Operation Sindoor, launched in May 2025 following the Pahalgam terror attack, showcased a significant leap in India’s military preparedness, strategic clarity, and operational sophistication.

The operation was the culmination of years of investment in defence infrastructure, technological upgrades, and the transformation of India’s warfighting doctrine-particularly towards non-contact warfare, which emphasises the use of precision, remote, and multi-domain capabilities.

India’s response was meticulously planned, intelligence-driven, and executed with operational synergy among the Army, Air Force, and Navy, coordinated by the Integrated Defence Staff for the first time in such a major role.

In terms of nuclear preparedness, while Operation Sindoor itself was conceived as a calibrated and restrained punitive action against terrorist infrastructure, Indian leadership was acutely aware of the risks of escalation with Pakistan, an adversary nuclear power.

The operation was designed to avoid direct confrontation with the Pakistani military and to minimize civilian casualties, reflecting a deliberate effort to keep the conflict below the nuclear threshold. The use of drones, loitering munitions, and precision-guided weapons allowed India to strike deep into hostile territory without resorting to large-scale conventional or nuclear force.

India’s comprehensive air defence architecture and integrated command and control systems were put to the test when Pakistan retaliated with drone and UCAV strikes. These were effectively neutralized, demonstrating India’s readiness to defend against multi-domain threats, including those that could serve as precursors to nuclear escalation.

The government’s whole-of-nation approach-combining military, civil defence, economic, and diplomatic measures-further underscored a state of high preparedness for any escalation scenario, including nuclear contingencies.

Notably, in the run-up to and during Operation Sindoor, India conducted extensive civil defines drills across hundreds of districts, simulating responses to a range of threats, including nuclear attack scenarios.

This reflected both an awareness of the nuclear shadow over any Indo-Pak conflict and a commitment to public preparedness. The strategic restraint exercised, combined with robust defensive and retaliatory capabilities, indicated that while India did not seek nuclear war, it was prepared for rapid escalation and had taken concrete steps to deter, defend against, and, if necessary, respond to nuclear threats.

During Operation Sindoor, India demonstrated a high degree of preparedness for nuclear war-not by seeking it, but by ensuring that its military actions were backed by robust deterrence, advanced technology, integrated command structures, and national-level readiness drills. The operation was a testament to India’s ability to calibrate force, manage escalation, and maintain credible preparedness in the face of nuclear-armed adversaries.

IDN