Jaipur, May 7
India’s military has issued a strong warning to Pakistan on the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, saying no terror sanctuary across the border is beyond the reach of Indian forces and that military action against cross-border terrorism remains an option. At a joint media briefing in New Delhi on Thursday, senior officers from the Army, Air Force and Navy described Operation Sindoor as one of India’s most significant military operations in decades and said the campaign had reshaped the country’s approach to counter-terrorism.
Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, who served as Director General of Military Operations during the operation, said India had made clear that militant infrastructure across the Line of Control would continue to remain vulnerable.
“No sanctuary across the Line of Control is safe,” he said, adding that India would decide the “conditions, timing and method” of any future response.
Operation Sindoor was launched on 7 May last year after the deadly Pahalgam attack. India carried out airstrikes on what it described as nine militant sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, claiming more than 100 militants were killed. The operation triggered a sharp escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours before both sides halted military action after military-level talks.
Lt Gen Ghai said the operation was “not an end, but the beginning” of India’s broader strategy against terrorism. He claimed several militant camps had since been shifted deeper inside Pakistani territory, but said distance would not prevent India from carrying out precision strikes.
The Indian military also said the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of domestically produced defence systems, including the BrahMos and Akash missile systems.
Air Marshal A K Bharti said Indian air power played a decisive role during the conflict. He claimed India struck militant camps and targeted several Pakistani airfields and aircraft during the confrontation.
“We struck and decimated their terrorist camps,” he said, while insisting Pakistan had failed to inflict significant damage on Indian military infrastructure.
The Indian Air Force officer also said India was closely monitoring military developments involving both Pakistan and China.
Vice Admiral AN Pramod said the Indian Navy’s forward deployment forced Pakistan’s naval forces into a defensive position during the operation.
He added that Operation Sindoor demonstrated India’s ability to respond swiftly and precisely to what he called “asymmetric provocation”.
The remarks are likely to further heighten tensions between India and Pakistan, whose relations have remained strained over militancy and Kashmir for decades.
