Operation Sindoor: A Strategic Victory for India, Says US Defense Expert John Spencer

 New Delhi,  – U.S. defense expert John Spencer has hailed India’s Operation Sindoor as a “massive victory,” asserting that the four-day military campaign not only met but exceeded its strategic objectives. In a detailed analysis, Spencer, a renowned defense analyst, described the operation as a pivotal moment in India’s response to terrorism, setting a new precedent for dealing with attacks originating from Pakistani soil.

Spencer highlighted several key outcomes of Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack backed by Pakistan’s ISI and Lashkar-e-Taiba. “After just four days of calibrated military action, it is objectively conclusive that India achieved a massive victory,” he wrote, noting that the operation “met and exceeded its strategic aims.” The campaign, which began on May 7, involved precision strikes on nine terrorist infrastructure targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including sites in Bahawalpur and Muridke. By May 9, India escalated its response, targeting six Pakistani military air bases and UAV coordination hubs, a move Spencer called a “turning point” that brought Pakistan to its knees.

A significant aspect of the operation was India’s demonstration of military superiority. “India showcased its ability to strike any target in Pakistan at will—terror sites, drone coordination hubs, even air bases,” Spencer noted, adding that Pakistan was “unable to penetrate a single defended area inside India.” India’s multi-layered air defense network, comprising domestically built systems like the Akash and augmented by Russian S-400 and Israeli Barak-8 systems, neutralized nearly all Pakistani drones sent in retaliation on May 8, showcasing what Spencer termed “overwhelming superiority.”

The operation also restored deterrence, with India retaliating forcefully but stopping short of full-scale war. “India will respond, and it controls the pace,” Spencer wrote, describing the controlled escalation as a clear signal to Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reinforced this stance during his address at Adampur Airbase, where he stated, “Talk, terror, and talks cannot go together… Water and blood cannot flow together,” a sentiment echoed by Spencer in his analysis.

Operation Sindoor further asserted India’s strategic independence, as the country managed the crisis without seeking international mediation. “India didn’t appeal for international mediation or issue a diplomatic démarche. It launched warplanes,” Spencer observed, marking a shift from previous approaches under past administrations. He emphasized that the operation was not about occupation or regime change but a “limited war executed for specific objectives,” a point Modi reiterated at Adampur, saying, “We are the land of Mahatma Gandhi and Gautam Buddha, but if required, we are also the land of Maharana Pratap and Guru Gobind Singh.”

The operation also served as a rebuttal to U.S. pressures, particularly regarding India’s procurement of the S-400 system from Russia, which had previously drawn threats of sanctions. The S-400, prominently displayed during Modi’s Adampur address, underscored India’s sovereign decision-making, with Spencer noting that India enforced its doctrine “on sovereign terms using sovereign means.”

Global analysts have echoed Spencer’s views, with many praising Operation Sindoor as a doctrinal success under live fire. The operation not only destroyed terrorist infrastructure but also redefined India’s security doctrine, making it clear that terror attacks from Pakistan will now be met with decisive military force—a precedent, not a threat, as Spencer aptly concluded.