National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has spoken publicly about Operation Sindoor for the first time since India's military action against Pakistan in May 2025, saying the country's restraint should never be mistaken for weakness.

In an upcoming two-part Discovery docuseries, Declassified: Operation Sindoor, Doval said India is prepared to take risks and respond forcefully when its national interests or citizens are threatened.

His remarks provide a rare insight into the strategic thinking behind one of India's most significant military operations in recent years.

India Can Hit Hard

Doval said the central objective of Operation Sindoor was to destroy terrorist infrastructure, particularly camps linked to the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians were killed.

“We had decided the objective of the operation as destruction of the enemy camps particularly those who had been responsible for the Pahalgam attack,” Doval said, according to PTI.

He stressed that India's traditional approach of tolerance and restraint should not be interpreted as an inability or unwillingness to respond.

“India can take risks, India can hit hard, irrespective of the consequences,” he said.

Operation Sindoor Background

Operation Sindoor was launched by India following the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, 2025.

In the early hours of May 7, 2025, Indian forces carried out precision strikes against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, according to Indian officials.

The operation was presented by New Delhi as a response targeting terror infrastructure connected to the Pahalgam attack.

The military action subsequently triggered a wider confrontation between India and Pakistan, with both sides carrying out military operations.

Message on Restraint

Doval also discussed India's long-standing traditions of tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

He referred to principles including Sarva Dharma Sambhava and Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, saying such values should not be viewed as signs of weakness.

According to the documentary's account, the Pahalgam attack prompted India to challenge that perception and demonstrate that restraint does not mean the country will remain passive when its citizens or national interests are attacked.

The message, Doval suggested, was that India remains committed to peaceful coexistence but will respond when its security is threatened.

88-Hour Conflict

The strikes were followed by military action from Pakistan, leading to further Indian counter-offensives under Operation Sindoor.

The confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours continued for nearly 88 hours before India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10, bringing the hostilities to an end.

The episode marked one of the most serious military confrontations between the two countries in recent years.

Documentary to Reveal Details

The upcoming Discovery series will feature first-hand accounts from senior military and national security officials involved in the planning and execution of Operation Sindoor.

Declassified: Operation Sindoor is expected to examine the decision-making process behind the operation, the strategic calculations involved and the challenges faced during its execution.

The documentary will also offer perspectives from officials involved in India's security establishment, providing details about how the military response was planned and carried out.

Doval’s Warning to Pakistan

Doval's comments underline New Delhi's position that India's policy of restraint should not be confused with a lack of resolve.

His remarks also come amid continued attention to India's counterterrorism strategy and its approach to threats emanating from across the border.

The NSA's account in the documentary is likely to draw significant attention as it provides a rare public explanation of the thinking behind Operation Sindoor and the message India sought to send after the Pahalgam attack.