OPERATION SINDOOR

INDIA’S STRATEGIC CALCULUS IN KASHMIR AND CENTRAL ASIA

By Dr. Digby James Wren

In the wake of the Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025, which claimed 26 lives, India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, a targeted military strike against alleged terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Pakistan itself. The operation, described by Indian officials as “focused and non-escalatory,” aimed at camps linked to groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, notably in Bahawalpur and Mudrike. Pakistan condemned the strikes as aggression, reporting civilian casualties and retaliating by downing Indian aircraft. The incident underscores the perennial volatility of Kashmir, a region both nuclear-armed nations have contested since 1947. While the immediate conflict highlights Indo-Pakistani hostilities, it also intersects with India’s broader strategic imperatives—particularly its efforts to deepen ties with Central Asia, a region where geographic and political barriers, including Pakistan’s refusal to grant India land access, persistently challenge New Delhi’s ambitions.

Historical Context: Kashmir and the Legacy of Partition

The Kashmir conflict remains a festering wound from the 1947 Partition, which divided British India into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan. Both nations claim Kashmir in full, fighting multiple wars over the territory. The region’s instability has been exacerbated by cross-border terrorism, with India accusing Pakistan of harbouring militant groups. Operation Sindoor exemplifies India’s hardened stance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, prioritizing pre-emptive strikes over diplomatic overtures. However, Pakistan’s control over parts of Kashmir has broader implications, obstructing India’s direct connectivity to Central Asia—a critical region for energy security, trade, control over water resources, and countering Chinese influence.