India’s Operation Sindoor Still Active: “We Will Decide When It Ends,” Says Army Chief

Lt. Gen. Manjinder Singh, South Western Army Commander, stated that India now operates under a “New Normal,” where any terror act will be treated as an act of war. Training is being restructured accordingly, with 70% of combat exercises now conducted at night. Army Chief Gen. Upendra Dwivedi confirmed that Operation Sindoor, launched in May as a punitive response to Pakistan-backed terror, remains active — and India alone will determine its conclusion.

Former Army officers traced India’s shift from “strategic restraint” to a more decisive deterrence and compellence posture since the 2016 surgical strikes and the 2019 Balakot airstrikes. They emphasized that India has called Pakistan’s “nuclear bluff” and will not hesitate to strike directly at terror sponsors if provoked again.

Former diplomat Ambassador Veena Sikri added that Pakistan’s deniability over terror groups has “completely eroded.” She also warned of Pakistan’s increasing collaboration with Turkey’s intelligence agency MIT to foment Islamist radicalism in Bangladesh — a development closely monitored by India.

Conclusion:
As Barkha Dutt summed up, India’s message is unmistakable: the era of restraint has ended. Under the “New Normal,” every act of terror will invite a resolute and direct response — militarily, diplomatically, and strategically.