We’re Fighting Smarter, Not Louder": Former Naval Chief Arun Prakash on Operation Sindoor and India’s Strategic Posture

In an exclusive conversation with defence correspondent Nibedita Speaks, Former Naval Chief Admiral Arun Prakash sheds light on Operation Sindoor, India’s evolving military doctrine, and how the country is leveraging technology to punish terrorism without escalating into full-blown conflict.

Q1: Operation Sindoor has been lauded for its precision and restraint. What does it say about India’s evolving strategy — especially in terms of not crossing international borders?

Arun Prakash (AP):

It shows we’re maturing strategically. The key is to keep the threshold of provocation and violence low. That’s the sensible and responsible thing to do, especially between two nuclear-armed neighbors. More importantly, we’re keeping our assets protected.

The distance and precision of our contemporary weapons — whether air-launched missiles, guided artillery, or drones — say a lot about the technological prowess of the Indian Army. We no longer have to actually cross the border to make a point. Technology enables us to target with precision from afar, protecting our troops and keeping escalation at bay.

Q2: Pakistan has been caught off guard for the third time — after the Balakot and Uri operations. What message is India sending with Operation Sindoor in the context of counterterrorism?

AP:

It's a message of dwindling patience. When a state lets terrorists be trained, equipped, and sent across borders with impunity, it stops being a law-and-order issue — it becomes an act of war in the fullest sense.

Operation Sindoor serves as a notice that we won't accept proxy war under the nuclear umbrella. We've maintained restraint for decades, but today we're reciprocating proportionate force. And we're doing it with professional, strategic, and steadily precise precision.

Q3: With increasing threat of escalation, how should India prepare for expected retaliation? How is Pakistan's internal pressure implicated here?

AP:

Preparation is everything. Pakistan could experience domestic public pressure to respond in some manner, even symbolically. So yes, we have to anticipate some response — that's how the escalation ladder works. The minute you respond militarily, you have to be prepared for the next rung.

That doesn't imply that we cease taking action. But it does imply that we must approach it with measured, level-headed leadership. Escalation can quickly get out of hand, particularly in our part of the world. Mature leadership on both sides is needed to prevent us from sliding into an all-out war.

Q4: Since both India and Pakistan possess nuclear weapons, is there a possibility of international intervention? Can this crisis attract other global powers?

AP:

That's always a danger, particularly if things get out of hand. But it doesn't have to get that far. Indeed, it can — and ought to — stop right here, with Pakistan.

If things do go too far, other great powers will intervene not out of allegiance but due to the nature of nuclear fallout that does not regard borders. Radiation does cross frontiers. A tactical exchange of nuclear fire in South Asia will send shockwaves around the world — quite literally and also diplomatically. And that's why restraint while being decisive matters.

Operation Sindoor is another milestone in India's continuing transition from reactive defense to proactive deterrence. With voices such as Admiral Arun Prakash expressing the delicate balance between action and restraint, India's military thought seems firmly grounded in the 21st century — guided by history, informed by technology, and directed by strategic vision.