Operation Sindoor

 ‘Operation Sindoor’ is the name given by the Indian Armed Forces (Army, Navy & Air Force) to their recent military action targeting terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on May 7, 2025. 

This operation was initiated in response to the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22nd, 2025, which resulted in the deaths of 25 Indian citizens and one Nepali national.

The primary goal of Operation Sindoor was to dismantle terrorist infrastructure and neutralize terrorists who were planning and directing attacks against India.

In contrast to previous military operations with aggressive titles which intended to show power, the name of this operation was selected as a personal homage to the victims, notably the widows of the Pahalgam assault. 

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi oversaw the Indian government's briefing on the operation.  


Terror Hubs Targeted in Operation Sindoor


The Indian military conducted precision strikes on at least nine locations. These included areas in Pakistan such as Bahawalpur and Muridke, as well as places within PoK, like Muzaffarabad and Kotli.

These sites were identified as key training and operational hubs for terrorist organizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

Following the 1999 release of Masood Azhar after the IC-814 hijacking, Bahawalpur became the central hub for the Jeish-e-Mohammed (JeM). 

This group, founded in January 2000 by the now-unseen global terrorist Azhar (last publicly sighted in April 2019), has been implicated in numerous terror attacks in India, including the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2000 Jammu & Kashmir Assembly strike, the 2016 Pathankot airbase attack, and the 2019 Pulwama bombing.

Meanwhile, Muridke, located 30 km from Lahore, has served as the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) since 1990. 

This UN-designated terror group, headed by India's most wanted Hafiz Saeed, was responsible for the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and has conducted strikes in various Indian locations, including Jammu & Kashmir, Bangalore, and Hyderabad.

Indian military employed Rafale jets with high-precision weapons like SCALP Cruise Missiles (Storm Shadow), HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) Precision-Guided Bombs, METEOR, BRAHMOS and Loitering Munitions (Kamikaze drones) during the Operation Sindoor. 

The operation lasted for approximately 23 minutes.


Pakistan's Reaction & International Response


Following India's strikes on May 7, Pakistan condemned the actions as an 'act of war,' claiming civilian casualties. They have threatened to retaliate.

In the early hours of May 8, Pakistan launched coordinated drone and missile strikes targeting Indian military installations across northern and western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, and Bhuj. 

These attacks were reportedly thwarted by India's multi-layered air defense systems, including the S-400 missile system (Sudarshan Chakra), marking its first combat use.

Pakistan has reportedly intensified its unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC), particularly in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir. 

This has resulted in casualties, with reports indicating at least 13 people killed in these ceasefire violations.

India responded with 'equal intensity.'

There were reports of India targeting Pakistani air defense radars and systems at several locations, including the Nur Khan and Rahimyar Khan airbases, and later on May 10, key military bases and airfields across Pakistan.


Ceasefire and Current Situation


A ceasefire between India and Pakistan was agreed on May 10, 2025, after intense military engagements and escalating tensions.

The situation following ‘Operation Sindoor’ remains highly tense and is evolving rapidly.  

India reported approximately 100 terrorists killed in its strikes. Pakistan claimed at least 31 civilian deaths and 46 injured from India's initial strikes. 

Casualties were also reported from Pakistani cross-border shelling, with reports indicating at least 13 people killed in these ceasefire violations.


International Response


Several countries and international bodies have called for restraint and de-escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan.

During Operation Sindoor, the United States expressed concern and advised its citizens in Lahore to leave the area due to security concerns. 

While US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance contacted Indian and Pakistani officials, India has maintained that the ceasefire was a direct, bilateral agreement between the two nations, with no third-party mediation involved. 

US President Donald Trump, however, claimed his administration helped broker the peace.

  • China called for peace and stability.
  • Sweden issued a travel warning for Pakistan.
  • Israel publicly supported India's right to self-defense.
  • Germany expressed strong support for India, stating that India has 'every right to defend itself against terrorism' and emphasized the importance of the truce remaining stable for bilateral dialogue.
  • Japanese strategic expert Satoru Nagao praised Operation Sindoor as a 'responsible and proper' response, calling it a "good example of punishment" for state-sponsored terrorism.

Operation Sindoor is being seen as a turning point in India's approach to cross-border terrorism, establishing a 'new normal' in its response doctrine that includes calibrated use of force and a strong signal against nuclear blackmail.


Operation Keller

It was a counter-terrorism operation (search and destroy) launched by the Indian Army on May 13, 2025, in the dense Keller forest area of Shopian district, Jammu and Kashmir.

Based on intelligence inputs of a Rashtriyas Rifles Unit, the operation resulted in the neutralization of three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists, including a local commander, and the recovery of a significant cache of arms and ammunition. 

This mission followed closely after 'Operation Sindoor,' demonstrating India's continued efforts to dismantle terror networks.


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