JK News Today
Operation Sindoor , a high-powered military action against terrorists across the border to avenge Pahalgam terror attack of April this year is now embedded in the national security policy as a threat to terrorists and their supporters within and outside of the country’s boundaries. But what exactly does the term Operation Sindoor is on mean that needs to be decoded afresh.
This 22-minute military action undertaken in the small hours of May 7, 2025 , targeting the terrorist networks and their infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir, was named Operation Sindoor because the very nature of Pahalgam attack in which the women were widowed Terrorists had shot bullets on tourists after ascertaining their religion
Terrorists executed this macabre act in front of their wives , one of them recently married with Sindoor ( vermillion ) applied in parting of her hairs. This is religious symbol that Hindu women are married and they have the protection of their husband. Terrorists undid that . And , the operation was meant to deliver a message to terrorists and their backers that India will not tolerate any harm to its citizens that commitment and the message is continuing .
It is a wider message than it has been interpreted . Until this day Operation Sindoor has been seen and interpreted as a military operation , which to a large extent is true as well. There, however, is a need to look at this high profile counter-terrorism operation beyond the military response after the Pahalgam attack and armed forces’ preparedness to respond to any future threat to the Indian citizens through acts of terrorism . It is a red line for terrorists , plotters of acts of terrorism, organizers and financers of terror networks . This describes an all-time deterrent for the terrorists and their backers.
Pakistan itself was responsible for magnifying the message that Operation Sindoor sought to deliver in the first 22-minutes of its launch in the small hours of May 7, 2025. It invited a self-inflicted wound when it responded to the Indian action by targeting civilians along the Line of control in Jammu and Kashmir and sent drones by dozens to harm the Indian military assets. Since , it got defeated in all forms of the war in land and air , it had to beseech for ceasefire . India granted that request on May 10, 2025, thus bringing curtains on the four-day war . There were no guesses as to who had won the war – the victor was clear – India.
Contrary to the speculations that this military operation was over, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared “ Operation Sindoor is on.” That implied that Pakistan , its terror networks should not dare to challenge the peace and dignity of Indian citizens again . There would be no prior announcement or warning before taking action against terrorists .
Modi had also made it clear that no distinction would be made between the non-state actors and the government . This was sterner message for Pakistan that its establishment cannot seek immunity on the plea that state was not involved in the acts of terror in Kashmir or any other part of India . It was a message that next time India will not restrict its military campaign to the terrorist infrastructure but target Pakistan state as well.
So far, we have studied only the external dimensions of Operation Sindoor- the international community has been delivered an unqualified message that India reserves all the right to strike anywhere to respond to terror threats emerging from foreign soil . Now is the time to explore and frame the operation in the internal security as well . The Operation did make the terrorists and their supporters that their acts will have serious consequences.
It is needed to make operation Sindoor a civilian affair too. The internal enemies needed to be identified . The civilians have their own intelligence and interest in doing so . The military can provide sense of security , but the civilians can build a security system of their own, complementing that of the security forces.
The civilians can push for this operation as an all-time security network against all threats of terrorism from within and across border by adopting the key factors of it in their narration .It is true that the military forces have wherewithal to neutralize terrorists , their backers and so on, but the civilians can become the narrators of the success of the operation , and how it can neutralize those conspiring against the country from among them. They can trace the smallest elements working for the terror outfits and unearth their sleeping cells . It deserves a thought.
