Operation Sindoor, India's recent military action against Pakistan, has been the subject of intense scrutiny and debate. Sparked by a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists on April 22nd, India launched a series of strikes targeting what it claimed were terror sites within Pakistani territory. The operation has not only ratcheted up tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors but has also brought into focus the evolving nature of their conflict and the role of indigenous defense technology.

India's response to the Pahalgam attack was swift and decisive. On May 7th, Indian forces initiated Operation Sindoor, marked by aerial assaults deep inside Pakistan. New Delhi asserted that these strikes were aimed at dismantling terror infrastructure and neutralizing threats emanating from Pakistani soil, while Pakistan denied involvement in the initial terror attack. A key element of Operation Sindoor was the deployment of the BrahMos missile, a joint India-Russia project. This marked the first time the BrahMos was used in combat by the Indian Armed Forces. The missile, known for its supersonic speed and precision, struck targets deep inside Pakistan. According to reports, one of the primary targets was the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Bahawalpur, Punjab, a UN-designated terror group. Indian sources claim the JeM headquarters was reduced to rubble.

The use of the BrahMos missile signaled a shift in India's approach, demonstrating a willingness to strike decisively against perceived threats. Furthermore, India showcased its indigenous defense capabilities during Operation Sindoor. Alongside the BrahMos, weapons like the Nagastra-1 loitering munition and the Akash air defense missile system were deployed. The Nagastra-1, a "suicide drone," was used to target terror camps across the border. The Akash missile system intercepted incoming drones and missiles, effectively thwarting Pakistani attempts to breach Indian airspace. Prime Minister Modi hailed the performance of these indigenous weapons, emphasizing India's growing self-reliance in defense production. A new BrahMos manufacturing facility has been inaugurated in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, with a production capacity of 100 missiles per year. This initiative aligns with the "Make in India" campaign, aimed at boosting domestic defense manufacturing and reducing reliance on imports.

Pakistan's response to India's strikes was multifaceted. Initially, there was a reported failure to detect the BrahMos missile, raising questions about Pakistan's air defense capabilities. Subsequently, Pakistani jets were scrambled, and air defense systems were activated, but these actions were deemed "too little, too late." Pakistan also retaliated with its own strikes, targeting military installations in India. While both sides claimed to have inflicted significant damage on the other, independent assessments suggest that the actual damage to military bases was limited. Following four days of heightened tensions, a ceasefire was brokered, reportedly with the assistance of the United States. However, the ceasefire has not resolved the underlying issues, and experts warn that the threshold for future conflict has been lowered. The use of missiles targeting broad swaths of territory and even the potential weaponization of water resources have raised concerns about the future of India-Pakistan relations.

Several existing measures remain in place despite the ceasefire, including the suspension of visas, the expulsion of diplomats, and the closure of border crossings. Trade between the two countries has also been suspended, with potentially greater economic consequences for Pakistan.