From Pahalgam to Pakistan Airbases: Inside India’s 88-Hour Operation Sindoor

New Delhi: One year after India launched Operation Sindoor in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian Army on Thursday released a commemorative video highlighting the scale, precision and strategic impact of the military campaign that significantly reshaped India’s counter-terror doctrine.

Sharing the video on social media, the Army described the operation as a symbol of India’s “resolve, precision and preparedness” in defending national sovereignty against cross-border terrorism.

Operation Sindoor was launched after the April 22, 2025 massacre at Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, where Pakistan-backed terrorists allegedly identified tourists by religion before opening fire, killing 26 civilians. The attack triggered nationwide outrage and prompted one of India’s most extensive cross-border military responses in recent history.

According to military accounts and strategic assessments, the operation unfolded over nearly 88 hours and involved coordinated action by the Indian Army, Air Force and Navy against terror infrastructure and military assets across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

India marks one year of ‘Operation Sindoor’

Operation Sindoor destroyed terror facilities deep inside Pakistan @ShivanChanana and @BislaDiksha have more pic.twitter.com/01kNRv6Mj0

— WION (@WIONews) May 7, 2026

Indian forces reportedly struck terror facilities linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Bahawalpur and Muridke using Rafale fighter jets equipped with SCALP cruise missiles and HAMMER precision-guided bombs. Defence analysts later said the opening strikes bypassed and jammed Pakistani air-defence systems within minutes.

As Pakistan retaliated with drones, missiles and attempted strikes on Indian military installations, India escalated the operation by targeting several Pakistani airbases, radar stations and command centres, including Nur Khan, Sargodha, Jacobabad and Bholari airbases. Satellite imagery and subsequent battle damage assessments reportedly showed extensive destruction to runways, radar infrastructure and aircraft shelters.

Military experts described the campaign as one of the clearest demonstrations of India’s integrated multi-domain warfare capability. The Indian Navy simultaneously deployed its Carrier Battle Group in the Arabian Sea, effectively restricting Pakistan Navy movements and preventing maritime escalation.

The operation also marked the first large-scale combat deployment of several indigenous defence systems developed under India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The Army’s Akashteer air-defence network, the Air Force’s Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS), Akash missile batteries and S-400 air-defence systems played a crucial role in intercepting incoming drones and missiles during the conflict.

Indian-made BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and loitering munitions were extensively used in precision strikes on high-value targets, reinforcing confidence in India’s growing indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem.

One of the most strategically significant developments during the operation was the reported recovery of an intact Chinese-origin PL-15 beyond-visual-range missile fired by Pakistan. Analysts viewed it as evidence of Beijing’s operational support to Islamabad and an opportunity for India to study advanced Chinese weapons technology.

India’s space and surveillance infrastructure also played a key role in the operation. ISRO satellites, NavIC navigation systems and NTRO intelligence inputs were reportedly integrated into real-time battlefield operations for target identification, navigation and battle damage assessment.

On the diplomatic front, India aggressively countered Pakistan’s narrative by releasing satellite imagery and battle damage assessments while sending bipartisan parliamentary delegations to multiple countries to present India’s position internationally. The government also tightened border measures, suspended trade links and placed the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance during the crisis.

Meanwhile, American military strategist John Spencer said India emerged with clear strategic dominance during the conflict.

Spencer said India had effectively achieved air superiority within 72 hours despite Pakistan’s initial tactical responses. He noted that sustained Indian strikes on Pakistani radar systems, missile batteries and air-defence networks crippled Islamabad’s operational coordination and limited the Pakistan Air Force’s ability to sustain operations.

He further observed that India’s use of the S-400 air-defence system significantly altered the operational environment, forcing Pakistan to reassess how and where its aircraft could function during the conflict.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised the armed forces for their “courage, precision and resolve” during Operation Sindoor, calling it a defining example of India’s determination to combat terrorism.

Strategic experts now regard Operation Sindoor as a watershed moment in India’s national security doctrine — signalling a shift from strategic restraint to rapid, technology-driven and coordinated military retaliation against cross-border terror threats.