India&rsquo;s Operation Sindoor: Strategic Precision or Regional Provocation? Beijing Calls It &lsquo;Regrettable&rsquo; as Global Powers Urge Restraint
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In a development that has reignited tensions in South Asia, India&rsquo;s precision strikes under&nbsp;Operation Sindoor&nbsp;into Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir have drawn mixed responses from the global community&mdash;ranging from censure cloaked in diplomatic parlance to open calls for de-escalation. Notably, China, Islamabad&rsquo;s staunchest strategic ally, termed New Delhi&rsquo;s move a &ldquo;regrettable act&rdquo;, once again revealing Beijing&rsquo;s discomfort with India&rsquo;s growing assertiveness and muscular response to cross-border terrorism.
The strikes, launched in the early hours following the April 22 massacre in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, were reportedly aimed at terror infrastructure operated by groups with known affiliations to Pakistan&rsquo;s deep state. Indian intelligence and forensic evidence, including survivor testimonies and intercepts, strongly indicated the involvement of Pakistan-based actors.
India&rsquo;s Ministry of External Affairs defended the action as &ldquo;measured, precise, and necessary&rdquo;, underlining that the operation was a &ldquo;counter-terrorism measure, not a military offensive against the Pakistani people&rdquo;. The use of the term "Operation Sindoor" is no coincidence&mdash;it evokes both cultural depth and strategic symbolism, a firm reminder that New Delhi is no longer content with posturing after provocation.
China&rsquo;s Calculated Critique
China&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry, in a statement on Wednesday, expressed &ldquo;regret&rdquo; over India&rsquo;s military action and urged both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint. While Beijing reiterated its long-standing opposition to all forms of terrorism, its carefully worded remarks notably avoided assigning responsibility for the Pahalgam attack.
"India and Pakistan are neighbours that cannot be moved apart, and they are also China&rsquo;s neighbours," a spokesperson stated, subtly reminding the world of Beijing&rsquo;s regional stakes. But observers in New Delhi see this as double-speak&mdash;while Beijing calls for calm, it continues to arm Pakistan and shield it diplomatically at forums like the UNSC.
Indeed, Indian officials view China&rsquo;s response as formulaic and predictably aligned with its strategic interests in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which runs through disputed territory in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. There is growing belief in South Block that China's placatory statements serve more to protect its own investments than to promote genuine regional stability.
Global Response: From Condemnation to Concern
In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump described the situation as a &ldquo;shame&rdquo; and expressed hope for a quick de-escalation. &ldquo;They have been fighting for a long time,&rdquo; he said, referencing the bitter history of Indo-Pak rivalry, while stopping short of outright condemnation of India's action.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, following a direct call with Indian NSA Ajit Doval, affirmed that the United States is &ldquo;monitoring the situation closely&rdquo; and emphasised continued diplomatic engagement with both countries. A statement released by the Indian embassy in Washington noted that Mr. Doval had briefed Rubio on &ldquo;credible leads and evidence&rdquo; pointing to Pakistani involvement.
Japan, another major player in the Indo-Pacific, also weighed in. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi issued a strong condemnation of the April 22 terror attack and warned that such acts could lead to &ldquo;a full-scale military conflict&rdquo;. However, Tokyo, too, urged restraint and dialogue, consistent with its preference for peace diplomacy in the region.
Pakistan's Predictable Denial
Islamabad, meanwhile, has cried foul, calling the strikes a violation of its sovereignty and warning of consequences. The Pakistani military maintains that it reserves the right to respond at a time and place of its choosing. However, beyond fiery rhetoric, Pakistan&rsquo;s options appear increasingly constrained. With its economy in disarray and international patience wearing thin over its support to non-state actors, Islamabad finds itself isolated.
In a retaliatory move, both countries have expelled diplomats and suspended visa services&mdash;an echo of earlier escalations that have brought the subcontinent to the brink before.
India&rsquo;s New Red Lines
What is emerging unmistakably from this episode is India's recalibrated red line&mdash;terror attacks traced to Pakistani soil will now be met with hard power responses. Operation Sindoor signals that New Delhi is not content to merely lodge diplomatic protests or build dossiers for foreign capitals. It has decided to act, and it expects the world to acknowledge its right to self-defence.
Strategic watchers see this as a continuation of India's evolving doctrine, first tested in the 2016 surgical strikes and the 2019 Balakot air strikes. The difference now is the tempo&mdash;faster, sharper, and less constrained by international hesitation.
As the world urges dialogue and diplomacy, New Delhi appears to be signalling a shift: talks, yes&mdash;but only after terror is decisively dismantled. In the shifting sands of South Asia, India is redrawing the rules of engagement, and the region&mdash;and the world&mdash;must now reckon with this new strategic posture.

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May 7, 2025 | 23:11 IST