India, recognising threats to critical infrastructure, thus putting financial institutions and government networks at Activation Level-I of cyber attacks due to the events following Operation Sindoor, a far-reaching military operation against terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Launched on May 7, 2025, in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that took away the lives of twenty-six people, Operation Sindoor has changed the nationalist environment between India and Pakistan, thus instilling fears of retaliatory cyber warfare.
Operation Sindoor: A Bold Strike Against Terrorism:
Operation Sindoor was a surgical military operation, delivering 24 swift missile strikes, within 25 minutes, on nine terror targets, including Jaish-e-Mohammad hideouts at Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba at Muridke. In continuing the elimination of over a hundred terrorists, including the chief Jaish-e-Mohammad leader Abdul Rauf Azhar, and destroying almost all of the terrorist infrastructure, the operation achieved its objectives with hardly any collateral damage. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called the operation an embodiment of India's military capabilities and determination to fight terrorism.
The Pakistani reaction over the airstrikes, however, came within hours, with attempts being made via drone and missile strikes on Indian military establishments in Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat on 8 May. These attacks were pre-empted by India's advanced S-400 air defence systems and Integrated Counter-UAS Grid. Still, the escalation has been enough to instill the fear of a far larger conflict, its ambit including cyberspace.
Increasing Cyber Threats:
With the Pahalgam attack last month, cyber incidents had already surged against India’s critical infrastructure, such as the Power Ministry, telecom operations, and financial institutions. There had been advisories by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) regarding targeted campaigns against Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI), ranging from Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks to ransomware and malware. Operation Sindoor appears to have exacerbated these concerns, as per government sources, the risk of state-sponsored or terrorist-supported cyber operations is very high.
On May 7, posts on X highlighted the increased vigilance with officials stating that there had been continuous monitoring for cyber incursions since the Pahalgam attack. The Ministry of Information Technology and Information & Broadcasting is actively searching for misinformation regarding Operation Sindoor on social media sites such as X and has asked the platforms to block unlawful content. Such actions highlight the two-faceted nature of such incidents, where threats are dealt with in the physical dimension, whilst disinformation campaigns in cyber operations could amplify the issue.
Critical Infrastructure Under High Alert
The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE) have taken precautionary steps and restricted international access to their websites, citing parameters on a greater risk of high-impact cyber attacks such as ransomware, supply chain intrusions, and website defacement. Banks have also stepped up their cybersecurity apparatus in preparation for such threats. We are on high alert because such attempts will be made, the government official said, referring to the prospects of DDoS attacks that can overwhelm critical systems.
The Power Ministry, telecom operators, and other authorities in charge of February 2020 critical infrastructure have been asked to be on alert. This preemptive measure follows a Centre directive asking all digital systems to be prepared for a possible attack on essential services. This came as a response to recent incidents of coordinated cyber attacks on defence-linked institutions and academic platforms, as reported by CNBC-TV18.
Misinformation and Challenges from The Social Sphere
The escalation has also given rise to misinformation on social media, thereby blurring the lines for Indian cybersecurity. The Press Information Bureau (PIB) has been actively quashing false claims, such as a staged video purporting to show a Pakistani attack on an Indian post and a fabricated report about a drone strike in Jalandhar. Social media giant X has blocked over 8,000 accounts in India on the government's orders-the-recent surfeit of spreading misleading reports on Operation Sindoor.
These measures opened a new front of public and international perception management during the crisis. Misinformation can create an atmosphere of panic and compromise national security, thus registering itself on the list of fronts in this war. Hence, the government is working with social media platforms to find strategic avenues for tackling digital threats, which are parallel to physical and cyber attacks.
International and Diplomatic Context:
India has briefed several foreign nations, including the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, and Saudi Arabia, on Operation Sindoor with the emphasis on its proportionate and non-escalatory nature. While Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri termed the Pahalgam attack as the “original escalation” and considered the Indian response essentially an act of self-defence, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reiterated during his talks with the Iranian counterpart that India does not desire further escalation. Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department urged a peaceful settlement of the issue.
The international community eliciting a mixed response has former U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley expressing support for India's right to retaliate against terrorism. Others, however, are urging restraint, lest this spiral into a full-fledged war between the nuclear-armed neighbours. The interaction of global powers, in itself, serves to highlight the high stakes involved in the current tensions, with cybersecurity now emerging as a critical dimension of this crisis.
The Cybersecurity Strategy of India:
Indian response to the increasing cyber threat is a mixture of defensive and offensive measures. The government sees its further strengthening of cybersecurity infrastructure as a core issue, aiming towards a state of real-time threat detection and a high degree of cooperation between the private and public spheres. Adherence to the issuance of advisories by CERT-In and directions by the Government to critical infrastructure agencies is a step towards the mitigation of risk in a binding manner.
Experts warn that cyber attacks could be geared toward military or financial systems, or even public utilities in India, healthcare systems, or transportation networks. The added dimension of threats stemming from supply chain attacks, which exploit vulnerabilities in third-party systems, only complicates matters. In response to such threats, India is harnessing cutting-edge technology, including AI and ML, to scan, detect, and neutralise cyber intrusions in real time.
The Ramblings of a New Chapter
The cyber realm, still very much relevant and prevalent, remains a pivotal arena as Operation Sindoor continues, with India keeping its military posture and neutralizing further Pakistani attempts at retaliation. These quick political steps, undertaken to buttress the digital infrastructure with an ability to counter misinformation, highlight a layered approach to ensuring national security.
But cyberattacks remain on the cards, direct impacts thereof may be on India’s economy, life and limb safety, or its international standing. Few days shall see India tested for resilience in taking on this complex crisis: balancing military readiness, diplomatic engagement, as well as cybersecurity preparedness. Meanwhile, the nation remains in high alert, holding its breath for any last-gasp attempt at escalation, either digital or physical, in this volatile act of India-Pakistan relations.