‘Justice is served, India doesn’t forget’: Army recalls Op Sindoor on Pahalgam attack anniversary

NEW DELHI: On April 22, 2025, the nation was shocked as terror struck Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. Known as a tourist spot with scenic beauty, Pahalgam was rendered in blood as Pakistan-backed terrorists entered a village and killed 26 innocent people.

On the first anniversary of the heinous attack, the Indian Army recalled Operation Sindoor and warned the terrorists against crossing boundaries. “When boundaries of humanity are crossed, the response is decisive. Justice is Served. India Stands United”, ADG PI wrote on X, along with a Sindoor graphic which read, “Some boundaries should never be crossed. India does not forget.”

When boundaries of humanity are crossed, the response is decisive.

Justice is Served.

India Stands United.#SindoorAnniversary #JusticeEndures #NationFirst pic.twitter.com/rtgYu9Hg11

— ADG PI – INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) April 21, 2026

In the cross-border communal attack in Pahalgam, the assailants questioned the victims about their religion before killing them. Families of those killed in the Pahalgam attack are still coping with their loss. The wife of the late Prasanta Satpathy recalled how the incident upended her life, taking away the family’s breadwinner.

She said, “My husband’s name was late Prasanta Kumar Satapathy. He passed away in the Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025, because of the terrorists. It’s been almost a year. As they say, life goes on. But, not a single day has passed that I haven’t remembered him. When he was here, life was different. The temporary job I had then, now it’s become a necessity for me to survive and manage the household.”

She asked the government to provide the job promised to the families of the victims of the terror attack. “With the temporary job I have, it’s managing. Because at that time, the government said they would give me a government job, they would bear the expenses of my child’s education, and they would provide financial assistance. We received the financial assistance, but the government job they promised hasn’t been provided yet. In other states, they have provided jobs based on qualifications. I just want the government to fulfil the promises they made as soon as possible”, she added.

As India mourned the loss, what followed was decisive action by the Indian armed forces in the form of Operation Sindoor. Indian armed forces struck terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

In Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, 2025, India successfully destroyed nine major terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), targeting Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen facilities. Indian armed forces killed over 100 terrorists in action.

What followed were drone attacks and shelling by Pakistan, which led to a four-day conflict between the two neighbouring countries. India showed formidable defence and conducted retaliatory strikes, destroying Radar installations in Lahore and Radar facilities near Gurjanwala.

Inflicted by heavy damage, Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called the Indian DGMO and a ceasefire was agreed on May 10.

Operation Mahadev was another big joint success of the Army and security forces last year, as they tracked down and eliminated three terrorists involved in the Pahalgam terror attack. Among non-military actions, India terminated the Indus Waters Treaty and all bilateral trade with Pakistan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it clear, “if there is a terrorist attack on India, a fitting reply will be given,” and India “will not differentiate between the government sponsoring terrorism and the masterminds of terrorism.” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has maintained that “Operation Sindoor is still going on.”

Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi hailed Operation Sindoor as the best example of “tri-service synergy under clear-cut political directive”. In a press conference, he said, “Operation Sindoor was the best example of tri-service synergy under clear-cut political directive and full freedom to act or respond.”

Indian Air Force too played a decisive role in the operation and on the eve of the 93rd Air Force Day, Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh said Operation Sindoor was a defining moment that demonstrated the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) precision, strength, and unity of purpose in responding to Pakistan’s “Napak” (cowardly) act.

While the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, highlighted that the deployment of a carrier battle group in the northern Arabian Sea influenced Pakistan’s naval movements, keeping them close to their ports.

In his address to the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on Independence Day 2025, PM Modi also announced Mission Sudarshan Chakra, aimed at neutralising enemy defence infiltrations and enhancing India’s offensive capabilities. (ANI)