New Delhi: India’s devastating and decisive counter-terror campaign Operation Sindoor not only dismantled the core of Pakistan’s terror infrastructure but also forced Islamabad into an unconditional ceasefire — sought by the Pakistani Army not from a position of parity, but desperation. India made no concessions and accepted no preconditions — its strategic position remained uncompromised.
The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) remains in abeyance, visa restrictions continue, trade relations are frozen, and diplomatic engagement stays absent. It was Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) who initiated the call for ceasefire, after India struck eight major military-terror hubs deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The ceasefire understanding is entirely bilateral in nature and contrary to speculative international narratives, no third-party mediation was involved in brokering the agreement.
While kinetic military activity has paused, India’s broader pressure campaign on Pakistan remains fully active across economic, diplomatic, and strategic dimensions. The guns may be silent for now, but the grip on Pakistan is as tight as ever. The events leading to this moment began with a brutal terror strike in Pahalgam on April 22 that claimed the lives of innocent Indian civilians. The attack, traced to Pakistan-based terror groups, triggered a response not seen before with Operation Sindoor.
In a precision campaign that lasted less than 30 minutes, Indian forces eliminated nine high-value terror launchpads across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. These facilities, operated by Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen, were responsible for the recruitment, training, and cross-border infiltration of terrorists.
In a significant departure from past engagements, Indian fighter jets struck deep into Pakistan’s Punjab province, including Bahawalpur, a symbolic stronghold of anti-India operations. These were not mere symbolic strikes but deep-penetration, high-value, coordinated operations carried out with surgical precision by Rafale fighter jets armed with Scalp and Hammer missiles. India’s ability to bypass or jam Pakistan’s air defence systems exposed critical vulnerabilities in their radar and interception networks.
Throughout the operation, India adhered to a doctrine of zero collateral damage. Civilian infrastructure was untouched. Terror assets were the only targets. Several most-wanted terrorists were neutralised, decapitating leadership across multiple networks. Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force acted in complete coordination, demonstrating growing joint warfare capability and strategic alignment. The message was clear: India will not tolerate terrorism, and future acts will be treated not as isolated events, but as “acts of war”.
The post-strike scenario unfolded exactly as India anticipated. Panic spread through the terror ecosystem. The Pakistani Army was visibly unsettled. State actors were seen attending funerals of terrorists, drawing international condemnation. Within hours, Pakistan reached out for a ceasefire. The initiative did not come from dialogue tables or diplomatic backchannels, but from military desperation. India, in full control of the battlefield and the strategic narrative, agreed on its terms.
Though both sides have agreed to pause firing across land, air, and sea, this is not a reset. It is a timeout, demanded by Pakistan, granted by India, and defined solely by Indian conditions. The DGMOs of both nations will speak again on May 12, but there are no talks planned on any other subject. There will be no discussion on Kashmir, no negotiations on border status, and no appeasement.
The United States acknowledged the development with statements of appreciation, but the ceasefire is rooted firmly in bilateral mechanisms. This is not peace achieved through pressure from Washington or influence from global powers — it is the outcome of Indian firepower and political will. Operation Sindoor has drawn a new red line. Terror will be punished at the source. There will be no sanctuary, no plausible deniability, and no restraint when Indian lives are taken.
India has redefined its response matrix: future terror strikes will be met with total retaliation. This is the new doctrine — proportionate in targeting, overwhelming in intent. Dialogue, if any, will only follow dominance. And in this equation, India will decide both the timing and the terms.
(IANS)
