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Business Standard
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
From Sindoor to Vijay: How India named military operations against Pakistan
On Wednesday, India launched ' Operation Sindoor ' against Pakistan to limit its capacity to sponsor cross-border terrorism. In this operation, the Indian armed forces successfully destroyed nine terror centres operating in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). This was India's precise response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 individuals. Reports suggest that the title of the operation was chosen by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The word 'Sindoor' has an interesting background. It derives from the Sanskrit word Sindura, referring to the red, orange-red or maroon cosmetic powder traditionally worn by married women along the parting of their hairline. The word was reportedly chosen to symbolise the loss of a naval officer's wife, who was among the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. This is not the first time India has selected a unique title for its operations against Pakistan. The country has a long tradition of naming military missions after concepts from mythology or nature, often conveying strength, symbolism or sentiment. Below is a brief history of India's major operations and the meaning behind their names: Operation Riddle was India's response to Pakistan's 'Operation Gibraltar' and 'Grand Slam' during the 1965 war. The name 'Riddle' likely reflected the complex and multifaceted military strategy adopted by India. On 6 September 1965, Indian forces crossed the Line of Control and attacked Lahore and Kasur, significantly weakening Pakistan's military capability. Operation Ablaze (1965 Indo-Pak War) Launched in April 1965, Operation Ablaze was a precautionary mobilisation of Indian troops amid rising tensions in the Rann of Kutch. Although no immediate fighting occurred, it prepared India for the full-scale war that erupted later that year. The move eventually led to the Tashkent Agreement, mediated by the Soviet Union. Operation Cactus Lily (1971 Indo-Pak War) Also known as the Meghna Heli Bridge operation, this mission took place in December 1971 during the Bangladesh Liberation War. The name combines the resilience of a cactus and the grace of a lily—signifying strength in adversity. Indian forces used helicopters to cross the Meghna River, bypassing heavily fortified Pakistani positions and accelerating their advance towards Dhaka. Operations Trident and Python (1971 Indo-Pak War) Operation Trident (4–5 December 1971) and its follow-up, Operation Python, were successful naval attacks on Karachi, Pakistan's main port city. Trident marked the first use of anti-ship missiles in the region. These strikes caused heavy damage to Pakistani naval assets and were instrumental in India's victory. Operation Meghdoot (Siachen Conflict, 1984) Launched in 1984 to pre-empt Pakistani movements in the Siachen Glacier, Operation Meghdoot means "cloud messenger"—a reference to Kalidasa's classical Sanskrit poem. The name captured the high-altitude, remote nature of the conflict. Indian forces, supported by the Air Force, took control of key peaks before Pakistani troops could arrive. Operation Vijay (1999 Kargil War) 'Vijay', meaning "victory" in Sanskrit, was the codename for India's effort to evict Pakistani intruders from the Kargil sector. Launched in May 1999, Operation Vijay concluded with India regaining control of all the occupied posts and emerging victorious in the Kargil War. Operation Safed Sagar (1999 Kargil War) This was the Indian Air Force's component in the Kargil War. Translating to 'White Ocean', the name referenced the snow-covered terrain of the conflict zone. It marked the first use of air power in the region since the 1971 war and played a key role in reclaiming high-altitude positions. Surgical Strikes (2016, post-Uri attack) In response to the terrorist attack on an Indian Army base in Uri, Indian special forces crossed the Line of Control and destroyed multiple terrorist launchpads in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The operation did not carry a formal name but marked a shift to a more assertive Indian posture on cross-border terrorism. Operation Bandar (2019 Balakot Air Strikes) Following the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 paramilitary personnel, the Indian Air Force targeted a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp in Balakot, Pakistan. 'Bandar', meaning 'monkey' in Hindi, is widely interpreted as a reference to Lord Hanuman, symbolising power and strategic daring. It was the first air raid across the LoC since 1971 and triggered brief aerial clashes.
Indian Express
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Operation Sindoor and a look at India's past military operations against Pakistan
By naming the operation to hit terrorist infrastructure at nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as Operation Sindoor, the Indian defence establishment has made a marked shift – from the projection of military power to paying tribute to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. Government sources indicate the name of the operation was chosen by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself and could be seen as a tribute to the women who lost their husbands in the April 22 attack at the Baisaran meadow that killed 25 tourists and a local. Almost all past military operations by India against Pakistan have largely had conventional military names to inspire confidence internally and send a message of strength externally. Sometimes names were chosen to maintain the secrecy of the operation, and, at times, names were even drawn from Indian mythology. In the past, India has used names such as Operation Riddle, Operation Ablaze, Operation Cactus-Lily, Operation Trident, Operation Python, Operation Meghdoot, Operation Vijay, Operation Safed Sagar, and Operation Bandar in conflicts with Pakistan. Here's a look at some of the past military operations by India against Pakistan: 1. Operation Riddle (1965 Indo-Pak War) Operation Riddle was the Indian military's response to the offensive launched by Pakistan under the code names of Operation Gibraltar and Grand Slam in 1965. As Pakistan violated the Line of Control (LoC) and entered Jammu and Kashmir, India launched this operation, targeting Lahore and Kasur on September 6, 1965. The operation had a crippling effect on the Pakistan military. 2. Operation Ablaze (1965 Indo-Pak War) Operation Ablaze, too, was in the context of the 1965 Indo-Pak war. Launched as a defensive strategy on the western border, Operation Ablaze was the Indian Army's pre-emptive mobilisation plan in April 1965, following rising tensions and skirmishes along the India-Pakistan border, particularly in the Rann of Kutch area. Although it did not immediately result in direct combat, this large-scale mobilisation demonstrated India's readiness. The operation set the stage for heightened military preparedness before the full-fledged war broke out in August 1965. Outcome: The two operations effectively pushed back Pakistan and led to the Tashkent Agreement brokered by the Soviet Union. 3. Operation Cactus Lily (1971 Indo-Pak War) Operation Cactus Lily, also known as The Meghna Heli Bridge or the Crossing of the Meghna, was an air assault operation conducted in December 1971 during the Bangladesh Liberation War. It was conducted by the Indian Army and Indian Air Force to cross the Meghna River, bypass a Pakistani stronghold at Ashuganj/Bhairab Bazar and reach Dhaka. 4 & 5. Operations Trident and Python (1971 Indo-Pak War) Both were offensive operations launched by the Indian Navy on Pakistan's port city of Karachi during the Indo-Pak War of 1971. Operation Trident saw the first use of anti-ship missiles in combat in the region. The operation was conducted on the night of December 4-5, 1971 and inflicted heavy damage on Pakistani vessels and facilities. Outcome: Pakistan lost and Bangladesh was created. 6. Operation Meghdoot (Siachen conflict) By 1984, Pakistan's cartographic aggression in the uncharted territory of Ladakh, allowing foreign mountaineering expeditions in Siachen, was becoming a cause of concern. Having received intelligence inputs about an impending Pakistani military action in the area, India decided to thwart Pakistan's efforts to legitimise its claim on Siachen. The Indian Army launched Operation Meghdoot in April 1984 to secure strategic heights on Siachen with the deployment of troops. The IAF transported stores and troops and air-dropped supplies to high-altitude airfields, from where Mi -17, Mi-8, Chetak, and Cheetah helicopters ferried men and material to dizzying heights on the glacier. Soon, about 300-odd troops were positioned on the strategically important peaks and passes of the glacier. By the time the Pakistan army reacted by advancing its own troops, the Indian Army was occupying strategically crucial mountain peaks and passes. Outcome: India gained a significant tactical advantage against Pakistan in the region. 7. Operation Vijay (1999 Kargil conflict) Operation Vijay was the codename for the Indian military operation launched in May 1999 to reclaim areas occupied by Pakistani forces during the Kargil War. The operation successfully forced Pakistani troops to withdraw and recapture critical positions, leading to India's victory. 8. Operation Safed Sagar (1999 Kargil conflict) Operation Safed Sagar was the codename for the Indian Air Force's role in the 1999 Kargil War. It involved a series of airstrikes to flush out Pakistani troops from Indian positions in the Kargil sector along the Line of Control. This was the first large-scale use of air power in the region since the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. Outcome: India successfully regained all strategic heights in Kargil. 8. Unnamed operation (2016 surgical strikes) This operation, conducted by Indian special forces in response to the Uri attack, was not given any specific name other than surgical strikes. It targeted terrorist launch pads across the LoC in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Outcome: Marked a shift toward proactive counter-terror operations. 9. Operation Bandar (2019 Balakot air strikes) This was in response to the February 2019 attack by operatives of the Jaish-e-Mohammed on a CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 40 soldiers. Under Operation Bandar, the Indian Air Force carried out air strikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp in Balakot, Pakistan, where it claimed to have killed several terrorists.
