Inside Operation Sindoor: India’s Measured Military Response

Terror Bases Targeted

Following the Pahalgam terrorist attack that resulted in the deaths of 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen, the Indian Armed Forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor.’ On May 7, nine precision strikes were conducted deep inside Pakistani territory, targeting multiple high-value terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). These locations have long been used as staging grounds for attacks against India.

These camps had developed into fortified command centres for internationally proscribed terrorist organizations such as Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). They served as hubs for cross-border infiltration, radicalization, and insurgency training. The operation reinforced India’s doctrine of active deterrence, signalling that acts of terror will be met with targeted, calibrated responses.

Terrorist Groups and Operational Bases Targeted

The following terrorist groups continue to operate within Pakistan and PoJK. Below is an overview of the nine key terror training camps and logistical hubs targeted during the strikes:

Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM)

Founded in 2000 by Maulana Masood Azhar, a UN-designated terrorist, JeM promotes an extremist ideology rooted in radical Wahhabi Islamism with the goal of establishing Islamic rule over Jammu and Kashmir. It is designated a terrorist organization by India, the US, the UK, and others. JeM advocates armed insurgency and cross-border terrorism, responsible for attacks such as the 2001 Indian Parliament attack and the 2019 Pulwama attack. The group operates openly in Pakistan, suggesting tacit support from certain elements within Pakistan’s security apparatus.

JeM Targets Include:

. Markaz Subhan Allah, Bahawalpur: Operational since 2015, this facility serves as JeM’s central headquarters. Linked to major terror operations, including the 2019 Pulwama attack, it is located about 100 km from the India-Pakistan border. Disguised as a seminary and expanded into a large training complex, it is funded through the Al-Rahmat Trust and houses key leaders such as Maulana Masood Azhar and Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar. It is used for radicalization, arms training, and indoctrination. Its proximity to Pakistan’s 31 Corps headquarters suggests support from the establishment.

. Sarjal, Tehra Kalan: Situated within a government-run Primary Health Centre in Tehra Kalan village, Sarjal is located just 6 km from the international border in the Samba sector, Jammu. It serves as a key infiltration launchpad into Jammu and Kashmir, facilitating tunnel digging and drone launches to smuggle arms, ammunition, and narcotics. The camp contains high-frequency communication equipment for operational coordination.

. Markaz Abbas, Kotli: Hosting 100–125 cadres, this camp plays a central role in planning and executing attacks in the Rajouri-Poonch sectors. Located about 13 km from the Line of Control opposite Rajouri, it serves as a key training camp for suicide bombers and an operational base for infiltration.

. Syedna Bilal Camp, Muzaffarabad: Located opposite the Red Fort in Muzaffarabad, this camp serves as JeM’s primary transit hub in PoJK. Housing 50–100 trainees, it functions as a staging and training centre for weapons, explosives, and jungle survival techniques for operations across the LoC.

Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)

Established in the late 1980s by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and Zafar Iqbal, LeT aims to integrate Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistan through armed jihad. It has carried out numerous deadly attacks, most notably the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed over 160 people, including foreign nationals. Despite being banned in Pakistan, LeT maintains support from elements within Pakistan’s establishment and is designated a terrorist organization by India, the US, the UK, and others.

LeT Targets Include:

. Markaz Taiba, Muridke: Established in 2000 near Sheikhupura, Punjab, this is LeT’s premier training ground. It offers religious education, arms training, and radicalization programs, processing over 1,000 recruits annually. The facility includes a mosque and guest house and was partially financed by Osama bin Laden. It houses weapons training, physical conditioning, and indoctrination aimed at preparing recruits for terror activities. Perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks trained here. The camp is about 25 km from the India-Pakistan border.

. Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala: Located near Barnala town, this base supports infiltration into the Poonch, Rajouri, and Reasi sectors. Accommodating 100–150 trainees, it lies 9 km from the LoC opposite Rajouri-Poonch. The camp trains recruits in weapons handling, IED making, and jungle survival.

. Shawai Nallah Camp (Bait-ul-Mujahideen), Muzaffarabad: Situated near Chelabandi Bridge on Muzaffarabad-Neelum Road, this large camp hosts 200–250 cadres. Operational since the early 2000s, it played a key role in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. It provides recruitment, registration, and Daura-e-Aam training, including religious indoctrination, physical conditioning, GPS use, map reading, and arms training. It also functions as a staging ground for infiltration into Indian territory, linked to numerous northern Kashmir attacks.

Hizbul Mujahideen (HM)

One of the oldest and largest groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir, Hizbul Mujahideen aims to integrate the region with Pakistan through armed insurgency and jihad. It rejects secular politics and seeks to establish Islamic rule in Kashmir. Designated a terrorist organization by India, the US, and others, HM has conducted multiple attacks on Indian military personnel, officials, and civilians.

HM Targets Include:

. Mehmoona Joya Facility, Sialkot: Located within Bhutta Kotli government premises, about 12 km from the border, this camp plays a critical role in deploying HM operatives into Jammu. It provides weapons training and operational guidance and served as the control centre for reviving terrorism in the Kathua and Jammu regions. Major attacks, including the Pathankot Air Force base assault, were planned here.

. Maskar Raheel Shahid, Kotli: This key training ground specializes in urban warfare and guerrilla tactics. It prepares 150–200 terrorists before deployment into Kashmir, focusing on sniping, mountain survival, and Border Action Team (BAT) tactics for combat in difficult terrain.

By targeting these nodes, India dismantled a terror network spanning from the northern Line of Control deep into southern Pakistan — achieving this without escalating into a full-scale war.

Military Installations Targeted in Operation Sindoor

In response to Pakistan’s artillery and drone provocations along the international border, Operation Sindoor expanded beyond counter-terror operations to target high-value military assets. According to Indian military assessments, these installations were actively supporting Pakistan’s offensive posture and hybrid warfare tactics.

The precision strikes were calibrated to avoid civilian harm and strategic miscalculation, particularly with respect to nuclear thresholds, while degrading Pakistan’s operational readiness. Below is an overview of the key military facilities targeted:

i) Airbases

Indian intelligence identified several Pakistani airbases being used for aerial aggression, reconnaissance over Indian airspace, and as potential launchpads for nuclear-capable platforms. These strikes disrupted Pakistan’s forward air operations and degraded its surveillance capabilities.

Key Airbases Targeted:

. Skardu Airbase (Gilgit-Baltistan): Located near the Siachen Glacier, this base was reportedly used for high-altitude surveillance missions over Ladakh and logistical support to Pakistan’s Northern Light Infantry. Strikes damaged its radar systems and runways, impeding its operational role in the northern sector.

. Nur Khan (Rawalpindi) & Murid Airbases (Chakwal): Nur Khan is a central command hub within PAF’s Central Air Command, with fighter and drone units. Adjacent Murid houses fuel reserves and logistics stores. Indian strikes reportedly destroyed hangars and ignited fuel depots, slowing Pakistan’s aerial mobilization capacity.

. Sargodha Airbase (Punjab): As one of Pakistan’s most fortified airbases and home to Mirage III/V squadrons, Sargodha was carefully targeted to avoid nuclear assets. Conventional infrastructure—maintenance bays and fuel depots—was hit to impose operational delays without escalation.

. Rafiqui (Shorkot) & Rahim Yar Khan: Secondary bases supporting southern operations were degraded to disrupt Pakistan’s air defence coordination and naval air support.

ii) Garrisons & Cantonments

Intelligence assessments indicated active troop build-ups and offensive preparations in garrisons along the Punjab and Jammu sectors. Pre-emptive strikes targeted logistics nodes to delay or prevent conventional mobilization.

Key Garrisons Targeted:

. Sialkot & Gujranwala (Punjab): These garrisons, located 10–15 km from the border, reportedly housed artillery units and drone assets for cross-border raids. Sialkot was assessed to host Turkish-made T-129 ATAK helicopters. Strikes were aimed at averting a potential ground thrust toward the Kathua sector.

. Chunian & Okara Cantonments (Punjab): These command centres oversee Pakistan’s II and IV Corps. Strikes focused on ammunition dumps and fuel reserves to disrupt supply chains supporting troop deployments in the Rajasthan and Punjab sectors.

iii) Hybrid Warfare Nodes

As part of Pakistan’s evolving doctrine of hybrid warfare, India targeted dual-use and non-traditional assets believed to support cyber, insurgency, and drone operations.

Key Hybrid Targets Neutralized:

. DHA Lahore (Defence Housing Authority): Indian intelligence assessed parts of this civilian enclave to house ISI-linked cyber operations, drone coordination units, and media cells. Precision strikes reportedly disabled encrypted servers and control infrastructure while avoiding residential zones.

. Jacobabad & Sukkur (Sindh): These reactivated facilities were identified as transit nodes for insurgent movements and surveillance operations targeting Indian coastal infrastructure. Their neutralization disrupted supply routes and communications allegedly linked to Baloch separatist activity with cross-border spill over.

Strategic Impact of the Strikes

1. Disruption of Aerial Readiness: By degrading frontline airbases, India forced Pakistan to shift focus to defence and reconstruction, impacting its strategic deterrence posture in the near term.

2. Delay in Ground Mobilization: The neutralization of garrisons along the Jammu and Rajasthan fronts delayed potential ground incursions and gave Indian forces critical lead time to reinforce defences.

3. Exposure of Hybrid Infrastructure: Strikes on non-traditional targets, particularly in urban areas like Lahore, spotlighted the overlap between Pakistan’s civilian and military-intelligence spheres in executing asymmetric operations.

Conclusion

Operation Sindoor reflects a calibrated evolution in India’s security doctrine—capable of imposing targeted costs across the spectrum of conventional and hybrid threats while maintaining strategic restraint. While Pakistan has denied any involvement in recent hostilities or support to non-state actors, Indian military assessments indicate a high level of integration between state and non-state actors within its strategic architecture.