The air power use discourse and Operation Sindoor, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• Operation Sindoor (May 7–10) marks a shift toward assertive air power deployment in India's defence strategy.

• Moves away from traditional "attrition warfare" to proactive, calibrated offensive responses.

• Emphasizes the need to rethink air power’s role in integrated battle and long-term strategic planning.

• Highlights a doctrinal shift since the Balakot strike (2019) and IAF’s strategic evolution in recent decades.

• Advocates for a nuanced doctrine integrating air power with other military instruments beyond conventional use.

Detailed Insights:

• Changing Strategic Thought:

  • Historically, India has viewed air power as a last resort or support mechanism in war.

  • Operation Sindoor demonstrates the shift to “prevention, pre-emption, and punishment” as policy tools.

  • Air Power as Strategic Instrument:

  • IAF has shown capabilities in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and now in surgical air missions.

  • These operations signal India’s willingness to calibrate deterrence without full-scale ground conflict.

  • The IAF’s role is being redefined from tactical support to strategic enabler.

  • Doctrinal Evolution:

  • The IAF doctrine (2012), focused on sub-conventional operations, has not yet fully penetrated broader security thinking.

  • Despite high-profile operations like Balakot, Indian decision-makers have hesitated to fully incorporate air-based deterrence in standard policy.

  • Beyond Balakot and Sindoor:

  • Air power should not be restricted to retaliatory strikes; rather, it must support a broad integrated defence doctrine.

  • India must now move towards an integrated battle approach, where air, land, and maritime forces work as a unified strategic mechanism.

  • Future Outlook:

  • Calls for greater budgetary focus on building next-generation air capabilities, especially against the backdrop of Chinese fifth-gen fighters (J-35).

  • Strategic decisions must consider non-contact warfare, escalation ladders, and multidimensional deterrence.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Non-Contact Warfare: Engaging adversaries without direct ground troop involvement, using missiles, drones, cyber tools, and air strikes.

• Air Doctrine: Strategic framework governing the use of air power for offensive and defensive operations.

• No-War-No-Peace Situations: Periods of tense stalemate without formal war, requiring robust deterrence postures.

Significance:

• Signals India’s maturing security doctrine and adoption of air power as a strategic lever.

• Recalibrates India’s position in the South Asian security matrix, especially vis-à-vis Pakistan and China.

• Pushes for institutional reforms, budget prioritisation, and joint force doctrines to meet future threats.

Mains Mock Question:

Q. Discuss the evolving role of air power in India's national security strategy. How has Operation Sindoor reshaped the discourse around the use of air power in limited conflict scenarios?