Op Sindoor sent out a message of resolve, credibility, and deterrence—a necessity in today’s conflicts

Air Cmde T.K. Chatterjee (retd)

One year ago, a single act of terror in the quiet valleys of Pahalgam jolted the subcontinent into a reckoning. India’s response—Operation Sindoor—was swift, decisive, and unprecedented in its precision. What followed was not a prolonged war but a brief, intense confrontation that reshaped military thinking, strategic signaling, and regional deterrence. As the echoes of that operation continue to influence policy and preparedness today, this article examines whether Operation Sindoor prompted doctrinal and other changes in the Indian armed forces.

Doctrinal Change

In the December 2025 issue of FORCE, under the title ‘Widen the River’, I had strongly criticised the idea of Theatre Commands in our armed forces. To the Indian Air Force (IAF), the concept was a solution in search of a problem. I had argued that ‘…Theatre Commands are a geographic necessity. When the area of influence is huge, and the country has abundant resources, it becomes necessary to create separate, independent fighting machines with land, sea, and air assets.’ India is nowhere near this situation. So, in our context, the creation of Theatre Commands is just a pretext for the Indian Army and Indian Navy brass to usurp IAF assets and expand their own domains. 

Operation Sindoor proved that decisive limited wars with clear-cut objectives can be fought primarily with air power, supported by ground and naval assets, while remaining below the nuclear threshold. Has this concept brought about any doctrinal changes? Possibly. It was reported by The Print on 8 April 2026 that, as per informed sources from within the service headquarters, the Theatre Commands are being restructured, with the Western Theatre, facing Pakistan, to be commanded by an IAF three-star officer, as against the earlier proposal of all land-based Theatres being commanded by army three-star officers. If accurate, this is a rational correction because most conflicts with Pakistan, even in the future, are likely to be fought primarily with air assets. 

Procurement Policy Realignment

In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, India’s procurement policy has rightly undergone a visible realignment, with a clear tilt toward strengthening its airborne combat and surveillance capabilities. Central to this shift has been the decision to substantially augment the fighter fleet through the purchase of 114 Rafale aircraft from France, signaling confidence in p