From Balakot to Sindoor: How Did India Evolve from Restraint to Preemptive Strikes?

Over the past decade, India’s approach to cross-border terrorism has undergone a dramatic transformation, moving from a doctrine of strategic restraint to proactive retaliation. This shift, largely driven by the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been marked by a series of increasingly assertive military actions against terrorist targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). From the 2016 surgical strikes to the 2019 Balakot airstrikes and the latest Operation Sindoor in 2025, India’s military doctrine has evolved, displaying growing confidence and a shift toward anticipatory, preemptive actions.

The Beginning: 2016 Surgical Strikes

In 2016, India took its first major step beyond the doctrine of “strategic restraint” with the surgical strikes. The catalyst for this operation was the deadly attack on an Indian Army base in Uri, Kashmir, in which 19 soldiers were killed. The attack was carried out by Pakistan-based militants, sparking outrage across India. In response, the Indian Army launched a surgical strike across the Line of Control (LoC), targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

• Objective: The goal was to neutralize terror infrastructure that posed a direct threat to Indian security.
• Method: Special forces carried out ground-level precision strikes on terror launchpads.
• Message: The operation sent a clear message that India would no longer passively tolerate cross-border terrorism and would take action against perpetrators of terror.
• Significance: The 2016 surgical strikes were a turning point in India’s security strategy. For the first time in recent history, India openly acknowledged that it had conducted cross-border military operations in retaliation for a terrorist attack.

Although the surgical strikes were limited in scale, they marked a significant departure from India’s previous strategy of restraint. The operation set the stage for more aggressive actions in the future, with a clear shift toward a more proactive stance on national security.

Escalation: 2019 Balakot Airstrikes

Three years later, the situation escalated further. In February 2019, the Pulwama terror attack claimed the lives of 40 CRPF soldiers, leading to widespread anger and calls for decisive action. The attack, carried out by a suicide bomber from the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), pushed India to carry out airstrikes on Balakot, a key training camp for JeM militants, deep inside Pakistan.

• Objective: The primary aim was to destroy the terror infrastructure and deter further attacks.
• Method: Indian Air Force Mirage 2000 fighter jets carried out precision airstrikes using guided bombs on the Balakot camp.
• Message: India demonstrated its capability and willingness to strike beyond the Line of Control (LoC), even deep into Pakistan’s heartland.
• Significance: The Balakot airstrikes were the first time since the 1971 war that Indian fighter jets crossed into Pakistani airspace. It marked a clear escalation in India’s military response, highlighting the growing confidence in India’s military capabilities and a commitment to confronting terrorism head-on.

Unlike the 2016 surgical strikes, which were ground-based, the Balakot airstrikes marked the use of air power as a means of retaliation. The airstrikes also signaled that India was no longer limiting its operations to the immediate border regions, but was willing to strike deeper into Pakistan to target key terror infrastructure. This shift reflected the growing resolve and readiness of India’s military under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership.

2025 Operation Sindoor

Fast forward to 2025, and India’s retaliation doctrine has reached its most ambitious phase with Operation Sindoor. This operation represents a quantum leap in the scale and sophistication of India’s military actions, making it the most extensive cross-border operation in five decades. In retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians, including 25 Indians and one Nepali, the Indian armed forces launched a series of precision missile strikes on nine terrorist sites across Pakistan and PoK.

• Objective: The aim was not only to retaliate against the Pahalgam attack but also to significantly degrade the terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK. The operation targeted high-value terror sites that had been under surveillance for an extended period.
• Method: The Indian armed forces deployed a range of advanced technologies, including SCALP cruise missiles, HAMMER precision-guided bombs, and loitering munitions. The operation was executed with a tri-service strategy, involving the Army, Air Force, and Navy.
• Message: Operation Sindoor demonstrated India’s capability to launch rapid, simultaneous strikes on multiple targets, even deep within Pakistan-occupied territories. It reinforced India’s willingness to take the fight to its enemies, sending a message to Pakistan that no target is beyond India’s reach.
• Significance: This operation marked a departure from previous doctrines, involving deeper penetration into Pakistani territory and the use of advanced weaponry and platforms. With 24 missile strikes on nine locations, Operation Sindoor is India’s largest and most sophisticated military retaliation yet. Over 70 militants were reported killed, sending a strong message to terrorist networks in the region.

The operation also emphasized India’s evolving military doctrine, which now includes preemptive strikes to neutralize threats before they materialize. This represents a significant shift from India’s earlier approach, where retaliation was often reactive rather than anticipatory.

India’s Growing Military Confidence under PM Modi’s Leadership

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s military doctrine has undergone a profound transformation. No longer is India solely reliant on diplomacy or international pressure to deal with cross-border terrorism. The leadership has instilled a clear message that national security is non-negotiable, and India is willing to take decisive military action when necessary.

Modi’s government has made it clear that India will no longer tolerate cross-border terrorism. The political will to take military action, even at the cost of international tensions, has been a key factor in the evolution of India’s retaliation doctrine.

Military Modernization: Under Modi, India has made significant investments in modernizing its military, including the development of indigenous technologies, enhanced cyber capabilities, and the establishment of joint command structures across the Army, Air Force, and Navy.

Despite its assertive actions, India has managed to garner international legitimacy for its operations, with many countries recognizing India’s right to defend itself against terrorism. This has been supported by Modi’s strategic outreach to global powers, which has helped maintain diplomatic backing even during periods of heightened tension.

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India’s ability to carry out swift, decisive strikes has shifted the burden of escalation onto Pakistan. By proactively striking terror infrastructure, India has put Pakistan in a position where it must reconsider its use of terrorism as a strategic tool.

Comparing India’s Retaliation Doctrine: Support and Criticism of Pakistan

While Pakistan has consistently denied its involvement in terror activities against India, there is mounting evidence linking terrorist groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) to Pakistan’s soil. These groups have not only claimed responsibility for attacks on Indian civilians and security forces but have also received support from elements within Pakistan’s military establishment.

India’s growing military confidence is a direct response to this persistent threat. Pakistan’s repeated failure to curb these terror groups has forced India to take matters into its own hands. With each successive operation, India has made it clear that it will no longer wait for international pressure or Pakistan’s cooperation to deal with terrorism.

However, Pakistan continues to view these operations as violations of its sovereignty and has accused India of exacerbating regional tensions. Despite this, India maintains that its actions are justified by the need to protect its citizens and national security.

From the ground-based precision of the 2016 surgical strikes to the air superiority demonstrated in the 2019 Balakot airstrikes and now the technological might displayed in 2025’s Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliation doctrine has evolved significantly. Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, India has embraced a more assertive stance, moving from a strategy of restraint to one of proactive retaliation and anticipatory defense.