What is the significance of the name 'Operation Sindoor'?
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally codenamed India's latest retaliatory strike in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) as "Operation Sindoor," in tribute to the widows of the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack
India's newly launched military offensive against Pakistan has been named "Operation Sindoor" — a term steeped in religious and cultural significance.
Following a deadly April assault in Indian-administered Kashmir that claimed the lives of 26 civilians, several women were left widowed. The red sindoor or the red vermilion powder traditionally worn by married Hindu women, in this context, carries a poignant weight — a symbol of love and loss, according to a report by CNN.
An image of a grieving woman lying next to her slain husband's body went viral in the days after the Pahalgam attack, becoming emblematic of the sorrow and devastation left in its wake.
The woman, Himanshi Narwal, who had been married for less than a week to 26-year-old naval officer Vinay Narwal before he was shot dead during their honeymoon in the Pahalgam attack.
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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally codenamed India's latest retaliatory strike in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) as "Operation Sindoor," in tribute to the widows of the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack.
According to India Today, Modi, in recent high-level meetings, stressed the deliberate targeting of Indian men and the resulting grief of their families. He directed that India's response must reflect that such attacks will not go unanswered.
The name "Operation Sindoor" — referring to the red vermilion worn by married Hindu women — aims to humanise the victims and ensure their sacrifices are remembered.
The tri-forces operation saw the Army, Navy, and Air Force coordinate a rare joint assault, hitting nine terror-linked targets across Pakistan and POK using land and sea-based platforms.
India's Defence and Foreign Ministers both shared the operation's name on X, accompanied by a depiction of the red powder.
"The world must show zero tolerance for terrorism," India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar wrote on X.
"Victory to India," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh posted in Hindi.
The choice of the name has drawn attention not only for its military implications but also for its emotional resonance, reflecting India's effort to frame the operation as both a tactical and symbolic act of justice.
