Context

• India's national security strategy has undergone a gradual yet profound transformation since its independence.
• From initially regarding military force as an unfortunate necessity, India has increasingly embraced a more assertive posture in asserting its national power.
• This evolution, particularly marked by recent developments such as Operation Sindoor, signals a strategic pivot from traditional land-based doctrines to a more integrated, multi-domain approach where air power is emerging as a critical enabler of national security.

Historical Context and the Continental Mindset

• Post-independence Indian military thought was heavily influenced by a continental mindset.
• The challenges of long and contested land borders with both Pakistan and China, coupled with frequent internal armed conflicts, led to an overwhelming emphasis on ground forces.
• Land operations became synonymous with military effectiveness, while sea and air domains were relatively neglected.
• The focus on attrition warfare and territorial control shaped India’s national security calculus for decades.
• However, this approach increasingly appeared limited, particularly in the face of asymmetric threats such as cross-border terrorism and the strategic realities of a two-front scenario involving China and Pakistan.
• The growing complexity of regional geopolitics necessitated a re-evaluation of India’s military instruments.

The Emergence of a New Strategic Paradigm

• Operation Sindoor (May 7–10) marks a turning point in India’s security strategy. At its core lies a shift towards a more proactive and assertive doctrine that emphasizes prevention, pre-emption, and punishment.
• While maintaining the guiding principles of responsibility and restraint, the Indian state now appears more willing to utilize offensive capabilities to deter and respond to emerging threats, particularly from Pakistan.
• This shift is not merely tactical but conceptual.
• It acknowledges the need to recalibrate military thinking in the face of contemporary threats, moving away from a rigid, land-centric posture to a multi-domain operational model, where maritime and especially air power play co-equal roles.

Air Power: From Peripheral Role to Strategic Centrepiece

• Traditionally seen as escalatory and thus restrained, offensive air power in India was long underutilised.
• Although the Indian Air Force (IAF) had developed considerable non-kinetic capabilities, particularly in airlift and humanitarian operations, it struggled to convince policymakers of its strategic offensive potential.
• This began to change with the Balakot air strikes in 2019, which marked the first significant use of air power in a counter-terrorism context.
• However, it was Operation Sindoor that definitively positioned the IAF as a legitimate and effective first responder in limited conflicts.
• The operation demonstrated not only the IAF’s doctrinal maturity but also its operational readiness to deliver strategic outcomes without the risks associated with deploying ground forces.
• Moreover, the operation reinforced the IAF’s argument that air power can serve as a powerful tool in non-contact warfare, offering rapid, precise, and high-impact responses with reduced political and human costs.

Challenges, Institutional Competition and the Road Ahead

• Challenges and Institutional Competition
  • Despite its operational successes, the IAF faces significant institutional and financial challenges.
  • The fierce competition among the three services for limited defence budgets has led to inter-service rivalries and hindered the development of a coherent, integrated military strategy.
  • The current capital allocation for the IAF remains insufficient to counter the collusive threats posed by China and Pakistan.
  • The impending induction of advanced fifth-generation fighter aircraft (such as the J-35 by China into the Pakistan Air Force) underscores the urgency of modernising India’s air capabilities.
  • Bridging this technological and capability gap will require sustained political support and strategic clarity.
• The Road Ahead: Integration, Not Supremacy
  • As India navigates this strategic transition, it is imperative that the discourse does not become a contest between air, land, and naval power.
  • Instead, the focus must be on integrated operations, where each domain contributes its unique strengths to produce decisive outcomes.
  • The evolving doctrine should leverage air power not as a replacement but as a force multiplier that can enhance the effectiveness of ground and maritime operations.
  • The future of Indian statecraft will depend on its ability to craft a multi-domain, agile, and technologically advanced military force that can operate across the full spectrum of conflict.
  • Operation Sindoor has laid the groundwork for such a transformation, but capitalising on this momentum will require institutional reform, doctrinal clarity, and adequate resource allocation.

Conclusion

• India’s journey from strategic restraint to strategic assertiveness reflects both a changing security environment and a maturing national security outlook.
• Air power, once relegated to the periphery of India’s defence planning, is now central to its operational doctrine.
• Operation Sindoor has shown what is possible when capabilities, doctrine, and political will align.
• The task now is to institutionalise this change, ensuring that India’s military power remains credible, integrated, and future-ready.