Military Historians John Spencer and Liam Collins Investigate 2025 India-Pakistan Conflict and Operation Sindoor

Renowned military scholars John Spencer and Liam Collins are working on a significant new book that delves into the four-day armed conflict between India and Pakistan in May 2025. This confrontation is considered one of the most pivotal military engagements between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in recent decades.

Spencer disclosed details of the project on June 23 via a social media post, mentioning that both authors have been dedicating long hours to the book. The publication will primarily be based on original-source research rather than relying only on publicly available reports and battlefield assessments.

Spencer highlighted that their research includes interviews with senior officials from the Indian and Pakistani military, operational commanders, and other key individuals directly involved in the conflict. The authors have also conducted field research in crucial areas related to the crisis, such as Pahalgam and the Line of Control.

Interviews With India’s Senior Military Leadership

The researchers have gained access to some of the highest-ranking officers in the Indian Armed Forces.

Spencer noted that their interviews for the project include discussions with Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti, and Director General Naval Operations Vice Admiral A. N. Pramod.

Air Marshal Bharti was among those who publicly briefed the media about Indian Air Force operations during Operation Sindoor, while Vice Admiral Pramod led the Indian Navy's operational directorate during the period covered by the book.

Spencer stressed that the research will not be limited to the Indian perspective. The authors are also engaging with Pakistani sources to assess the planning, perceptions, and military decisions on both sides.

This level of access may allow the book to detail how political directives were translated into operational decisions across land, air, and maritime domains during the conflict’s escalation.

An accompanying photograph with Spencer’s announcement depicted the researchers in a formal setting with senior Indian Air Force officers, underscoring the high-level access provided to the project.

Conflict Followed Pahalgam Terror Attack

The confrontation erupted in the aftermath of the April 22, 2025, terrorist attack at Baisaran near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 people, including 25 Indian citizens and one Nepali national, lost their lives.

Reports indicated that the terrorists singled out victims based on their religion before opening fire, an act that India condemned as an attempt to incite communal divisions within the country.

The incident led to a major diplomatic crisis between India and Pakistan. New Delhi accused terrorist networks based in Pakistan of involvement, announcing a series of retaliatory measures. Pakistan, however, denied the allegations and responded with its own countermeasures.

Tensions heightened over the subsequent two weeks, with increased firing and military activity along the Line of Control.

Operation Sindoor Begins

During the night between May 6 and May 7, 2025, India initiated Operation Sindoor, targeting nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The Indian government identified these targets as terrorist camps and facilities linked to groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, emphasizing that the operation was focused and measured, avoiding Pakistani military installations and civilian areas.

Pakistan condemned the strikes and launched retaliatory military actions. The confrontation then expanded beyond the original targets, with both nations utilizing artillery, drones, missiles, loitering munitions, air-defense systems, and long-range precision weapons.

Indian forces subsequently attacked Pakistani airbases, radar installations, command centers, and other military infrastructure after accusing Pakistan of repeated attacks on Indian military facilities.

The Indian Navy also deployed significant assets in the Arabian Sea, while the Army and Air Force operated a coordinated air-defense network to counter drones and missiles.

This conflict marked a significant departure from previous India-Pakistan crises due to the scale and variety of advanced systems used, demonstrating how a confrontation can rapidly spread across multiple military domains while staying below a full-scale war threshold.

Fighting Ends After Four Days

The most intense phase of the conflict occurred from May 7 to May 10, 2025.

On May 10, India announced that Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations had contacted his Indian counterpart, resulting in both sides agreeing to cease military actions on land, in the air, and at sea.

The crisis also saw involvement from American officials, although the exact role of the United States remains a topic of debate, with India asserting that the agreement to halt military action was achieved through direct military communications.

Both India and Pakistan later described their operations as successful, but many claims regarding aircraft losses, casualties, interceptions, and damage to military facilities remain disputed.

Independent analysts have highlighted that misinformation and disinformation complicated efforts to establish a comprehensive account of the confrontation. This uncertainty underscores the potential significance of a study based on interviews with commanders and field research.

Examining a New Strategic Paradigm

Spencer has suggested that the authors perceive Operation Sindoor as more than just an isolated military exchange.

The book is anticipated to explore how India's response altered assumptions about geographical restraint, retaliation against cross-border terrorism, and the handling of military confrontations between nuclear-armed nations.

India’s decision to target locations deeper inside Pakistan, including sites associated with terrorist organizations in Muridke and Bahawalpur, indicated that areas previously deemed shielded by distance or escalation risks might no longer be immune from Indian strikes.

The conflict also highlighted the rising importance of stand-off weapons, integrated air defense, electronic warfare, unmanned systems, and real-time command-and-control networks.

Another central theme is expected to be escalation management. Despite intense exchanges involving missiles, drones, and artillery, both countries calibrated their actions and eventually ended the fighting without crossing the nuclear threshold.

Lessons Extending Beyond South Asia

The significance of the book may extend beyond India-Pakistan relations.

Pakistan employs several Chinese-origin military platforms, including fighter aircraft, air-to-air missiles, and air-defense systems. Their performance during the conflict attracted global attention due to the broader implications for nations evaluating Chinese weapons and preparing for future potential confrontations with the People’s Liberation Army.

Indian capabilities will also be scrutinized closely. Operation Sindoor involved coordinated efforts by the Army, Navy, and Air Force, along with intelligence agencies and a mix of indigenous and foreign-origin weapons systems.

The authors are likely to examine how India selected its targets, coordinated operations across the services, defended its airspace, and communicated its political goals during the crisis.

Narrative warfare and information operations are also expected to be significant components of the book. Both countries sought to establish their narratives, while misleading images, recycled videos, and unsupported battlefield claims circulated widely online.

By combining interviews from India and Pakistan with visits to key locations where the crisis unfolded, Spencer and Collins aim to provide a detailed account of the decisions made before, during, and immediately after the fighting.

Experienced Authors of Modern-Warfare Studies

John Spencer chairs urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute and co-directs its Urban Warfare Project. A retired U.S. Army infantry officer, his service spanned 25 years, including two combat tours in Iraq.

Liam Collins, a retired U.S. Army Special Forces colonel, founded the Modern War Institute at West Point. His operational experience includes deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, the Horn of Africa, and South America.

Collins currently directs the Madison Policy Forum and has served as a military and strategic adviser.

Spencer and Collins co-authored "Understanding Urban Warfare," a study exploring the complexities of urban combat. Their work often combines battlefield research, interviews with participants, and analyses of contemporary military operations.

Release Details Yet to Be Announced

The official title, publisher, and expected publication date for the book on the India-Pakistan conflict have not yet been released.

Spencer noted that further research, travel, and writing are ongoing, with more details about the project to be shared later.

Once completed, the volume may become one of the most thoroughly researched accounts of the 2025 confrontation. Its primary-source approach could assist military professionals, policymakers, and scholars in understanding how the four-day conflict reshaped deterrence, precision warfare, and strategic signaling in South Asia.

Even more than a year after the conflict ended, many questions about the crisis remain unresolved. The forthcoming book by Spencer and Collins is anticipated to provide valuable insights into the origin of the confrontation, how it unfolded, and how two nuclear-armed nations eventually stepped back from further escalation.