New Delhi

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval has said India’s restraint and willingness to show tolerance should not be interpreted as weakness. He said that the country is prepared to take risks and respond forcefully when its security is threatened.

Speaking about Operation Sindoor in the upcoming documentary Declassified: Operation Sindoor, NSA said the central objective of the 88-hour military operation was to destroy terror infrastructure linked to the Pahalgam attack. He described the operation as an example of India’s willingness to translate its security resolve into decisive action.

“India’s generosity or India being tolerant should not be mistaken for its weakness,” NSA Doval said, adding that India could take risks and “hit hard” regardless of the consequences.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, 2025, following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Indian forces carried out precision strikes against terror infrastructure belonging to groups including Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

According to NSA Doval's account, the initial strikes were deliberately focused on terror targets rather than Pakistani military or civilian facilities. The distinction, he suggested, reflected India's attempt to maintain control over the escalation while making clear that attacks originating from across the border would invite a military response.

The confrontation subsequently widened after Pakistan responded with military action. India then shifted its focus towards Pakistani military capabilities, including air-defence systems, radar installations and air bases, according to the Times of India report. The conflict continued for about 88 hours before hostilities came to an end on May 10.

NSA Doval's remarks also underline the broader strategic message India sought to convey through the operation. Rather than allowing the possibility of escalation to prevent military action, he argued that India's deterrence must be backed by the demonstrated ability and willingness to respond.

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The NSA's comments offer a rare glimpse into the strategic thinking surrounding Operation Sindoor and India's approach to cross-border terrorism. His emphasis was not only on the military dimension of the operation but also on the message it was intended to send: India's preference for restraint does not mean an unwillingness to use force when national security is at stake.