Operation Sindoor is a major coordinated military action by the Indian Armed Forces against the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the early hours of May 7, 2025. The operation was carried out as a cohort of retaliatory attacks for the preceding Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, 2025, which resulted in the killing of 26 civilians-25 Indians and 1 Nepali citizen-making it the deadliest terror attack witnessed by India in recent years.
Operation Sindoor Key Facts
Objective: To destroy terror camps and infrastructure of groups responsible for attacks on India, specifically Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).
Execution: 24 precision strikes were made against nine terror sites-terror sites four in Pakistan and five in PoK. Strikes had been made from Indian airspace. No aircraft crossed the LoC.
Duration: The strikes lasted just 25 minutes, from 1:05 AM to 1:30 AM on May 7, 2025.
Casualties: More than 70 terrorists killed and more than 60 wounded, according to Indian sources. No Indian military or civilian casualties were reported. Pakistan claimed eight civilian deaths and more than 35 injuries.
Targets: Headquarters and training camps of the targeted terror groups at all nine sites. Prominent among the locations hit were:
- Markaz Subhan Allah, Bahawalpur (JeM)
- Markaz Taiba, Muridke (LeT)
- Sarjal, Tehra Kalan (JeM)
- Mehmoona Joya, Sialkot (HM)
- Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala (LeT)
- Markaz Abbas, Kotli (JeM)
- Maskar Raheel Shahid, Kotli (HM)
- Shawai Nalla Camp, Muzaffarabad (LeT)
- Syedna Bilal Camp, Muzaffarabad (JeM)
Approach: The operation was described by India as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” deliberately avoiding Pakistani military installations and minimizing civilian casualties
Leadership: Prime Minister Narendra Modi closely monitored the operation. The post-strike briefing was led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, alongside senior women officers, symbolizing national resolve and honoring the widows of the Pahalgam attack victims
Context and Aftermath
Trigger: The Pahalgam attack involved terrorists separating men from women and executing the men, leaving the women to relay the incident to Indian authorities. The operation’s name, “Sindoor,” refers to the red vermilion worn by married Hindu women, symbolizing the government’s tribute to the widows of the massacre
International Response: Pakistan denied involvement in the Pahalgam attack and reported civilian casualties from the strikes, while also claiming to have downed five Indian aircraft-a claim not confirmed by India
Security Measures: Following the operation, India conducted a nationwide civil defense drill-the largest since the 1971 war-across nearly 300 districts, reflecting heightened alertness
Significance
Operation Sindoor stands out for its speed, precision, and symbolism. It demonstrated India’s resolve to hold perpetrators of terrorism accountable, while taking care to avoid escalation with Pakistan by steering clear of military targets and focusing solely on terror infrastructure
