What India Can Learn from Israel: Strategic Depth, Surgical Strikes, and the Pakistan Dilemma
The recent terrorist attack in Kashmir has again raised pressing questions about India’s response strategy to asymmetric warfare emanating from Pakistani soil. While the calls for justice are loud, the geopolitical context remains perilous. Unlike Gaza or even Syria, Pakistan is a nuclear power. A full-scale India-Pakistan war would be catastrophic for both nations—and potentially for the world. That is why the focus must shift to precision, not provocation. In this regard, Israel's approach to counter-terrorism offers key lessons for India.
1. Understanding the Pakistan Terrain: A Different Beast from Gaza
Pakistan is not a failed state. It is a complex state with competing power centers—civilian leadership, the military establishment, and the shadowy corridors of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Any comparison with Gaza or Syria must be tempered by this reality.
While Gaza is largely under the control of Hamas and remains outside the formal state system of Israel’s adversaries, Pakistan presents a paradox: it is a functioning state that claims to be a victim of terrorism while parts of its own military-intelligence complex are accused of sponsoring or sheltering these same groups.
2. Can There Be Rogue Elements Inside Pakistan's Power Structure?
The idea that elements within the ISI or Pakistan Army might sponsor terrorist activities without the explicit approval of the Prime Minister or even the Army Chief is not far-fetched. Pakistan’s statecraft has long been described as a "deep state" operation—where elected governments are often sidelined in matters of national security.
This murky internal dynamic means that diplomatic engagement with Islamabad can be met with deniability while covert actors operate with relative impunity. Thus, surgical strikes must be calibrated to avoid wide-scale military escalation while delivering a strong, targeted message.
3. Pakistan’s Claim of Being a Terrorism Victim: A Half-Truth?
Islamabad routinely states it is a victim of terrorism, citing attacks from the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and others. While factually true, this claim must be dissected. Many of the groups targeting Pakistan today were once proxies fostered by the Pakistani state for strategic depth in Afghanistan and Kashmir.
However, over time, these assets have mutated into threats. This duality makes Pakistan’s victimhood complex—but it does not exonerate elements within its state from supporting anti-India actors.
4. Learning from Israel: Surgical Precision and Strategic Ambiguity
Israel has perfected the art of preemptive, deniable, and deeply strategic surgical strikes, including:
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Cyber warfare (e.g., Stuxnet against Iranian nuclear facilities)
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Airstrikes deep into Syrian territory
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Covert assassinations of nuclear scientists and terror masterminds
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Use of drones and loitering munitions
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Satellite-guided precision missiles
All of this is done with:
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A policy of strategic ambiguity—neither confirming nor denying operations.
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Tight integration between Mossad, military intelligence, and elite strike units like Sayeret Matkal.
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Multi-layered surveillance and HUMINT (human intelligence).
India has some of these capabilities through RAW, NTRO, and its special forces units like Para SF and MARCOS, but the coordination, covertness, and global intelligence network that Israel uses must be further developed.
5. What Could a Surgical Strike Look Like? Possible Options for India
Given the risks of escalation, India's counter-strike must avoid triggering a war. Potential surgical options include:
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Airstrikes using stealth drones or cruise missiles (e.g., Nirbhay or BrahMos variants)
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Covert infiltration by special forces to neutralize camps or terror leaders
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Cyber sabotage of terror logistics and funding channels
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High-value target elimination (HVT) via drone strikes or covert units
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EMP or jamming operations to disable communications in specific terror hubs
Targets could include:
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Training camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)
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Safe houses in Balochistan or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
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Terror finance hubs in urban areas like Karachi or Rawalpindi (only via cyber routes)
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Command-and-control nodes linked to proxy groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed or Lashkar-e-Taiba
6. India’s Red Lines: Avoid Escalation, Maintain Moral High Ground
Unlike Israel, India must manage a highly volatile border with a nuclear-armed adversary. Therefore:
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All strikes must be time-boxed and objective-bound.
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Civilian casualties must be strictly avoided.
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There must be clear post-strike communication to the global community explaining the rationale.
7. Beyond the Battlefield: A Long-Term Doctrine
To truly counter cross-border terrorism, India must adopt a multi-dimensional doctrine:
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Strengthen intelligence alliances with Israel, the U.S., and UAE
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Dominate the narrative globally through strategic communication
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Invest in AI and satellite surveillance to track terror camps in real-time
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Create economic consequences through FATF, sanctions advocacy, and targeted disinformation takedown
Final Thoughts
India's path forward must be one of calculated resolve, not emotional retaliation. The enemy thrives in the shadows. It must be countered with stealth, not sabers. Israel’s legacy in preemptive defense offers a playbook—but India must rewrite it for the subcontinent’s nuclear neighborhood.
The question is not whether India will strike back—it is how it can do so with maximum impact and minimal escalation. In that answer lies the future stability of South Asia.
If there ever was a time for India to think like a 21st-century power, it is now—not by waging war, but by mastering precision.
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