Director General Naval Operations Vice Admiral AN Pramod said India’s use of long-range precision weapons to strike terror hubs in the heart of Pakistan demonstrated the country’s willingness to challenge Islamabad’s long-standing nuclear deterrence posture. He stated that the operation reflected India’s calibrated resolve and warned that any future response would involve “sustained overmatch” rather than limited retaliation.
“By striking the terror hubs in the heart of Pakistan using long-range precision weapons, India effectively called the bluff on Pakistan’s nuclear blackmail,” Vice Admiral Pramod said while addressing the anniversary event. He added that recent conflicts across the world had reinforced the growing importance of uncrewed and autonomous systems, prompting India to accelerate their integration into military operations.
The remarks echoed repeated statements made by India’s political and military leadership regarding Pakistan’s nuclear posture. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had earlier described Pakistan as the “epicentre of international terrorism” and asserted that India did not succumb to threats of nuclear escalation.
Operation Sindoor began on May 7, 2025, when Indian forces launched coordinated strikes deep inside Pakistani territory and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. During the operation, India targeted nine high-value terrorist launch pads linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen. Indian officials stated that the strikes dismantled critical terror infrastructure used for cross-border operations.
Vice Admiral Pramod said the operation highlighted India’s strategic resolve, operational preparedness, and expanding indigenous defence capabilities. He stressed that India continues to focus on inducting niche military technologies and regularly reviews operational concepts to maintain superiority over adversaries.
He also praised the role of indigenous naval assets during the operation, saying the performance of the aircraft carrier Vikrant, along with Kolkata-class and Visakhapatnam-class destroyers, validated the Indian Navy’s investment in indigenous capability, blue-water readiness, and integrated warfare systems. According to him, the operation reaffirmed self-reliance in defence manufacturing as a critical pillar of operational success.
Warning of a more aggressive military posture in the future, Vice Admiral Pramod stated that India would not merely react to future provocations but would shape the battlefield from the outset. “If Operation Sindoor was proof of calibrated resolve, our next response will be about sustained overmatch. If challenged again, we will not merely respond, we will shape the battle space from the outset,” he said.
Indian Air Force officials also disclosed the scale of damage inflicted during the operation. Deputy Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti said Indian forces destroyed 13 Pakistani aircraft and struck 11 airfields during the 2025 offensive.
“We struck and decimated their nine terrorist camps on 7 May. The proof is there for everybody to see. We struck 11 of their airfields. We destroyed 13 of their aircraft either on the ground or in the air, including one high-value airborne asset at a record distance of more than 300 kilometres,” Air Marshal Bharti said.
The statements by senior Indian military officials underline a significant transformation in India’s strategic doctrine, signalling a shift from deterrence-based responses to proactive battlefield dominance. Operation Sindoor has now emerged as a defining example of India’s evolving military strategy, combining precision warfare, indigenous defence capabilities, and an uncompromising stance against cross-border terrorism.
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