In a coordinated military response to the brutal terror attack in Pahalgam, the Indian armed forces struck nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the early hours of May 7. The operation, named “Operation Sindoor”, carries both military precision and cultural weight, symbolising loss, resilience, and tribute.
The joint strikes — involving the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force — mark the first tri-service offensive against Pakistan since the 1971 war. Carried out between 1.05 am and 1.33 am, the missile attacks were aimed at training and infiltration centres linked to terrorist groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
As reported by India Today, key locations included Bahawalpur, Muridke, Muzaffarabad, and Kotli, all known hubs of anti-India activity.
These strikes followed the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, in which 26 civilians, including an Indian Navy officer, were killed. Terrorists reportedly targeted tourists, confirmed their religion, and shot them in front of their families.
The horror of that day was seared into national memory through visuals like that of newlywed Himanshi Narwal beside her husband’s lifeless body, her wedding bangles still on.
The name ‘Sindoor’ was chosen by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself, as per ETV Bharat, to honour the widows left behind. In Hindu tradition, sindoor is the red vermilion worn in the hair parting of married women. Its absence signifies widowhood.
Retired defence expert Captain Anil Gaur underscored the emotional and cultural power of the operation’s name, saying it was a strike "against those who erased the Sindoor of our sisters and mothers".
India Today reported that the targeted sites included notorious locations such as Sawai Nala (Muzaffarabad), Gulpur (Kotli), and Markaz Taiba (Muridke), among others. Over 70 terrorists were reportedly killed, with 60 more injured.
Pakistan, however, claimed civilian casualties, including 26 deaths and 46 injuries, and alleged that some of the sites included residential areas and mosques, a claim India denies.
Pakistan also stated it shot down five Indian fighter jets and destroyed a brigade headquarters, claims that remain unverified by India. The Indian side reported three fighter jet crashes on home soil due to technical issues.
Cross-border shelling intensified following the strikes, resulting in civilian casualties in Jammu and Kashmir.
Diplomatic outreach followed swiftly. Indian officials briefed counterparts in the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, UAE, and Saudi Arabia. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval also updated US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the targeted nature of the operation.
Meanwhile, ETV Bharat noted the emotional responses from the families of victims. Ashanya, who lost her husband Shubham Dwivedi, said the name "clearly shows they stand with us".
India maintains that Operation Sindoor was not an act of escalation, but of justice.
