Operation SINDOOR: The Untold Story of India

LIEUTENANT GENERAL KANWAL JEET SINGH DHILLON, PVSM, UYSM, YSM, VSM (RETD), an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, is a 1983-commissioned Infantry Officer (Rajputana Rifles). Popularly known as ‘Tiny’ Dhillon, he served extensively in counter-insurgency and counterterrorism operational areas of Kashmir and the North-east. During the most challenging environment of the Pulwama IED blast and the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, he commanded the Srinagar-based 15 Corps in Kashmir. He superannuated as Director General, Defence Intelligence Agency, under the Chief of Defence Staff in January 2022. His debut book, Kitne Ghazi Aaye, Kitne Ghazi Gaye (Penguin Veer, 2023), a national bestseller, was the winner of the popular choice award in the non-fiction category of the Crossword Book Awards 2024. His second book, Wafadari Imaandari Zimmedari, released in May 2025, is already a national bestseller.

📌 What it was

• Operation Sindoor was a coordinated military action by India against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and in the Pakistan-occupied region of Jammu & Kashmir (PoK).

• It was launched on 7 May 2025, as a direct response to a terrorist attack at Pahalgam on 22 April 2025, in which 26 civilians were killed. 

• The strikes targeted nine terror sites across Pakistan and PoK, focused on groups such as Jaish‑e‑Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar‑e‑Taiba (LeT). 

🎯 Why the name “Sindoor”?

• The name draws on the word “sindoor” — the red vermilion that married Hindu women apply in the hair-parting, symbolising marital status and the presence of their husband. 

• It symbolises the pain of the widowed wives whose husbands were killed in the Pahalgam attack, and the message that India was responding in their name. 

🛠 How it was carried out

• The operation involved air-strikes and missile strikes executed early on 7 May 2025 (around 01:05 AM) targeting specific terror camps in Kotli, Sialkot, Bhimber etc. 

• The Indian government described the strikes as “focused, measured and non-escalatory”. 

• According to sources, precision weapons and advanced coordination among services were involved (tri-services cooperation).

✔ Key claims & results

• India claimed destruction of major terror camps, including one in Kotli that was described as a “nerve centre” for training suicide bombers.

• According to statements, Pakistan’s military had to face serious consequences; India’s Defence Minister later said Pakistan “had to kneel down”.

⚠️ Important caveats & context

• While India says the action avoided Pakistani military installations, Pakistan has made counter-claims about civilian casualties and military losses. 

• The broader conflict remains unresolved; though this operation was a major event, it is part of a longer term tension between the two countries.

• The naming and the message carry strong symbolic weight — so this operation was as much about strategy and deterrence as it was about immediate tactical success.

📅 Why this matters

• It marks a change in India’s posture: moving from defence and retaliation to proactive strikes across border to dismantle terror infrastructure.

• It sends a symbolic message: that acts targeting civilians and terrorism will evoke a strong response not only militarily but also politically and culturally.

• The operation may influence future India-Pakistan relations, regional security dynamics, and internal narrative in India about national-defence strategy.