UNDOUBTEDLY, Operation Al-Bunyan Al-Marsus (OBM) has serious regional geopolitical and global geostrategic ramifications, clearly demonstrating a paradigm shift of power in South East Asia and Central Asia.
The shooting down of three Rafales, destruction of the S-400 and interception and attack on BrahMos demolished the Indian armed forces and IAF solo flights; ultimately, both were grounded and rumpled.
From then on, the Pakistan Air Force, JF-17 Thunder and its indigenous electromagnetic system became a new regional balancing act, forcing Uzbekistan and Indonesia to reconsider their desire to buy Rafales.
It is predicted that the JF-17 will be a hot-selling product in Central Asia, especially in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and even the African continent.
Regional cooperation in counter-terrorism, peace, stability and military collaboration with Pakistan would be further strengthened.
It is estimated that the defence forces of Pakistan would launch a comprehensive counterterrorism operation against BLA, TTP, MB and FS in the near future and destroy all destabilizing factors in the country.
For China it has also great benefits which may be witnessed very soon in the ongoing dominance drive in the South China Sea and Taiwan issue.
It will successfully unlock the US Military Complex and China’s Containment Theories.
Moreover, it would further increase China’s market share in arms exports, especially J-10C and PL-15 missiles to many countries of South East Asia, Central Asia, Middle East and African region.
The writer is of the opinion that the immediate economic bounty of the OBM is the signing of the US-China Temporary Trade Deal, compelling Donald Trump’s government to truce the ongoing trade war.
Additionally, it is predicted that Bangladesh may face a harsh attitude from India for which its government has already approached Beijing supplying J-10C war-fighter and other essential equipment.
It seems that victory of the OBM was the start of the “New Normal” in the region seriously damaging Indian aerial superiority and snatching its geopolitical and geostrategic hegemonic designs in the region and beyond.
Most of the international war experts dubbed Pak-India was as a “Representative War” between USA and China wherein the Chinese war gadgetry, missiles (PL-15), satellite jamming, system hacking and J-10C successfully “outperformed” Indian as well as US, France, Israel and Russia so-called world class war equipment.
However, simply it was downfall of 3Rs i.e.Rafael, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Rajouri air base dismantling the myth and might of the Western so-called supremacy in military complex projects.
Indian belligerent attacks crossed all limits and the missile firing at Noor Khan Airbase marked the turning point.
In response, Pakistan launched one of the most comprehensive air strikes in modern war history, redefining conventional warfare.
The destruction of Beas, Nagrota and BrahMos storage sites exposed the myth of Indian air defence.
Obliteration of S-400 systems in Udhampur pushed Indian policymakers toward a ceasefire.
Lethal strikes on Pathankot, Gujrat and the logistics hub in Jalandhar showcased PAF’s precision, triggering explosions and severing supply lines.
Pakistan’s strikes on Nagrota, Akhnoor and Uri were swift and digitally precise.
The assault on Srinagar’s Northern Command HQ, killing over 21, shocked India’s northern belt.
Attacks on Chandigarh’s depot, Suratgarh airfield and drone strikes from Uri to Pokhran devastated logistics, fuel and communication networks from Amritsar to Barmer.
Even airspace near Delhi’s National Capital Region was not spared, marking a critical shift in regional air dominance.
The PAF adopted a “multi-domain” referring to operations that integrate and synchronise capabilities across multiple warfare domains to achieve mission objectives consisting of traditional aircraft-based operations, land coordination with ground forces, sea involving naval power, space satellites, missile warning, navigation (GPS) and communications, cyber digital warfare, including network defense and offensive cyber operations, Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS), jamming, electronic warfare and signal disruption which were possible without the Chinese collaboration and coordination.
In summary, the policy makers and armed forces of Pakistan must be vigilant to counter any further Indian escalation because as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claimed that “Operation Sindoor” has been paused not closed showing the BJP’s real face believing in terrorism and destruction.
According to reliable diplomatic sources, the ceasefire was arranged to ensure Trump’s high-profile Middle East trip proceeded without disruption.
Meanwhile, the landing of Israeli and US warplanes in India raised concerns of renewed hostilities.
Fears persist that the Indian army may escalate again after May 23.
In a related development, China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs released a standardised list of 27 location names—including 15 mountains, five residential areas, four passes, two rivers and one lake—directly disputing Arunachal Pradesh and signalling its claim to the region.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed that Zangnan is historically, geographically and administratively part of China.
It is high time that Pakistan’s all embassies in Central Asia should start a consolidation drive highlighting numerous socio-economic, geopolitical and geostrategic benefits of the Operation Al-Bunyan Al-Marsus and search for lucrative deals for the country.
The writer submits that formation of genuine regional experts, applied economists and strategists would be a right step in the right direction instead of blindly replying to former envoys.
Last but not least, since era of conventional war is over the policy makers of Pakistan and China should jointly chalk out a holistic and comprehensive policy to further strengthen mutual cooperation in stealth war-fighter, electromagnetic, satellite jamming, joint production of nuclear & combat drones, laser technologies, naval expansion, missile cooperation expansion and last but not least, joint counter mechanism against any Indian aggression in the future.
—The writer is President, Pak-China Corridor of Knowledge, Executive Director, CSAIS, regional expert: China, CPEC & BRI. (mehmoodulhassankhan@yahoo.com)
