Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, delivered a pointed critique of the Indian government's handling of Operation Sindoor, which was undertaken in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

Gandhi accused the Centre of lacking the political will to effectively confront Pakistan, claiming that this deficit forced the armed forces to act with their "hands tied behind their backs."

He took issue with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's comparison of Operation Sindoor to the 1971 India-Pakistan war, emphasising that, unlike in 1971, today's government had not shown clear resolve or provided operational freedom to the military.

Gandhi recalled the historic context of 1971, highlighting the decisive leadership of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the autonomy granted to Army Chief Sam Manekshaw, which, in his view, were crucial factors that led to the surrender of over 100,000 Pakistani soldiers and the creation of Bangladesh.

Contrasting this with recent events, Gandhi asserted that the government, by its own admission, had preferred restraint and signalled its intentions to Pakistan, thereby undermining deterrence. He pointed specifically to Defence Minister Singh's revelation that India had pre-emptively contacted Pakistan after the strikes on non-military targets, clarifying that India did not wish for escalation.

According to Gandhi, this announcement communicated a lack of resolve and strategic ambiguity, essential elements of effective deterrence.

Furthermore, Gandhi raised issues concerning operational constraints allegedly imposed by the political leadership, citing the Indian defence attaché in Indonesia, Captain Shiv Kumar, who apparently attributed the loss of Indian aircraft to directives not to target Pakistan's military infrastructure or air defences.

This, Gandhi said, exposed Indian pilots to greater risks and resulted in avoidable losses. While acknowledging that the Chief of Defence Staff praised the Indian Air Force for learning and adapting, Gandhi maintained that the primary errors stemmed from political decisions, not from the military itself.

Addressing the international dimension, Gandhi questioned Prime Minister Modi's silence regarding repeated claims by then-US President Donald Trump, who stated multiple times that he had mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

Gandhi argued that, if these claims were false, the Prime Minister should publicly refute them in Parliament, further implying that the diplomatic narrative around Operation Sindoor lacked clarity and strength.

Gandhi further critiqued the government's doctrine, which equates every terror attack with an act of war, suggesting that such a stance effectively hands strategic initiative to terrorists, who could provoke military escalations at will.

He warned that this approach undermines the very concept of deterrence, making it easier for adversaries to embroil India in conflict.

Summing up, Gandhi accused the government of misunderstanding the principles of deterrence and creating a policy environment that is reactive rather than strategically robust.

Agencies