The Hindu Editorial Analysis
4 October 2025
The Maritime Signalling after Operation Sindoor
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 8)
Topic : GS Paper II – International Relations | GS Paper III – Internal Security
Context
After the stand-off with Pakistan in May 2025, the strategic focus has shifted to the maritime domain. Both India and Pakistan have demonstrated military readiness through naval exercises, missile deployments, and high-level official warnings. This signals a recalibration of regional power balance in the Arabian Sea and the wider Indian Ocean.
Key Issues and Arguments
1. Strategic Weight of Naval Signalling
- Operation Sindoor marked a turning point in naval deterrence.
- India inducted its indigenously designed support vessel, INS Nistar, and conducted joint patrols with the Philippines.
- Pakistan showcased assets like Chinese-built Hangor-class submarines, PNS Mangro, and the P282 ship-launched ballistic missile.
- These parallel moves reflect a calculated use of force signalling in a deterrence-driven competition.
2. Escalation Dynamics at Sea
- Escalation control is tougher in maritime conflict compared to land.
- Naval skirmishes (ship-on-ship, sub-on-sub, missile engagements) carry higher risks of crossing red lines.
- Pakistan has invested in anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities.
- India’s dominance is narrowing; assumptions of uncontested superiority are fading.
3. China Factor and External Dimension
- Gwadar under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is crucial for Beijing’s Indo-Pacific vision.
- Chinese presence in Karachi and Gwadar adds a psychological and operational layer of deterrence.
- PLAN’s support provides Pakistan with confidence, but also ties it into Beijing’s strategic calculations.
4. The Broad View
- The naval element of the India-Pakistan crisis is likely to remain peripheral, but cannot be ignored.
- Risks of miscalculation at sea—from missile tests to overlapping exercises—are high.
- Both India and Pakistan may signal resolve without escalating to full-scale conflict.
- This maritime contest must be seen as part of broader Indo-Pacific balance, where India aligns with Quad partners and Pakistan leans on China.
Conclusion
The Arabian Sea is emerging as a critical theatre in India-Pakistan rivalry. Operation Sindoor showcased India’s resolve, but Pakistan’s counter-signalling has narrowed the deterrence gap. The external role of China sharpens this contest further. For India, the challenge is to maintain superiority at sea through modernization, alliances, and calibrated signalling. The future of crisis stability may well be determined in the waters, not just on the borders.