Newly declassified accounts of Operation Sindoor have revealed how India's military leadership drew up a preliminary list of 34 targets following the Pahalgam terror attack and, after intensive intelligence assessments, narrowed it down to nine sites for precision strikes in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and Pakistan.
The selection process was guided not simply by the number of targets that could be hit, but by the need to deliver a strong and unmistakable message to terrorists, their handlers and supporters while avoiding unnecessary civilian casualties.
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was clear that the response should not result in collateral damage and that India was not waging a war against Pakistan.
Air Chief Marshal A P Singh recalled that the Prime Minister's instructions were precise: "The objectives were decided: terrorist camps, nothing more and nothing less."
From 34 targets to nine
According to the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), the military initially identified around 34 potential targets. However, a key consideration was determining how many targets would be sufficient to send a stern message and establish deterrence.
"The most important thing was how many would have been enough to send a stern message across," the DGMO said.
The target-selection process involved continuous intelligence assessments. "A daily 24-hour research was being done and evolving intelligence on the targets selection," the DGMO recalled.
Military planners examined multiple factors before deciding whether a target should make the final list. These included the ease of targeting, line of sight, the number and nature of people present at the location, the presence of senior terrorist functionaries, the likelihood of mission success, the potential deterrence effect and the possibility of collateral damage.
Each target was therefore assessed not only for its military significance but also for the feasibility and precision of the proposed strike.
After detailed deliberations, the list of 34 potential targets was reduced to nine - five in PoJK and four inside Pakistan.
According to National Security Analyst Nitin Gokhale, Modi was briefed about the risks involved in the proposed strikes and apparently sought around 10–12 hours before taking the final decision.
On April 30, the plan to strike the nine targets received the Prime Minister's approval.
The nine targets selected
The nine locations ultimately selected for the operation were:
Syedna Bilal Camp
Sawai Nala Camp
Kotli
Gulpur Camp
Bhimber
Mehmoona Joya Camp
Sarjal Camp
Bahawalpur
Muridke
Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi said every building at the selected locations was studied in detail so that the armed forces could determine the most appropriate weapons and methods for striking them.
According to the DGMO, the Indian Army carried out strikes on seven of the nine targets, while the remaining two - Bahawalpur and Muridke - were targeted by the Indian Air Force.
Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, former Vice Chief of the Air Staff, described Bahawalpur and Muridke as particularly significant targets because of their symbolic and organisational importance in Pakistan's terror ecosystem.
Muridke was identified as the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba, while Bahawalpur was the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed. Both were located within urban areas, making the challenge one of striking deep and accurately while limiting the possibility of collateral damage.
Why precision mattered
The declassified accounts indicate that the objective was not to launch a broad military campaign against Pakistan but to strike specific terrorist infrastructure in a manner that would have maximum strategic impact.
The target-selection process consequently involved balancing several competing considerations - the importance of a target, the presence of terrorist operatives, the likelihood of successfully hitting it, the potential deterrence value and the risk to civilians.
The emphasis on precision was consistent with Modi's stated direction that India was targeting terrorist camps rather than waging war against Pakistan.
How Pahalgam led to Operation Sindoor
The detailed planning came in the aftermath of the April 22, 2026, terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which killed civilians and triggered India's decision to mount a retaliatory response.
Newly declassified accounts have shed fresh light on the events surrounding the attack, including the circumstances preceding it, Modi's immediate reaction and the subsequent decision-making process that culminated in Operation Sindoor.
According to National Security Analyst Nitin Gokhale, Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir had made remarks highlighting differences between India and Pakistan in a speech to Non-Resident Pakistanis and investors around two weeks before the attack. Gokhale said the remarks amounted to provoking terrorist organisations amid heightened tensions between the two countries.
He described the Pahalgam attack as a carefully planned operation intended to achieve multiple strategic objectives, including creating a communal divide in India, damaging Kashmir's tourism-driven economy and encouraging greater local recruitment into terrorist organisations.
