Operation Sindoor is a questionable deterrence.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “new normal” against terrorism, established after the Pahalgam terror attack, is not based on complete information or a rigorous security review.

• India is a constitutional democracy, and major national security policies need to be debated and discussed in Parliament.

• The political consensus on combating terrorism within India cannot be misused to truncate democratic processes or muzzle discussions on anti-terror policies.

Retaliation as a Deterrent

• The retaliatory cross-border strikes and military escalation under Operation Sindoor are doubtful due to several reasons.

• Investigations by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have not yet captured the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack.

• The government has not confirmed the identities of the neutralised terrorists beyond five high-value terrorists.

• The Prime Minister’s references to “nuclear blackmail” and his warning call to Pakistan to dismantle its “terror infrastructure” expose the limits of this doctrine.

Security Calculus

• The military establishment of Pakistan is closely tied to terrorist organisations operating on both its eastern and western borders.

• The military superpowers such as the U.S., China, Russia, and Türkiye continue to supply military hardware, advanced technologies, finance, and offer diplomatic assistance to the Pakistan military.

• A realistic cost-benefit analysis of Operation Sindoor should objectively assess the damage inflicted on the Indian side.

• The crucial weapons systems used by India during the conflict are its expensive procurements from French, Russian, and Israeli suppliers.

Strategic Reset Required

• India needs to explore pathways of engaging with Pakistan in the context of changes in the geopolitical landscape and global power dynamics.

• Priority must be accorded to the NIA investigation and bringing the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack to justice.

• Diplomatic efforts should be renewed to persuade the U.S., China, and Russia to stop arming and financing the military-terrorist complex in Pakistan.

• India needs to work together with all international stakeholders to restore civilian rule and democracy in Pakistan, which alone can defuse religious extremism and dismantle its terrorist infrastructure.