Operation Mahadev stands out not only as a military victory but as a new perspective on evolving national security practices. This operation aimed to neutralize the attackers of the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam massacre, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. On July 28, 2025, Indian security forces conducted a joint operation in the Dachigam forests near Srinagar. It provided immediate retaliation and a data-driven closure, supported by continued intelligence, forensic verification, and international diplomatic efforts.
Tag: Military
India’s post-Pahalgam Doctrine in the Shadow of Institutional Deficit
April 2025 attack in Pahalgam, which resulted in the loss of civil-security personnel, did not provoke an immediate retaliatory strike from India. This deviation from past patterns, such as the Balakot airstrike of 2019, has puzzled many analysts. While public expectations leaned towards a swift kinetic response, India maintained a calibrated silence. This restraint does not imply strategic inertia but suggests an evolving doctrine shaped by regional complexities, global alignments, and domestic political calculus. India’s hesitance is not a retreat but a reflection of the growing understanding that militarised responses do not resolve established patterns of cross-border insurgency.
Pakistan’s Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos: Flexing Muscles to Hide Weak Knees
The operation, named after a Quranic term meaning “a solid structure,” targeted key Indian military installations, including the BrahMos missile storage facility in Beas and airbases in Udhampur and Pathankot. During the 3rd Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) briefing headed by foreign secretary Vikram Misri Read along with Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force, refuted Pakistan’s claim of attacking BrahMos storage site in Jammu.
Decoding the Pahalgam Terror Attack through an Intelligence Lens
While my previous article (commentary) discussed the potential link between these two attacks and how they fit into the ongoing proxy conflict between India and Pakistan — more specifically between their respective intelligence agencies, namely the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) — in this article, I argue that Pakistan’s military, particularly its Special Service Group (SSG) (Pakistan’s special forces), must be behind this attack, with planning support from the ISI-backed groups, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and The Resistance Front (TRF).
Dispute over Military Operation Planning between the US and Ukraine
A war of words has broken out between the outgoing Biden administration and Ukraine’s president. Several US senior ranking officials have recently argued that Ukraine’s biggest problem is lack of manpower, and that it needs to lower the minimum age of conscription from 25 to 18. A government spokesman said that if Ukraine changes its policy, America will arm and train the recruits. Zelensky retorted that allies had fully equipped only a quarter of the ten brigades that he had requested earlier in the year.
Is Winning Control of PoK Beneficial for India?
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) refers to the portion of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir that is currently under Pakistani control. The territory has been a source of tension between India and Pakistan since the two countries gained independence in 1947, and the disputed status of PoK has been a key issue in the ongoing conflict between the two nations. The disputed territory was ruled by Maharaja Hari Singh, a Hindu king, but the region had a majority Muslim population. When the state of Jammu and Kashmir acceded to India in 1947, Pakistan claimed that the accession was invalid and sent troops into the region.
US Reports Reveal that China is Aiding Russia’s Military Expansion
According to an assessment by US officials, it is revealed that China is playing a significant role in the military expansion of Russia, particularly in its efforts in the war against Ukraine. China has been increasing its sales of various technology and equipment to Russia, which Moscow will use to build up its military arsenal. China has been the major supplier of microelectronics, machine tools, and other crucial technology to Russia. In 2023, around 90% of Russia’s microelectronics came from China, which is essential in the production of tanks, missiles, and aircraft. Additionally, over 70% of Russia’s machine tool imports came from China last year.
Chinese Cyber Agents likely to disrupt upcoming Election in India
The report also sheds light on the Chinese cyber actors, who are actively involved in spying and other cyber operations around the world. They have been using AI-generated content to intensify tensions, particularly in the disputed Asia-Pacific region and in the US. One notable group that is known for carrying out such activities is Storm-1376. They have been identified for intensifying their use of AI-generated news reports and memes. These tactics were used during Taiwan’s presidential elections, where they targeted political candidates, including spreading misinformation about William Lai, a candidate belonging to Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party, a party that nurtures anti-Chinese sentiments.
China Renames 30 more Places in India’s Arunachal Pradesh
In this issue of China Watch newsletter, the author provides in-depth analysis on; 1) China renaming 30 places in India’s state of Arunachal Pradesh, 2) China set to become World’s largest Airforce, 3) Takeover of Tibet and more.
China aims for Technological Self-reliance amidst Tensions with the US
China Watch is our flagship newsletter and research programme offering critical insights, business intelligence and in-depth reporting on China and Taiwan. This issue’s cover story is “China aims for Technological Self-reliance amidst Tensions with the US.”