Sindoor 2 are quite extensive. I cannot tell you right now how this operation will unfold because it will depend on how much damage we want to cause to the enemy – on land, sea, or air. We are always ready,” Lt Gen Pushkar added.
Operation Sindoor was launched in May 2025, following the April 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people. In response, Indian forces carried out precision strikes on nine major terror launchpads across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The targets were linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hizbul Mujahideen.
According to military officials, the strikes were calibrated yet impactful, aimed at dismantling infrastructure rather than symbolic retaliation.
From retaliation to decisive victory
Echoing the operational shift, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Command, Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar, said India’s approach has moved beyond limited retaliation. Speaking at an investiture ceremony in Pathankot, he stated that the Army’s tactical mindset is now oriented towards “decisive victory on the ground.”
“In Operation Sindoor, we attacked all their terrorist bases. After that, they retaliated, and in response, we destroyed their military bases and air bases. They then demanded a ceasefire, not just directly from us, but also from other countries,” he said, adding that any future response would be stronger than what was witnessed during Operation Sindoor.
“The danger is not yet averted. This time, the enemy will face a blow even harder than before,” he warned.