Operation Sindoor- Redefining India's Policy Against Terrorism

By Pratishtha Dabas

In the global fight against terrorism, India launched Operation Sindoor in May 2025. This landmark mission demonstrates the robust counterterrorism doctrine following a brutal terrorist attack on April 22, 2025, linked to Pakistan-based terror camps in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir. On that dark day, terrorists mercilessly fired on a tourist gathering, targeting them out of religious hatred. We lost our 26 innocent brothers. The survivors later narrated how the terrorists asked their victims if they were Hindu, in our very own Hindustan and then shot them, leaving us all enraged and in tears. 

Wives mourned the untimely death of their husbands as bullets tore apart peace in the valley. Those cries and gutted silence will echo through the mountains forever, haunting the conscience of the whole nation. Nobody can truly comprehend the horrific trauma endured by those families. 

It was a planned attack to crush the heart of India. One woman, pleading to be killed alongside her husband, was told by a terrorist to "Go tell Modi." The sheer inhumanity called for an immediate yet transformative retort. 

As a solid retaliation, the Indian Air Force struck at the breeding terrorism sites in Pakistan-Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK) between 1:05 and 1:30 AM on May 7, 2025. They were successful in eradicating ammunition depots, launchpads and numerous terrorists that had long threatened our poise. 

The operation's name, inspired by the sacred red vermilion that graces the foreheads of married women in India, represented justice for every sindoor wiped off a grieving widow. The Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with his exceptional cabinet and the esteemed Indian Armed Forces, executed this historic move that the world shall remember. India has declared zero tolerance towards terrorism on a diplomatic level. Our PM announced globally that terror and talks can never coincide. Likewise, blood and water cannot flow together, just as terror and trade cannot coexist. India will not succumb to any attempts at blackmail and will respond with fearlessness if provoked. 

India also launched a strict narrative worldwide, presenting irrefutable evidence on platforms and unmasking state sponsors of terrorism through confident briefings by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and valiant officers Col. Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. 

They clarified that our fight is against terrorism and not innocent civilians. Countries around the world stood with us, not just in sympathy but in solidarity. 

The perseverance exhibited by the DGMOs of the Armed Forces during critical military briefings after the ceasefire declaration was commendable and provided an appropriate response to misleading accounts from enemy counterparts. 

My family stood at the borders of Jammu and Bathinda, where the Pakistani military rained shells and drone missiles in bitter retribution but in vain because of our super efficient Air Defense System and border forces. 

I am a proud niece to Lt. Col. Anila Khatri, an excellent officer and a paratrooper who's part of an undefeated Air Defense Regiment that fended our nation in wartime. Her courage and contribution to the safety and soaring high in the skies is invincible. Patriotism is not a slogan but the air I breathe. The war involved not only headlines but also pride, sleepless nights, and constant texts to ensure that everything was well.

As responsible citizens, we must acknowledge our duties and back our nation during testing times. We can make a difference by fighting misinformation and promoting the truth. We take a moment to honour the unsung heroes and martyrs who sacrificed tirelessly behind the scenes to safeguard us. Their dedication deserves our heartfelt gratitude. Jai Hind! 

Hail Indian Armed Forces.

By Pratishtha Dabas