‘India is preparing for…’: US warfare expert on how Op Sindoor changed New Delhi's stance

US warfare expert and Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute John Spencer, who visited India to study and understand the motivation and implication of Operation Sindoor, said India was not looking for recognition, and is preparing for the next war while protecting the current peace. Spencer said during his ‘extremely informative trip to India’ he met senior military leaders, both active and retired, political officials, strategic thinkers, defence innovators, and seasoned national security journalists.

In a note he shared on social media, Spencer said, “The conversations I had covered a wide range of subjects: airpower, deterrence, counterterrorism, information warfare, supply chain security, semiconductors, and the future of space and cyber operations. But across all of them was a consistent theme. India is preparing for the next war while working to protect the peace it is building at home.”

“One thing is clear. The India I saw is not waiting for recognition. It is asserting itself. It is planning, modernizing, and executing with focus. For anyone interested in the future of conflict, deterrence, and democratic resilience, this is a country to watch,” he said.

Spencer said the old assumptions about India’s strategic posture no longer apply, adding that the country is transforming in doctrine, technology and geopolitical outlook. The warfare expert said at the centre of the many conversations was Operation Sindoor, India’s response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack. He said India’s preparation included months of wargaming, real-time intelligence, pre-positioned air defence and artillery assets.

“The operation demonstrated India's shift from a reactive posture to a proactive, precision-oriented doctrine. Seven of the nine terrorist targets were struck using long-range fires from the Army rather than airstrikes, including loitering munitions and rocket artillery. Counter-drone technology played a key role, with integrated use of radar, jammers, and both kinetic and soft-kill systems to neutralize incoming threats. Real-time battle damage assessments were enabled by persistent ISR from satellites and human intelligence,” he wrote.

Spencer said that it was clear there would be no distinction between the attacker and those who support or harbour them.

“Beyond the battlefield, India is reshaping its national security ecosystem. Defence innovation is no longer confined to government labs. Private companies, including many driven by young engineers and entrepreneurs, are building and fielding autonomous systems across air, land, and sea,” he said.

The warfare expert also wrote about Kashmir and how the region once synonymous with conflict is now seeing investment, tourism and record infrastructure development.