"It was a test of India's indigenous systems vs Chinese systems...": Warfare expert Spencer on Pakistan's escalation during Op Sindoor

India Gazette

a day ago

New Delhi [India], July 12 (ANI): Noting that Indian strikes during Operation Sindoor were a message about its capability not just to Pakistan, but to the world, a leading international security expert has said that New Delhi demonstrated not just capability but showed the will to strike with precision and restraint.
In a video interview with ANI, warfare scholar and expert John Spencer, who is Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the New York-based Modern War Institute, also said Operation Sindoor came to be a test of India's indigenous systems versus the Chinese systems, and the world was watching.
India launched Operation Sindoor early on May 7 and hit terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians were killed. India repelled subsequent Pakistani military aggression and pounded its airbases.
India and Pakistan agreed to a cessation of hostilities following a call made by Pakistan's DGMO to his Indian counterpart.
Spencer said Pakistan is a Chinese-equipped military, so 'this is absolutely a test of Chinese military technologies, both for the rest of the world and also for China'.
'It (China) uses it (Pakistan) as a lab for this technology...India does share a border with China. Turkey does provide capabilities to Pakistan... Absolutely, a test of those technologies. There is an element of proxy warfare where it's kind of geopolitically who has a military defence agreement with whom and what's the extent of it. But absolutely, this is a test of Indian indigenous systems versus Chinese systems. And everybody was learning from that demonstration because war puts everything to the test,' he said.
Spencer said that for the military capabilities, the evidence was in the video, satellite footage, 'not in the words about how you said your Chinese systems performed'.
He said there is a difference between a war and a named operation like Sindoor, which was a response to a terrorist attack that had a clear start and a clear ending
'There are a lot of nuances there, even from the geopolitical perspective of China or any adversary to India, using Pakistan and these borders to isolate India economically and militarily in all aspects... There is a difference between a war and a named operation like Sindoor, which was a response to a terrorist attack that had a clear start and a clear ending...and this broader kind of state of conflict where nation states are trying to weaken what they view as threats and weaken their neighbours, which is unfortunate,' he said.
Answering a query, Spencer, who is a scholar, author, security analyst and an internationally renowned expert on urban warfare, military strategy and other related topics, said nobody can predict the future, but one of the ways to prevent future wars is through preparation.
'War is always uncertain, political, and human. You can't predict the triggering moment of the next war. You can definitely identify the underlying current or the underlying issues that persist... The underlying condition within India, which is a pattern of response to cross-border terrorism, leads to the formation of a doctrine that an enemy takes advantage of. Nobody can predict the future, but one of the ways you prevent future wars is through preparation, change and being on the ground,' he said.
'This was why I studied Operation Sindoor. It wasn't just about the four days. It was what was happening in the decade preceding and the five years preceding, from India's emergence to the Indian military's transformations and preparations, to the small business innovations that were taking place with the technologies and so many elements that were preventing and leading to being prepared for a war. I can't tell you when the next one is because the enemy always gets a vote. But I can tell you that India is more prepared,' he added.
Regarding the effectiveness of Chinese weapon systems used by Pakistan, Spencer suggested potential shifts in procurement strategies by the Western neighbour, also highlighting 'user error' while managing the equipment.
Spencer indicated that Pakistan might seek advanced technologies elsewhere also, despite financial constraints.
'Absolutely. You would think we put rational actor theories in place, like if what you bought doesn't work, then you go back to the seller and say, 'This didn't work like it was supposed to.' But you also know if there's user error. Absolutely, they'll try to identify their weaknesses and look towards solutions, but they have a money problem. The IMF has to bail Pakistan out,' he said.
'So, where can they get it cheaply? They also want advanced superior technologies. It is a challenge for Pakistan and some other nations, but they'll definitely be looking to integrate... For the military capabilities, the evidence was in that video, satellite footage, not in the words about how you said your Chinese system performed,' he added. (ANI)