War scenarios, as elucidated in the previous part, have remained viable. However, there is a paradigm shift towards terrorist attacks and ‘dousing the fire’ tactics being employed by Pakistan—limiting the window of opportunity for Bharat, while allowing it to raise the stakes for Pakistan.

In recent times, the scale of skirmishes with Pakistan has reduced, and we now mostly witness an active Line of Control (LoC). Pakistan’s attempts—though diminished—persist in conducting terrorist attacks and furthering its nefarious plans of Islamist jihad in the heartland of Bharat, albeit through misinformation and propaganda fuelling such dastardly endeavours. The smart fence along the LoC has greatly hampered Pakistan’s terror designs. Its increasing reliance on Over-Ground Workers (OGWs) and sleeper cells has, in a way, worked to our advantage, as Bharat continues to eliminate these hidden terrorists and hunt them down.

The typical pattern—from letting attacks happen, to striking back tactically, to eventually engaging in dialogue under pressure from global opinion—has now shifted. We have developed adequate punitive responses for Pakistan, as seen after the Uri attack through surgical strikes, post-Pulwama air operations, and now during Operation Sindoor. In all three instances, Bharat targeted terror camps and infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK); but Operation Sindoor went further, striking terrorist headquarters in mainland Pakistan.

The propensity and immunity with which these strikes were conducted demonstrate a range of mechanisms available to inflict damage with precision and restraint—minimising collateral damage while earning global appreciation. With each such strike, the lethality, precision, and psychological toll on Pakistan have increased, raising serious questions around red lines, nuclear intent and capability, and the escalation ladder—all tools of tantrum Pakistan had previously used to deter Bharat from taking such actions.

Had Operation Sindoor continued for another two or three days beyond 10 May 2025, it is likely Pakistan would have been severely crippled—facing deeper restraint from global powers. One can never be sure when ‘enough is enough’, but this time, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, Pakistan was saved due to a leak, which embarrassed its funders and suppliers alike.

Given the narration thus far, it is evident that we have evolved as a nation in our resolve to punish Pakistan for its terrorism and misadventures. We are now better prepared to take punitive action, and much of global opinion stands with us. However, we still face a handicap in perception warfare.

Bharat’s growth invites envy, and some global actors continue to sustain the Pakistani proxy they once created—arming and supporting terror networks that mushroomed from its soil. Only now is the snake they nurtured beginning to bite the world at large.

Are we truly superior to Pakistan? Have we fully neutralised terrorism emanating from its territory? Do we possess conventional military superiority? Will those who use Pakistan as a proxy arm it further against Bharat? Can we count on the USA and China as friends? Can the European Union be trusted blindly? Who are our all-weather allies with whom we can co-develop better military hardware and software?

Will Pakistan resort to nuclear weapons—and what can we do in such a case? How much can our economy sustain in the event of a war? Are we truly invincible against Pakistan?

There are many lingering questions, and much cannot be answered in black and white, as probabilities and scenarios are multiple—and in some cases, mutually exclusive. However, the last question above does have a definite answer, and that is a firm no. And since that emphatic ‘no’ exists, we need to introspect and carve a pathway to strengthen our national power for the future.

What are our deficiencies, lacunae, and gaps? One can write about them separately. But given the highlights we have already examined in this paper—across the three scenarios and feasible actions during terrorist strikes—particularly in the context of declarations made by Bharat during Operation Sindoor, such as: that ‘no first use’ is not mandatory, and that any terrorist attack or proxy war will be construed as an ‘Act Of War’,........

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