Missiles from cargo planes: The new strike idea that could interest India

Weapons of war are becoming smarter, more autonomous and increasingly lethal. In a high-intensity conflict, one of the first objectives is often to degrade the adversary’s ability to retaliate by targeting airbases, missile launchers, radar stations, air-defence systems and command centres.The United States popularised the phrase “shock and awe” during the 2003 invasion of Iraq to describe the use of overwhelming force to paralyse an adversary’s military and political leadership. While military doctrines have evolved since then, the underlying principle remains relevant: strike critical targets quickly and create operational gaps before the adversary can effectively respond.Operation Sindoor and the logic of opening strikesIndia employed elements of this strategy during the military confrontation with Pakistan in May 2025. Operation Sindoor began with strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.