Operation Sindoor: India’s Purposeful Retaliation Against Terrorism

In a decisive manoeuvre, India launched Operation Sindoor to hit terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan in substantial retaliation to a recent ghastly act of terror, as testified by India’s defence chief. Indian fighter jets with precise strikes targeted accurately nine terror bases in Pakistan and POK on the nights of the 6th and 7th May in 2025. The remarkable pace and precision of this operation speak volumes of its swift preparedness and excellent intelligence assessment ability, marking a loud declaration to train the dismantling of terrorist networks working across its borders.

Operation Sindoor took flight following a nail-biting terrorist act on April 22, 2025, in Pahalgam, Kashmir. Twenty-six innocent civilians lost their lives in this merciless attack, most of whom were Indian Hindu tourists, apart from one Christian tourist and a local Muslim, who lost their life while defending them. People regard it as the greatest terrorist attack on civilians in India since Mumbai in 2008.

Intelligence agencies believe the terrorists are affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based terror organization, and used high-grade weapons such as M4 carbines and AK-47s. India has vigorously condemned Pakistan for the continuous support of these terrorist elements, stating that this act was an intentional attempt to destabilize the region and hamper the return of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir. The religious targeting of tourists in Pahalgam seems to be a deliberate effort at fomenting communal hatred and disrupt social harmony in India. The unbelievable level of brutality from the Pahalgam attack sparkled widespread national outrage and led to calls for the Indian government to respond decisively.

Adding a sinister turn to the tragedy, the terrorists asked the widowed women who survived the massacre to convey a personal message to Prime Minister Modi. The perpetrators deliberately kept these women alive to convey this message after the dastardly killings, an act that the nation saw as a direct provocation and challenge. The intended message of the terrorists, conveyed through the vulnerable widows, was a despicable attempt to instil fear and convey an image of their strength. But this nefarious act had the unforeseen effect of increasing the pain and suffering of the victims, probably mobilizing India to pursue a robust counter-terrorism action.

The planners envisaged and executed Operation Sindoor following the mandate of an urgent need for a decisive response. They premeditated the operation as a measured and proportionate reprisal with the primary objectives of dismantling the infrastructure of terrorism and preventing future cross-border attacks. India’s action is pursuant to the call by the United Nations Security Council to impose responsibility upon the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack. The emphasis on a “measured and proportionate” response suggests that it holds a strategic deterrent value meant to dissuade future aggression while not unnecessarily escalating the conflict.

Before the commencement of Operation Sindoor, India took certain important measures, including a unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty on April 23, 2025, quite in keeping with the spirit of the same strategy. Accordingly, India initiated the partial shutdown of the Baglihar and Salal Dams on the river Chenab, limiting the flow of water towards Pakistan. Then India released water from these two dams, opened the gates of Salal dam, and the Chenab waters once more flowed into the territory of Pakistan. A gush of water, both an abundance and wrath of the elements, surged free, its effects felt in the stretches beyond the border.

These actions could not be regarded as acts of aggression but rather were prepared steps, laying the course of action for what followed next. These actions, when meant to state India’s rights to water, kept Pakistan anxious about flooding and application of water for their agriculture. Pakistan much condemned this blocking of water as equated to an act of war. The World Bank clarified that its role was that of a facilitator in the Indus water dispute. India asserted its sovereign right to utilize its water resources for its own benefit.

Operation Sindoor involved well-coordinated missile attacks, with 24 missiles used in a swift operation that lasted 25 minutes. The operation targeted nine major terrorist facilities in Pakistan and PoK, including Bahawalpur and Muridke, home to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba camps. These operations killed Abdul Rauf Azhar, brother of JeM chief Masood Azhar and the operational chief of terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed. Masood Azhar admitted that Operation Sindoor’s raids in Bahawalpur killed ten of his family members and four close friends.

The Indian Air Force sent Rafale fighter aircraft armed with SCALP cruise missiles for this mission and aimed solely at terror infrastructure with measured accuracy. Striking such terror hubs reflects India’s resolve to punish the Pahalgam attackers and fight terrorism decisively.

In a powerful symbolic gesture, female officers from the Indian military presented the official press briefing on Operation Sindoor. For the first time in Indian history, two female officers jointly led communication for a major Indian military operation. Their presence sent a strong message of national unity, secularism, and female empowerment, reflecting their increasing and vital roles in India’s military forces. Both officers have distinguished service records. Their confident and assertive briefing reassured the people of India, and their leadership generated widespread support. The deliberate use of female officers to head this briefing was a strong symbolic move. This explicitly countered the terrorists’ message targeting widowed women; reflecting on India’s progressive values.

Profile of Women Officers who led the Press Briefing

India chose to name the operation “Sindoor” deliberately. It refers to the vermilion worn by married Hindu women, symbolizing union, love, and prosperity. The name strongly symbolizes the deep pain of women widowed in the Pahalgam terror attack, and loss that they endured. This showcases India’s fierce resolve against terror, seen by some as an act of symbolic revenge. This name was personally chosen by Prime Minister Modi, knowing its strong cultural and emotional appeal.

After Operation Sindoor, Pakistan escalated the conflict by deploying around 400 + Turkish-origin drones to 36 points in Indian territory. India responded firmly, using air defence systems to shoot down Pakistani drones entering its airspace. Certain Indian border states implemented blackouts to maintain security. Areas such as Jammu and Srinagar witnessed explosions during the heightened tension. Drone sightings over Jammu, Punjab, and Rajasthan triggered immediate action from Indian military units.

India was able to repel these incursions successfully using both kinetic and non-kinetic measures, including its S-400 missile system. Airports in northern and western India were closed temporarily as a precautionary measure. Pakistan claimed to have shot down several Indian drones which was later negated by India. The latter asserted its dominance by disabling the air defence systems of Pakistan in the area around Lahore.

Amidst all this turmoil, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a $1.3 billion loan to Pakistan. India voted against the loan to express its reservations, citing Pakistan’s history of supporting terrorism. It argued that extending the loan could send the wrong message, appearing to endorse such activities internationally.

India has continued to demonstrate unwavering resolve and solidarity in its war against terrorism. The government and the armed forces have taken strong action in Operation Sindoor. The victims’ families have widely regarded this justified response to the attack in Pahalgam, expressing their deepest appreciation. The nation demonstrates strong solidarity, strongly condemning terrorism in all its manifestations. Prime Minister Modi has reiterated India’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that acts of terrorism will be punished. The widespread support for Operation Sindoor demonstrates a deep sense of national solidarity and resolution to confront terrorism.

Operation Sindoor is perhaps the strongest testimony of India’s resolve and its efforts in countering cross-border terrorism. Water resource as strategy, surgical strikes committed at dawn, and women officers being in the forefront of the counter-propaganda exercise all project India’s stance against terrorism. The operation’s name is also deeply rooted in Indian ethos. It serves as a powerful reminder of the toll of terrorism and reflects the country’s unwavering resolve to deliver justice.

Following days of intense conflict, a ceasefire was announced on Saturday, 10 May. The United States initially claimed to have mediated the agreement. India clarified that the ceasefire was an understanding reached directly between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan. The appeal for ceasefire was presented by Pakistan, after major Indian strikes that damaged quite a few of their airstrips. However, within hours of this agreement, Pakistan violated the ceasefire shelling along the LoC in the Akhnoor sector and employing drones to cross the border. India retaliated strongly against this, issuing instructions to the armed forces to respond decisively to any future breaches.

Authorities placed several cities and states including J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, on high alert as tensions and ceasefire violations escalated. Officials imposed blackout measures at night in these areas as a precautionary measure against potential drone and shell attacks. While the alerts and blackouts mainly focused on western India bordering Pakistan, vigilance was increased throughout the whole nation.

Following the ceasefire and subsequent violations, the Indian Armed Forces had held a press conference to provide updates. Operation Sindoor achieved its objective of destroying the terrorist camps and inflicting heavy casualties on the Pakistani forces. The officials further spoke about Pakistan’s attempts to violate Indian airspace using drones and missiles. India intercepted almost all of them due to its strong air defence systems. The Armed Forces reaffirmed India’s zero tolerance for cross-border terrorism and warned of a strong response to any future aggression, with full authority granted to field commanders. This thus reiterated India’s commitment to safeguard its sovereignty and ensure the safety of its citizens if faced with provocations.

Timeline of Key Events Leading to Operation Sindoor and Subsequent Ceasefire Violations

Jai Hind!