In a historic display of military precision, India executed Operation Sindoor, a carefully planned strike against terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
The operation was a direct response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 Indians.
Leading this mission were Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force and Colonel Sophia Qureshi of the Indian Army, marking a pivotal moment for women in India’s defence forces.
India’s intelligence pinpointed nine key locations linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group responsible for the Pahalgam attack. The missile strikes were executed with surgical precision, avoiding Pakistani military installations to prevent escalation.
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, a senior Indian Air Force officer, played a key role in ‘Operation Sindoor’, emphasising its precise success against terrorism. Her journey began with a childhood dream of flying, and her name means “daughter of the sky.” As the first in her family to join the armed forces, she was commissioned as a helicopter pilot after completing her engineering degree, receiving a permanent commission on December 18, 2019. Vyomika has logged over 2,500 flying hours in challenging terrains, including Jammu and Kashmir.
Colonel Sophia Qureshi, from the Corps of Signals, made history in 2016 as the first Indian woman to lead an Army contingent in ‘Exercise Force 18’. With a strong background in peacekeeping, including a UN mission in Congo, she emphasised the Indian Army’s strategic precision in ‘Operation Sindoor’ while minimising civilian impact. Sophia, who holds a postgraduate degree in biochemistry, comes from a military family and is married to a mechanised infantry officer.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri emphasised India’s calibrated and non-escalatory approach while reaffirming the country’s readiness to counter any future provocations.
India’s decisive response has garnered widespread domestic support, with the nation celebrating the military’s effectiveness. Meanwhile, international observers are closely monitoring developments, anticipating diplomatic ripples in the region.
