Operation Sindoor, executed in May 2025, has been hailed by the Indian government as a calibrated and decisive blow against cross-border terrorism, sending an unambiguous message to the world. The operation, a response to the deadly Pahalgam attack on April 22, in which 26 civilians were killed, targeted terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. India attributed the Pahalgam attack to The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

The operation, conducted on the night of May 6-7, involved a tri-service military operation aimed at neutralizing the operational capabilities of groups responsible for cross-border terrorism on Indian soil. India asserted that the strikes were "focused, measured, and non-escalatory in nature". According to Indian military spokespeople, the missile strikes targeted infrastructure linked to terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen (HuM), carefully avoiding Pakistani military facilities and civilian infrastructure.

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh stated that Operation Sindoor was an ongoing operation and claimed that the strikes had killed over 100 terrorists. Among the notable casualties was Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) leader Abdul Rauf Azhar. Indian officials have since stated that nine terrorist camps were destroyed during the operation, seven by the Indian Army and two by the Indian Air Force. They also said that over a dozen terror launch pads along the Line of Control (LoC) were destroyed.

Operation Sindoor was an intelligence-driven operation that leveraged satellite surveillance, drone technology, and human intelligence. The Indian Air Force (IAF) employed radar blackouts and other tactics to mask their movement and maximize surprise. Reports indicate that India used SCALP cruise missiles and HAMMER missiles, along with SkyStriker suicide drones, for the operation.

Pakistan retaliated to Operation Sindoor with mortar shelling in Jammu and drone and missile strikes targeting Indian military installations. India responded with precision strikes against Pakistani Air Defence systems.

Beyond the military aspects, Operation Sindoor involved significant non-military measures. India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a move with far-reaching consequences for Pakistan's water supply and agriculture. Diplomatic and economic measures were also reportedly used to isolate Pakistan.

The Indian Army said that the operation focused on dismantling terrorist infrastructure across the border in swift and calibrated strikes. The Army also revealed that Pakistan attempted retaliatory attacks between May 7 and 10, deploying armed drones against both civilian and military targets which were neutralized by the Indian Army air defense units.

The government has presented Operation Sindoor as a turning point in India's counter-terrorism strategy, signaling a willingness to use direct military responses against terror attacks.