ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): Pakistan used less than 10 per cent of its cyber strike capabilities in a recent retaliatory move against India, yet the impact was described as severe by a senior defence official.
While the world witnessed a visible military response involving Fateh-1 and Fateh-2 rockets along with Babur cruise missiles targeting key Indian sites including a prized S-400 radar, officials say the real blow came from the invisible cyber front.
According to security officials, even before missiles struck, Indian markets plunged INR6.9 trillion ($83 billion) in just 48 hours.
Security sources revealed that the cyber strike caused significant disruption across India. Ten SCADA systems were destroyed, over 1,700 servers were wiped, 13 government websites went offline, railway operations collapsed, and power grids were disrupted to the extent that even Mumbai had to rely on emergency backup.
Pakistan’s cyber strikes reportedly included GPS spoofing, signal jamming, satellite blinding, and hacking of sensitive databases. These actions led to market instability and a freeze in critical infrastructure.
Security sources described it as an example of fifth-generation warfare, where traditional weapons take a back seat and conflict is driven by technology, information, and psychological pressure. “This is not just retaliation,” the source said. “It’s a redefinition of how wars are fought, with firmware, fibre, frequency and fear.”
The operation also featured the use of unarmed drones over major Indian cities such as New Delhi and Gujarat for psychological impact, alongside Kamikaze drones equipped with electronic warfare payloads to jam communication and blind response systems.
According to security sources, intelligence-based strikes were also carried out on camps allegedly involved in planning IED attacks inside Pakistan, resulting in the elimination of several key figures responsible for cross-border terrorism.
Cyber and military retaliation of Pakistan has portrayed its well-equipped military in a measured and forceful way, targeting physical objectives simultaneously with surgical precision, and online infrastructure.
With the use of the fifth generation practices such as networking disruption and psychological influence, the operation not only rendered revenge, but in reality transformed the ways modern constriction is fought.
The message is clear: Pakistan shows its potential of creating great damage, using less than its full capabilities.