The real heroes of Operation Sindoor were not the armed forces or political leadership, but the ordinary citizens of India who refused to fall into the trap of communal provocation, asserts Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
2025 was a period of profound transformation across the globe. From historical leadership changes in the United States and the Vatican to groundbreaking scientific achievements and rising geopolitical tensions, these events reshaped international relations.
Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh on Thursday flagged serious concerns over inordinate delays in various defence acquisition projects and failure to stick to delivery schedules for supply of key platforms even as he hailed Operation Sindoor as a 'national victory'.
"In 1948, Indian armed forces were in a decisive position to take back Pakistan-occupied Kashmir but then PM Jawaharlal Nehru declared unilateral ceasefire," Amit Shah said. In 1971, Shah said, 93,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered and India had 15,000 sq km Pakistan territory under control, but still PoK was not taken back. During the 1962 war with China, then PM Nehru bade goodbye to Assam in a speech on Akashvani, he said.
Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan on Tuesday used a striking cricketing analogy to describe India's decisive win over Pakistan in 'Operation Sindoor,' asserting that India had inflicted an 'innings defeat' on its adversary.
Pakistan's decision to talk to India on May 10 stemmed from realisation that it will suffer more if its operation continues, Gen Chauhan said.
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Tuesday called for shunning double standards in combating terrorism and urged members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to hold accountable perpetrators, organisers and financers of cross-border terrorism, seen as reference to Pakistan.
'There are only a few countries in the world that have deployed combat-ready laser systems.'
The deadly attack on the Uri garrison on September 18 nine years ago marked the end of India's policy against crossing the Line of Control to target Pakistan-based terrorists. It paved the way for the Balakot Air Strikes in 2019 and Operation Sindoor.
The Indian Army effectively repulsed multiple drone attacks and other munitions launched by Pakistan's armed forces along the western border on the intervening night of May 8-9. Pakistan also violated ceasefire along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army said it responded with force, asserting that all nefarious designs will be countered.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday said his article on Operation Sindoor's global outreach was not a sign of his 'leaping to join' Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party but a statement of national unity, interest and standing up for India.
The Pakistan Army continued shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in four sectors of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting a befitting response by the Indian Army, officials said on Thursday. The intensity of cross-border firing was less than Wednesday, when Pakistan Army carried out one of the most intense artillery and mortar shelling in years targeting the forward villages in J-K following missile strikes by India as part of 'Operation Sindoor'.
Poonch district alone accounted for 13 civilian deaths among 28 fatalities in the Pakistani shelling and drone attacks in Jammu and Kashmir after the Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes on terror infrastructure across the border under Operation Sindoor in May in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 persons, mostly tourists, dead.
Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi announced that India is considering raising a 'rocket-cum-missile' force in response to the evolving regional security situation and similar units in China and Pakistan. The move aims to enhance India's combat capabilities and long-range strike potential.
JD-U MP Sanjay Kumar Jha heads a diplomatic mission to Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and Singapore, to seek international cooperation after the Pahalgam attack while highlighting Pakistan's role in cross-border terrorism.
In a composed and clear presentation, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi announced that nine terrorist facilities had been destroyed in the tri-services operation.
Pawar recalled that he was a member of a delegation sent by former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao to the UN under the leadership of BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
'As result, Netanyahu 'convinced' Trump to go to war with the help of overoptimistic Israeli intelligence assessments, essentially explaining to him that they only need to bomb Iran for 3-4 days, and the regime would then collapse.' 'Rather unsurprisingly, Netanyahu is ever since blaming his own intel service for the entire operation failing.'
The Congress attacked the Modi government, saying it now seems to be routine that India learns about its government's actions only from Trump or his appointees.
In an interaction with naval warriors on board aircraft carrier INS Vikrant off Goa, Singh sent a stern warning to Islamabad saying India will not hesitate to use the methods to deal with terrorism that Pakistan cannot even think of.
T, which Pakistan claimed to have destroyed along with S-400 missile launchers. India had rubbished the claims and TV cameras following Modi corroborated that.
Shikarawallahs, local residents and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, participated in a Tiranga Shikara Yatra to honour soldiers who had taken part in Operation Sindoor.
Possible convergence of interest among China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh may result in serious implications for India's stability and security dynamics, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said on Tuesday.
A woman arrested for allegedly promoting Al-Qaeda's agenda had appealed to Pakistan's Army chief to invade India to unify Muslim lands under Project Khilafat, officials said.
The Kanimozhi Karunanidhi-led delegation is visiting five European nations to garner support for India's campaign against cross-border terrorism.
'No, India and China were not about to go to all-out war over a few rocks of Galwan.' 'The full picture of what went on at the highest level between two heads of State will not be known for a very, very long time and rightly so,' points out Colonel Anil A Athale, former head of the history division, ministry of defence.
The defence minister also announced that India has taken up the challenge of developing a powerful indigenous aero-engine, adding that preparations for this critical project are now almost complete and the work will soon be visible.
'We should not just react when a terror attack happens on our soil.' 'Our approach should be continuous and a launch pad should be destroyed the moment it comes up.'
The Border Security Force (BSF) launched "Operation Sindoor" in retaliation to unprovoked firing and shelling by Pakistani Rangers along the International Border (IB) in Jammu. BSF troops destroyed three terrorist launch pads and targeted 76 Pakistani border outposts and 42 forward defence locations. The BSF action came after Pakistan launched heavy firing and shelling on 60 Indian posts and 49 forward positions, reportedly providing cover for an attempted infiltration by 40-50 terrorists.
Ustaad Bhagat Singh is less a film and more, a lazily constructed vehicle for star worship and political signalling, one that quickly wears out its welcome for anyone outside Pawan Kalyan's core fanbase, observes Sreeju Sudhakaran.
India on Wednesday dismissed claims on Pakistan social media about 'Operation Sindoor', saying the neighbouring country has unleashed a 'full-blown disinformation offensive' with 'lies' and digital theatrics to control the narrative.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar of "collapsing" India's foreign policy and questioned the government's handling of the recent tensions with Pakistan, particularly the US President Donald Trump's role as a mediator. Gandhi's remarks come amidst a war of words between the Congress and the ruling BJP over their leaders' statements on the Indo-Pak conflict.
Their shared brief: To assert India's case with clarity, rebut hostile narratives, and secure enduring partnerships for global counter-terror cooperation.
The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a plea of Ashoka University's political science department head Ali Khan Mahmudabad challenging his arrest for social media posts related to Operation Sindoor.
Since May 10, when Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire after a "long night" of talks mediated by Washington, he has repeated his claim over 70 times that he ended the conflict between India and Pakistan.
Sources have revealed that at least five hardcore terrorists affiliated with banned terror outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) were killed in Indian strikes in Pakistan on May 7th. The strikes targeted nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Among the dead were Mudassar Khadian Khas, a LeT leader, and Hafiz Muhammed Jameel, the brother of JeM founder Maulana Masood Azhar. Other notable casualties included Mohammad Yusuf Azhar, a brother-in-law of Masood Azhar, and Khalid alias Abu Akasha, a LeT operative. The Pakistani military and government officials were present at the funerals of the slain terrorists.
India-Pakistan bilateral relations must improve before engaging in cricket: Harbhajan Singh
'We will see whether there were losses or not, and whether the war aims were achieved. When the truth comes out, some may well be surprised,' says Dassault CEO.
India have refused to play against arch-rivals Pakistan in the semifinals of the World Championship of Legends in Birmingham on Thursday, citing the nation's stand against any bilateral sporting ties with the neighbouring country after the gruesome Pahalagam terror attack.
Military officials detail how the Indian Air Force's downing of a Pakistani aircraft at a long distance reflects its air superiority and dealt a psychological blow to the adversary.
