Operation Sindoor: In a remarkable show of force and strategic precision, India’s Operation Sindoor has emerged as a defining moment in South Asia’s security narrative. Launched in the early hours of 10th May, this multi-phase, 10-hour air assault executed by the Indian Armed Forces sent shockwaves not just through Pakistan’s military establishment but also among global power corridors.
Operation Sindoor was India’s direct response to the brutal Pahalgam terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 innocent Hindu pilgrims lost their lives. The attack was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. What followed was an escalation unlike any in recent history—meticulously planned, decisively executed, and strategically bold.
A Gruesome Trigger: The Pahalgam Massacre
The events that led to Operation Sindoor began with the bloodbath in Pahalgam. As the nation mourned, the Indian establishment moved swiftly into war-mode. On 7th May, Indian forces targeted and obliterated multiple terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Over 100 terrorists were reportedly neutralized.
India issued a stern warning: the strikes were aimed solely at terror infrastructure, not at Pakistan’s civilian or military assets. But Pakistan, shaken and provoked, retaliated with drone and missile strikes—sparking a wider confrontation.
A Call from Washington and the Final Go-Ahead
On the night of 9th May, just hours before India would retaliate again, a high-stakes phone call took place. U.S. Vice President JD Vance dialed Prime Minister Narendra Modi at around 10:30 PM, warning of an imminent, large-scale strike by Pakistan. PM Modi’s response was unflinching: “India will not just endure but respond with unmatched intensity.”
India’s war council, led by NSA Ajit Doval, CDS General Anil Chauhan, and the three service chiefs, sprang into action. This wasn’t a contingency anymore—it was an active war theatre.
Pakistan Strikes First, But India Strikes Back Harder
At 1:30 AM on 10th May, Pakistan launched one of its largest missile and drone offensives in recent memory. But India’s layered air defence systems, especially the powerful S-400s deployed in Adampur and other key bases, stood like an iron shield, intercepting the bulk of the attack.
What followed was India’s calculated fury.
By 2:30 AM, India unleashed its counterstrike. A combination of BrahMos, SCALP, and Crystal Maze missiles, supported by indigenously built loitering munitions like Harop and Nagastra, tore through Pakistan’s strategic depth.
Deep Strikes and Devastation
The Nur Khan Airbase near Rawalpindi, uncomfortably close to Pakistan’s military HQ, was struck in the first wave. India had entered Pakistani airspace with purpose, and nothing could stop it.
Command centres were reduced to rubble. A C-130 military aircraft was blown up on the runway. Down south, Rahimyar Khan airbase was devastated—its runways, taxiways, and operational infrastructure rendered unusable.
Simultaneously, Indian Army artillery units used M-777 howitzers with Excalibur ammunition to hammer forward Pakistani positions across the LoC and International Border.
Psychological Shock: Strikes on Sargodha and Murid
By morning, panic had gripped Islamabad. The second and third waves of Indian strikes were even more audacious. India targeted Sargodha and Murid, key bases hosting Pakistan’s prized F-16 fighter jets. The strikes were accurate and shocking in their reach—raising alarms not just in Pakistan but in Washington and Beijing.
As early as 9:30 AM, Pakistan was attempting backchannel diplomacy through its High Commission in Delhi. But India wasn’t listening. The message was clear: talks will happen only through military hotlines.
The Final Blow: Breaking Pakistan’s Defence Backbone
Between 10 AM and 12 PM, the Indian Armed Forces launched the final waves. Airbases at Rafiqui, Sukkur, Jacobabad, Bholari, Chunian, Pasrur, and Arifwala came under fire. Nur Khan was hit again, disabling Pakistan’s central air defence coordination.
In a desperate move, Pakistani Army Chief Gen Asim Munir reportedly called PM Shehbaz Sharif, realizing the magnitude of damage and the futility of further escalation.
Ceasefire With a Message
At 12:30 PM, Pakistan’s DGMO attempted to reach out to his Indian counterpart. India waited. Finally, at 3:30 PM, contact was established. By 5 PM IST, India halted its operations—only after Pakistan officially requested a ceasefire.
Two weeks later, the guns have fallen silent. But the message of Operation Sindoor echoes loudly: India will no longer absorb terror quietly.
This is not the India of dossiers and delayed diplomacy. This is the India that strikes back—with speed, precision, and overwhelming force.
