India’s Strikes In Operation Sindoor Are Deepest Inside Pak Territory Since 1971 War

New Delhi, India – In a calibrated, multi-domain strike launched at around 01:15 AM IST, the Indian Armed Forces executed Operation Sindoor, marking what officials and independent analysts are calling the deepest Indian incursion into undisputed Pakistani territory since the 1971 war. The operation was triggered by the April 22 Pahalgam massacre, in which 27 civilians were killed by terrorists linked to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

Indian strikes targeted nine locations spread across Punjab and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK), including Muridke, Bhawalpur, and a camp near Sialkot—all in Pakistan's undisputed territory. The Bahawalpur strike, estimated at 262 km deep, marks the most audacious reach since India’s 1971 military operations in Punjab and Sindh. This level of cross-border engagement has not been witnessed in over five decades.

Precision Strikes Pierced Deep: Bhawalpur Hit 262 Km from the Border, Muridke 37 Km Inside

Based on GPS coordinates and border reference points, Bhawalpur, the ideological and operational hub of Jaish-e-Mohammed, was struck from a distance of approximately 262 km inside Pakistani territory. Satellite data shows a facility on the outskirts was flattened by precision-guided munitions, likely deployed via stand-off launch platforms. Muridke, the longtime headquarters of LeT near Lahore, was hit 37 km inside Pakistan from the Wagah border axis, while the Sialkot camp, already under surveillance since 2023, was struck at a short-range but strategic depth, likely under 10 km from the frontier.

The remaining targets—Muzaffarabad (2 sites), Gulpur, Bhimber, Chakamru, and Kotli—lie in PoJK, which India considers part of its territory but is under Pakistani administrative control. These areas have long functioned as feeder corridors for terrorist infiltration into the Kashmir Valley, and their inclusion in the strike matrix underscores India's intent to degrade both launch pads and safe houses simultaneously.

Historical Benchmark: Bhawalpur Strikes Deeper Than Shakargarh, Balakot, Or Rann of Kutch Ops

When compared with prior operations, Sindoor’s Bhawalpur strike marks a clear historical break. During the 1971 war, India’s deepest penetrations in Pakistani Punjab, such as the Shakargarh salient, ranged between 10-15 km, while in Sindh, advances into the Thar Desert and Rann of Kutch were marginally deeper but geographically constrained. No action post-1971, including the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, had crossed more than 50 km into Pakistani airspace. Balakot, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was 50 km from the LoC but far from the international border.

Sindoor, by contrast, was not limited to border skirmish zones. It went after the nerve centres of jihadist command infrastructure, with Bhawalpur’s Madrassa-e-Ashrafia, believed to house top JeM figures, being specifically targeted. The striking depth of 262 km, confirmed by triangulating Fazilka and Bhawalpur coordinates, establishes it as the farthest Indian military action into undisputed Pakistani territory since the Republic’s inception.

Sindoor Follows Familiar Doctrine but With Altered Scale, Risk, And Geopolitical Readiness

Operation Sindoor follows the evolved retaliatory pattern set after Pulwama-Balakot. But this time, the scope has broadened—not just tactically, but strategically. The strike was not a surgical one-off, but a coordinated campaign across geographies. Sources suggest special forces may have assisted in ground-based laser designation or surveillance, although no formal confirmation has been issued.

Intelligence operations over the past six months, including signal tracking, HUMINT from refugee networks, and IMINT data from commercial satellite contracts, had mapped out operational sanctuaries. Sindoor’s approval followed a week of border shelling post-Pahalgam, during which Indian formations engaged in limited LoC action—creating plausible deniability before striking hard. The absence of IAF radar locks from Pakistan points to high-altitude EW-enabled standoff munitions, perhaps BrahMos variants or Spice-2000 kits.

Reactions Muted, Retaliation Likely: Global Silence May Be India’s Loudest Diplomatic Win Yet

Following the strike, India quietly briefed Washington, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, and Moscow. Each was told the operation would be "short, surgical, and specifically targeted against known terror backers." Notably, no condemnation has been issued yet—a departure from post-Balakot diplomacy, when China and Turkey swiftly called for restraint. Islamabad is expected to convene a National Security Committee meeting by midday, but as of 05:48 IST, no airspace alerts, high-level mobilisations, or retaliatory drone strikes have been reported.

The geopolitical reading of this silence is strategic: India has established a threshold wherein the measured force is not only tolerable but seen as justified, so long as it is aimed at non-state actors. Whether this silence holds in the face of Pakistani retaliation remains to be seen, but for now, India appears to have seized the narrative control window.

Operation Sindoor Will Be Judged Not By Damage, But By Deterrence

Ultimately, Sindoor is not just about revenge—it’s about erasing impunity. Whether these strikes succeed in curbing cross-border terror will depend on Pakistan’s internal recalibration and India’s willingness to sustain this posture. From New Delhi’s view, the strike is complete, the political calculus clear, and the military message uncompromising.

The Ministry of Defence is expected to brief the media later in the day, potentially revealing satellite imagery and ISR confirmation of the targets struck. As facts emerge, what remains certain is this: Sindoor redrew more than red lines—it redrew how far India is willing to go when civilians bleed.

Watch - Operation Sindoor: India Launches Unique Attacks On Pak, Destroys Terror Camps