Vienna, May 5
Nearly a year after India responded firmly and decisively to the Pahalgam terror attack and launched Operation Sindoor to target terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK, Austrian aerial warfare analyst and historian Tom Cooper has described India's response as a "clear-cut military victory," highlighting India's decisive edge during the confrontation with Pakistan.
Speaking in an interview, Cooper offered a detailed assessment of the conflict, emphasising that India not only outmatched Pakistan militarily but also delivered a strong strategic message through its calibrated and precise response.
According to Cooper, strikes carried out during Operation Sindoor were both strategically significant and highly effective.
"India conducted highly successful retaliation strikes on major terror camps inside Pakistan, and also hit targets that were widely considered untouchable--well beyond India's supposed reach," he said. "The damage was massive, and it forced Pakistan into a defensive posture."
He underlined that India's operational capability marked a significant shift in its strategic approach.
"New Delhi sent a very clear message--we can hit whatever we want in Pakistan, and you cannot stop us," Cooper noted.
Following India's strikes on terror infrastructure on the night of May 7 last year, Pakistan attempted escalation by targeting Indian airbases, military installations, and civilian areas, particularly around Amritsar. However, Cooper said these efforts failed to achieve their objectives.
"Indian air defence systems worked exactly as designed," he said. "They intercepted and destroyed more than 95 to 98 per cent of incoming Pakistani projectiles--rockets, missiles, UAVs. Pakistan's retaliation was rendered almost entirely ineffective."
Following escalation by Islamabad, India further increased pressure, targeting Pakistan's air defence systems and key airbases with precision.
"When Pakistan considered escalating with tactical ballistic and cruise missiles, India not only blocked those efforts but also delivered highly precise strikes that knocked out key Pakistani capabilities," Cooper explained.
According to him, this sequence of events created significant pressure within Pakistan's leadership. "India demonstrated that it was fully prepared for escalation and capable of delivering precise and effective strikes," he said.
Cooper left little doubt when asked who emerged as the winner. "The winner is absolutely clear," he said. "I called it a clear-cut victory last year, and there is no reason to change that assessment today."
He added that limited tactical successes claimed by Pakistan did not alter the broader outcome. "They may have won one or two air combat at most, but they lost the war," he said.
Cooper also pointed to internal factors shaping Pakistan's stance during and after the conflict.
"The Pakistani armed forces must justify their dominance over the civilian government," he said.
"They need to explain why they control the country and why such a heavy focus is placed on military strength."
He described a system where maintaining the image of military power is central to the country's internal narrative. "They are essentially telling their people that the armed forces must remain strong and 'invincible,'" he said.
On the question of China's role, Cooper noted that Pakistan's military modernisation efforts have relied on Chinese platforms, but these efforts face limitations.
"Pakistan has tried to strengthen its military with systems like the J-10 fighter jets and PL-15 missiles," he said. "But these are temporary measures and do not provide a long-term solution."
He also highlighted Pakistan's economic challenges. "Pakistan is under significant financial strain and cannot sustain large-scale acquisitions without external support," he said.
According to Cooper, several large-scale investment projects have also struggled to deliver expected outcomes.
Looking ahead, Cooper suggested that the underlying tensions between India and Pakistan remain. "This means we should expect similar situations in the future," he said. "The core issues have not been fully resolved."
Cooper's assessment underscores India's growing military capability to conduct precise, high-impact operations, even against deeply embedded targets.
The outcome of "Operation Sindoor," he suggests, demonstrated India's preparedness, technological strength, and ability to respond decisively to emerging threats.
- ANI
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