Drones as force multipliersAnother defining feature of Operation Sindoor was the extensive use of drones—not just for surveillance, but as offensive assets. The operation mirrored global trends seen in Ukraine and elsewhere, demonstrating that drones offer a high return on relatively low investment.India employed modified legacy systems alongside modern counter-UAV technologies, showcasing innovation under pressure. Gen. Bhadauria noted that drones will play an increasingly decisive role in asymmetric conflicts, especially where the adversary has conventional weaknesses. He flagged Taiwan as a potential future theatre where similar drone tactics could be employed.Prepare for the next phaseDespite its success, experts warn that Operation Sindoor is not the final chapter. Maj Gen Ashok Kumar, Director General, Centre for Joint Warfare Studies, said, “Stopping military operations under Operation Sindoor is just a pause. Nobody knows when it will resurge—after a month, six months, or a year—but it will.”He emphasised that India’s preparedness must extend beyond tactical responses to include long-term investments in indigenous capability development. “The concepts of war have changed. Earlier, it was about losing battles but winning wars. Now, escalation cycles are short, and one must be ahead at every phase.”The May 7–10 operations, he added, were tactically superior on each day, with India maintaining escalation dominance. “Pakistan carried out a terror attack; we destroyed terrorist infrastructure in PoK and Pakistan. Then they used their sensors and seekers to target Indian assets—we responded by destroying their air defence radars. When they tried to escalate further, we rendered their air bases non-operational.”A new normal, not an endWith Operation Sindoor, India has decisively shifted from a posture of reactive defence to preemptive and punitive strikes. This marks a transformation in how the country perceives and engages with state-backed non-state actors. The operation reinforced that deterrence today is not merely about strategic depth, but about speed, precision, and clear intent.However, as both Gen. Naravane and Gen. Kumar caution, this is not the end—it is a redefinition of how India will respond. The old playbook of letting infiltrators cross the LoC before acting has been replaced by deep, coordinated, and high-impact action. Yet the cycle of provocation and response continues, and India must remain ready for the next round.As India adapts to this new paradigm, the task ahead lies in translating operational successes into lasting strategic outcomes—and ensuring that deterrence is not just established, but sustained.
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