NEW DELHI: Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, sent a strong message to the world — not just about capability, but about intent, says John Spencer, a leading expert on modern warfare. Speaking to ANI, Spencer — who chairs Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute in New York — said India showed it could strike with precision and restraint. “This was not just about targeting terrorists. It was also a demonstration of India’s indigenous military systems, tested against Chinese-made weapons used by Pakistan,” he said. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, days after 26 civilians were killed in a terror attack in Pahalgam. Strikes were carried out on terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). India also repelled Pakistani military attempts that followed and targeted their airbases. The conflict de-escalated after a call from Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) to the Indian side. According to Spencer, Pakistan, being heavily equipped with Chinese military systems, became a kind of “testing ground” for Beijing’s defence technology. “China uses Pakistan as a lab. And this was a chance for India to show what its homegrown defence tech can do,” he explained. He added that the world — including adversaries like China — was watching closely. “Wars are the ultimate test. It’s not about what you say, but what satellite footage and strike videos actually show.” Spencer also stressed the difference between a full-scale war and an operation like Sindoor. “This had a clear trigger and a clear objective. It wasn’t open-ended. But it does sit within a larger pattern — where countries use proxies, borders, and pressure tactics to weaken neighbours.” On future conflict risks, Spencer said wars are unpredictable, but preparation matters. “You can’t predict when the next war will break out. But you can prepare. And India has been preparing — from reforms in the military to tech innovations and doctrine changes.” He added that his interest in Operation Sindoor wasn’t just about the four days of strikes — but about India’s build-up over the past decade. On Pakistan’s use of Chinese weaponry, Spencer said the strikes may lead to a rethink in Islamabad. “If something you bought doesn’t perform well, you either go back to the seller or look elsewhere. But Pakistan has money problems, and that limits their choices.”

He also pointed to “user error” as a possible factor in how poorly some systems performed. “They want advanced systems, but affordability is a challenge. Still, they’ll be forced to look for alternatives.” Spencer concluded that India’s show of preparedness and capability during Operation Sindoor was a lesson in deterrence — one that the world, including its adversaries, took note of.