India, Nov. 9 -- The fighting may stop, but the strategic contest does not. That is the central message of Hindustan Times Executive Editor Shishir Gupta's assessment of the changing India-Pakistan equation: Operation Sindoor has not diminished the challenge from Islamabad, and India must prepare for an adversary investing in military capabilities while cultivating powerful international partners.

Speaking to HT Senior Anchor Aayesha Varma on Point Blank, Gupta described a competition extending beyond fighter aircraft, missiles and submarines. Its other dimensions include diplomatic bargaining, intelligence operations and information warfare. India, he argued, retains the military advantage, but sustaining that edge will require self-rel...