A hidden symbol at a Pakistani air base speaks of its shattered pride

Operation Sindoor has not only avenged the Pahalgam terror attack, called the nuclear bluff of Pakistan's military but also badly humiliated the whole nation. Its bravado has gone bust. In a decisive and meticulously executed military campaign, India not only neutralized key terrorist infrastructure but also exposed the vulnerabilities of Pakistan's military posture, compelling Islamabad to seek a ceasefire through US mediation. It is for the first time a nuclear power has destroyed a dozen military bases of a rival nuclear power and got away with it. Pakistan's bumbling leaders and military officials have made a joke of themselves trying to prove they have 'won the war'.

Nothing can represent Pakistan's condition better than a portrait found at a Pakistani air base after a devastating Indian strike. The Rahim Yar Khan airbase housed within the international airport of the same name in Punjab province suffered massive damage in coordinated Indian missile strikes. A missile left a massive crater on a portion of the runway. A photo released by the Indian government shows a torn portrait of Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari lying on the ground. "This half burnt portrait of Asif Ali Zardari from the smouldering debris of Rahimyar Khan air base is symbolic devastation of the image of Pakistan," said the Indian government release.

The half-burnt, torn portrait which must have fallen from the wall with the impact of the missile strike shows Pakistan's shattered pride in its ability to wage a "war against India by thousand cuts".

Also Read: 'OK. Tested': Operation Sindoor has thrown up many munition bestsellers

How India called Pakistan's bluff
It all began with Pakistan's Army chief General Asim Munir making an incendiary speech days before the Pahalgam attack in which he spoke of Kashmir being the jugular vein of Pakistan. "Our stance is very clear, it was our jugular vein, it will be our jugular vein, and we will not forget it. We will not leave our Kashmiri brothers in their heroic struggle," he had said. Munir had made an ample show of his Jihadi motivations and political aspirations to recast himself in the mold of his predecessors such as Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf who made baiting and bleeding India their sole domestic political strategy.

Pakistan's military has long engaged in a strategy of indirect warfare against India, encapsulated in the doctrine of "Bleed India with a Thousand Cuts." This approach involves supporting insurgent groups and militants to perpetuate low-intensity conflict along India's borders.

General Munir's invocation of "Jihad fi sabilillah" underscored Pakistan's commitment to this doctrine, positioning India as the primary adversary in its military calculus. However, Operation Sindoor has not only disrupted this strategy but has also exposed the limitations of Pakistan's military capabilities when confronted with a robust and technologically superior adversary.

Also Read: It’s not over yet! Operation only paused - PM Modi's warning to Pakistan

Under Operation Sindoor, a direct response to the Pahalgam attack, Indian fighter jets armed with SCALP missiles and AASM Hammer bombs, executed 14 precise strikes across nine locations in Pakistan. Notably, Bahawalpur and Muridke — strongholds of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, respectively — were among the targeted sites. The operation lasted 23 minutes and was described by Indian officials as "focused, measured, and non-escalatory".
In contrast, Pakistan's retaliatory measures, including drone and missile strikes on Indian cities such as Amritsar, were largely neutralized by India's advanced air defense systems. India confirmed the neutralization of Pakistani air defense systems in Lahore, further diminishing Pakistan's military response capabilities. What came next was even worse. India hit nearly a dozen of key military bases deep inside Pakistan, leaving Pakistan shell-shocked.

Pakistan's military and political leadership were thrown in disarray. Ironically, General Munir was forced into a military bunker. Times Now reported based on information from sources that General Munir remained inside a bunker for two-to-three hours, fearing for his life, when India was pounding Pakistan's military bases.
Faced with mounting losses and international pressure, Pakistan sought US intervention to broker a ceasefire. US President Donald Trump, along with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, facilitated the truce.
Operation Sindoor marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing India-Pakistan rivalry. It has demonstrated India's resolve and capability to protect its sovereignty and counteract cross-border terrorism effectively. While Pakistan's military regime faces internal and external challenges, India's strategic clarity and operational success have set a new precedent in the region's security dynamics. The ceasefire, though temporarily halting hostilities, reflects a significant shift in the balance of power, with India emerging as the dominant force in South Asian geopolitics.