Operation Sindoor: India’s Direct Assault Against Cross-Border Terrorism

“Our strike was so powerful that Pakistan began pleading with entire world to stop India”, said Rajnath Singh on Operation Sindoor

Pakistan needs to understand clearly that the “dangerous game” of terrorism that it has been playing since Independence against India is over, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday (May 30, 2025).

In an interaction with naval warriors on board the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant off Goa, Mr. Singh sent a stern warning to Islamabad, saying India will not hesitate to use the methods to deal with terrorism that Pakistan cannot even think of.

“Operation Sindoor is not just a military action but India’s frontal assault against terrorism,” he said.“We will use every method against terrorism that Pakistan can think of, but we will not hesitate to use those methods also which Pakistan cannot even think of,” he said.The Defence Minister said it would be in Pakistan’s interest to uproot “nurseries of terrorism” operating on its soil.“Anti-India activities are being carried out openly from Pakistani soil. India is completely free to carry out any kind of operation against terrorists, both on this side and the other side of the border and sea,” he said.“Today, the whole world is acknowledging India’s right to protect its citizens against terrorism. Today, no power in the world can stop India from doing this work,” he said.Mr. Singh also hailed Indian Navy’s role during Operation Sindoor. “The Indian Navy has impressed every Indian with its silent service. By remaining silent, the Indian Navy succeeded in keeping the Pakistani army tied down,” he said. “When the Indian Air Force destroyed terror bases on Pakistani soil, the Indian Navy’s aggressive deployment in Arabian Sea confined Pakistani Navy to its own shores,” he said.On the overall operation, he said “our strike was so powerful that Pakistan began pleading with entire world to stop India.” In just a short span of time, we demolished Pakistan’s terrorist bases and its intentions, he said adding the speed, depth and clarity with which our armed forces acted were remarkable.“Operation Sindoor not only sent a clear message to terrorists but also to their patrons, who nurture them,” he added. “On our own terms, we halted our military actions,” the Defence Minister said.

Autonomous warfare in Operation Sindoor

Launched in early May, in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor marks a historic milestone, in which Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) played a primary role in direct military combat between two nuclear-armed neighbours, signalling an uncharted era of drone-centric warfare in South Asia.

Operation Sindoor, launched in early May 2025 in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, marked a significant shift in modern warfare, highlighting the pivotal role of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in direct military combat between two nuclear-armed neighbors. Over four days of hostilities, both India and Pakistan employed a range of autonomous platforms, including armed drones, loitering munitions, and surveillance UAVs, operating below the threshold of full-scale war.

In the lead-up to the operation, Indian ISR UAVs, such as the Israeli Heron MK-II and indigenous TAPAS-BH-201, conducted deep penetration missions into Pakistani airspace to gather critical intelligence on suspected terror camps. Following the Indian Air Force’s precision strikes on May 7, both nations escalated the use of UAS for real-time intelligence gathering and targeted strikes. These operations were characterized by the deployment of decoy drones to spoof radar systems, minimizing risks to manned assets.The conflict underscored a ‘new normal’ in warfare, where autonomous platforms play a central role in shaping military strategies and engagements. As both countries navigated this drone-centric battlefield, the event signaled a transformative moment in South Asian military dynamics, emphasizing the growing reliance on unmanned systems in modern combat scenarios.