'Precision strike', 'on expected lines': Defence experts on Operation Sindoor

New Delhi | Defence experts on Wednesday hailed the missile strikes carried out by Indian armed forces under 'Operation Sindoor' as a "precision strike" against terror infrastructure and said the action was very much on "expected lines".

Some experts also said the action by India would serve as a lesson to Pakistan and warn them that they "should not go beyond this".

In retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's base Muridke.

Brig Rahul Bhonsle (retd), a strategic affairs expert from Security Risks Asia, said the strike was on expected lines give the preceding chain of events.

"It was expected, as the Prime Minister, Home Minister and the Defence Minister had indicated earlier that terrorists and terror infrastructure will be found and hit. So, Operation Sindoor is a result of that," he told PTI.

Brig Bhonsle said it is a "precision strike against terror infrastructure" and it has been declared that "no military installation" has been hit.

He further said the US will aim to have this situation not escalate further.

Hours after the strike, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri briefed mediapersons here and said it was deemed essential that the perpetrators and planners of the April 22 Pahalgam attack be brought to justice as there was "no demonstrable" step from Islamabad to take action against the terror infrastructure on its territory or on territory under its control.

Misri said Indian military carried out a "measured, non-escalatory, proportionate, and responsible" strike to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan to "deter and to pre-empt" any further terrorist strikes.

In Dehradun, security and anti-terrorism expert Brig Govind Singh Sisodia (retd), echoed Brig Bhonsle, and said, "It was on expected lines." "The way India, the Indian government and the PM had said... And, pinpoint targets," he told PTI.

He said Operation Sindoor has also demonstrated the "well-coordinated tri-services synergy".

He added that a lesson also has gone to Pakistan that "we are not going to do it on small scale, this is just a 'trailer'," and a warning that "they should not go beyond this".

Brig Sisodia said retaliation from Pakistan side is expected, as they will "try to save face, retaliate" but India is "capable of responding" to it.

Brig Prithpal Singh Chandhok (retd) said he has participated in Siachen action in 1980s and Operation Parakram in the past.

"I fully support the action taken by the Indian Army and the Indian defence forces. to counter it," he said.