What Is Operation Sindoor? Inside India’s deepest military strike in Pakistan since 1971

In the early hours of Wednesday, May 7, India launched a joint military operation targeting nine terror locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation, named Operation Sindoor, came in direct response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, most of them tourists.

This marks India’s most extensive military strike inside Pakistan since the 1971 war. All three branches of India’s armed forces—the Army, Air Force, and Navy—coordinated the operation.

What is Operation Sindoor?

The Indian military described the operation as a “precision strike” aimed at destroying terror camps and leadership. The targets belonged to banned terror groups Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), both of which operate in Kashmir and support its merger with Pakistan.

Indian forces said the strikes focused only on terrorist bases. They did not target any Pakistani military sites.

According to sources quoted by India Today, the name Sindoor—a red powder worn by married Hindu women—was chosen to reflect the nature of the Pahalgam attack. Reports say terrorists singled out newly married men and attacked them based on their religion.

Where did strikes take place?

Indian jets hit nine targets across the border:

• In Pakistan:

  • Bahawalpur (JeM headquarters)

  • Muridke (LeT operational base)

  • Sialkot

  • One additional unnamed location

• In PoK:

  • Muzaffarabad

  • Bagh

  • Bhimber

  • Kotli

  • Gulpur

The Defence Ministry said these locations were used to plan and direct terror operations against India.

The Indian government said the strikes were “focused, measured, and non-escalatory.” It also said that India had shown restraint in choosing the targets and the method of execution.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi monitored the operation throughout the night, according to sources quoted by ANI.

India stated that it mobilized troops and strategic assets to carry out the mission. The strikes involved fighter aircraft, missiles, and surveillance equipment.

What did Pakistan say?

Pakistan’s military claimed that only five sites were hit, not nine. It also said its forces shot down five Indian aircraft—three Rafale jets, one Su-30, and one MiG-29—while they were still in Indian airspace. India has not confirmed any losses.

Pakistan has attempted to downplay the scale and impact of the Indian strikes.

This was India’s first joint military operation since the 1971 war. Back then, Indian forces advanced 50–60 km into Pakistan’s western front during the conflict that led to the creation of Bangladesh.

Unlike 1971, Operation Sindoor did not involve ground troops or territorial gains. It focused entirely on destroying terror infrastructure.

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