How can India target terrorist hideouts deep inside Pakistan without violating air space, LoC, sending troops?

Amid escalating tension between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terrorist attack, the moot question is: can India retaliate and target terrorist hideouts deep inside Pakistan without violating the airspace and risking the lives of its pilots? Analysts believe with a combination of standoff weapons, artillery, drones, and other asymmetric capabilities, India can achieve its aim without risking its troops. This will not only minimise the risk of escalation, but it will also reduce the risk of confrontation. In a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, 25 tourists and a local pony operator were killed, Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba's facade The Resistance Front claimed responsibility, though they denied the same later on. 

BrahMos Supersonic Missile

Developed jointly with Russia, the supersonic cruise missile BrahMos has a range of 290-450 km, which can be extended to 600 km. It can be fired from land, air, or sea platforms. India can use it to target terrorist hideouts in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Punjab, and Sindh. The Pakistan Army may find it extremely difficult to detect and intercept it due to its precision and high speed, making it an ideal choice for surgical strikes.

Nirbhay Missile

With a range of 800-1,000 km, the medium-range missile Nirbhay can be used against any target deep inside the Islamic nation. India can hit a target as far away as one in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or Balochistan. 

Precision weapon Spice 2000

Spice 2000 is a precision-guided weapon that India used in the 2019 Balakot aerial strike and fired from a Mirage 2000. The same can be fired from Rafale this time, keeping itself in Indian airspace. Similarly, Crystal Maze and Storm Shadow are short-range air-to-ground missiles with a range of 100 km and 250 km, respectively. A target located near the LoC can be hit with these missiles. 

Disadvantage

India has the advantage that it will have no collateral damage, as its airplanes will not breach the airspace of the neighbouring state. However, these are vulnerable to Chinese HQ-9 or LY-80, which could intercept some missiles. However, their effectiveness against low-flying or stealth systems is in doubt.

UAVs 

India has unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, like the US-made Predator-B. With the capability of carrying Hellfire missiles or precision-guided bombs with a range of over 1,800 km, these can target almost any target deep inside Pakistan. Besides, short-range loitering ammunition like the Harop flies into Pakistan and destroys targets.

Artillery System

The Indian Army has long-range artillery systems like the Pinaka Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher with a range of 49-90 km. It also has the 155mm artillery systems like Dhanush, K9 Vajra, or M777 Ultra-Light Howitzer with a range of 30-50 km with precision-guided munitions. These can be used for targets situated near the LoC and states like Punjab and Sindh. 

Cyberattack

India can carry out cyberattacks on Pakistani military communication networks, radar systems, or terrorist command structures and make them ineffective. Similarly, India can go for electronic warfare and use EW platforms like the DRDO’s Samyukta system or Rafale’s SPECTRA suite to jam Pakistani radar and communication systems near the border.

The government will have to first decide on its strategy. The success of these systems depends on accurate intelligence, careful calibration, and managing international perceptions. However, instead of going for jingoism to feed domestic politics and nurture the vote back, the government should weigh strategic objectives against potential costs before making a decision.