It wasn’t just a series of precision airstrikes. It was a strategic earthquake.
In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, India’s targeted military response to the Pahalgam terror attack in May 2025, the tremors were felt far beyond the nine locations hit across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir [[1], [4]]. According to India’s top military commander, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, the operation’s true victory lay not just in its immediate tactical success, but in the profound crisis it triggered within Pakistan’s own defense establishment .
Speaking in Pune, Gen. Chauhan dropped a bombshell: Operation Sindoor had so thoroughly exposed the weaknesses in Pakistan’s military command and control structure that Islamabad was forced into a state of panic, rushing through major constitutional amendments and a complete overhaul of its armed forces [[6], [9], [14]]. This isn’t just about a failed defense; it’s about a system forced to its knees by its own inadequacies.
Table of Contents
- What Was Operation Sindoor?
- Operation Sindoor Exposes Pakistan’s Failures
- The Sweeping Military Reforms
- Constitutional Changes and Command Chaos
- Strategic Implications for India and the Region
What Was Operation Sindoor?
Launched on the night of May 6–7, 2025, Operation Sindoor was India’s calibrated and decisive response to a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam [[1], [4]]. The Indian Air Force struck nine pre-identified terrorist infrastructure targets deep inside Pakistani territory . While Pakistan reported significant casualties, India confirmed its strikes were precise and effective, aimed squarely at dismantling the launchpads for cross-border terrorism .
The operation marked a new chapter in India’s military doctrine—one of swift, overwhelming, and deniable force against state-sponsored terror . But its most unexpected consequence was the internal political and military implosion it caused in Pakistan.
Operation Sindoor Exposes Pakistan’s Failures
Gen. Chauhan was unequivocal in his assessment. He stated that “everything didn’t go well” for Pakistan during the crisis, highlighting a systemic failure that went beyond mere battlefield losses . The Pakistani military, long considered the country’s most powerful institution, was caught off-guard and unable to mount an effective or coherent response .
This failure was so severe that it reportedly led to a state of panic in Islamabad. US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) filings have even revealed that Pakistan launched a frantic lobbying campaign in Washington in a desperate attempt to de-escalate the situation, underscoring its sense of vulnerability .
The Sweeping Military Reforms
In a direct admission of these shortcomings, Pakistan initiated a series of radical military reforms. The most significant of these was the creation of a new, dedicated Army Rocket Force . This new branch was designed to separate Pakistan’s conventional missile arsenal from its nuclear command structure, a move aimed at creating clearer lines of authority and preventing catastrophic miscalculations during future crises .
Furthermore, the command structure itself was overhauled. Gen. Chauhan noted that under the revised arrangement, the Pakistani Army Chief will now have direct oversight over all land operations and joint operations with the Navy and Air Force, centralizing command in a way that was previously absent . This suggests a previous lack of jointness and coordination that Operation Sindoor ruthlessly exploited.
Constitutional Changes and Command Chaos
The military’s failure was so profound that it spilled over into Pakistan’s highest legal framework. Gen. Chauhan pointed to Pakistan’s “hurried constitutional amendments” as a direct consequence of the operation’s success [[6], [14]]. These amendments, particularly those related to Article 243 which governs the command of the armed forces, were a clear signal that the existing system had catastrophically failed .
Such a move is extraordinary. Amending a nation’s constitution in the immediate aftermath of a military setback is a stark admission of institutional collapse. It reveals that the problem wasn’t just with equipment or tactics, but with the very foundation of how Pakistan’s military is governed and controlled.
Strategic Implications for India and the Region
For India, this development is a significant strategic win. It validates the effectiveness of its new, more assertive military posture. As Gen. Chauhan has also stated, the era of maintaining ties with Pakistan without a clear strategy is over . Operation Sindoor has demonstrated that calibrated, high-impact actions can achieve not only immediate security objectives but also force long-term strategic shifts in an adversary’s behavior.
However, the situation remains volatile. A restructured but humiliated Pakistani military could be more unpredictable. The separation of conventional and nuclear forces, while intended to add stability, could also create new bureaucratic hurdles and points of failure. India must remain vigilant and continue to strengthen its own integrated theatre commands, a key initiative championed by the CDS himself [INTERNAL_LINK:integrated-theatre-commands-india].
Conclusion
Operation Sindoor has proven to be far more than a counter-terrorism mission. It was a masterclass in strategic coercion that laid bare the deep structural rot within Pakistan’s military and political system. The frantic reforms and constitutional changes in Islamabad are a testament to the operation’s success. As CDS General Anil Chauhan’s revelations show, the real battle was not just for territory, but for the very confidence and coherence of a rival state’s defense architecture.
Sources
- Times of India: Pakistan’s military changes after Op Sindoor expose its failures: CDS
- Various news reports on Operation Sindoor details and outcomes [[1], [2], [4], [5], [7]]
- CDS General Anil Chauhan’s public statements in Pune [[6], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [16]]
- External Authority: Military Balance & Global Security Analysis (IISS)