More than a year after Indian forces struck terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, the central government has officially released the names of six military personnel who lost their lives during Operation Sindoor. It is the first time the identities of the fallen have been made public.

The six martyrs are Subedar Major Pawan Kumar, Rifleman Sunil Kumar, Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, Agniveer Mood Murli Naik, Havildar Sunil Kumar Singh, and Sergeant Surendra Kumar. Five belonged to the Army; Sergeant Surendra Kumar was from the Indian Air Force.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, 2025, in direct response to the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians were killed. The Indian Armed Forces carried out precision strikes on nine terror facilities linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan and PoK — the most significant cross-border military action India had undertaken in years.

The targets hit included the Sawai Nala training centre in Muzaffarabad, where terrorists responsible for the Sonamarg, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam attacks had trained; the Syedna Bilal Camp, also in Muzaffarabad, used for weapons and jungle survival training; and the Gulpur Camp in Kotli, linked to the 2023 Poonch pilgrim attack. Strikes also hit Abbas Camp in Kotli — a fidayeen training facility just 13 kilometres from the Line of Control — Barnala Camp in Bhimber, and Sarjal Camp in Sialkot, where personnel involved in the March 2025 killing of police officers had been trained.

Two high-profile targets were Markaz Taiba in Muridke, where Ajmal Kasab and David Coleman Headley had received training before the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and the Subhan Allah Mosque complex in Bahawalpur, which served as Jaish-e-Mohammed's headquarters and was regularly used by senior leadership for recruitment. The Mehmuna Joya Camp of Hizbul Mujahideen in Sialkot, where the Pathankot attack was planned, was also among the nine sites struck.

Military action was halted on May 10, 2025, following talks between the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan.

The names of the six personnel will now be inscribed at the National War Memorial near India Gate in New Delhi — the memorial inaugurated in 2019 that records the names of all soldiers who have died in service to the nation since independence. With this, Operation Sindoor formally enters the roll of military operations honoured at the memorial.

For the families of the six, the public acknowledgment closes a long period of quiet grief. The government's decision to release names and ensure memorial recognition signals that the sacrifices made during the operation will be part of the official record of India's military history.

Nearly ten months after the Pahalgam terror attack claimed 26 lives, the National Investigation Agency has uncovered fresh evidence pointing to a well-coordinated cross-border conspiracy. Forensic examination of mobile phones recovered from the attackers shows they had stored precise geographical data of the Baisaran Valley days before the assault.

Chinese phones shipped to Karachi, Lahore

According to NIA sources, two Chinese-made handsets used by the terrorists were traced through supply chain records to delivery addresses in Karachi and Lahore. The devices contained navigation app data marking Baisaran's coordinates, along with screenshots saved on April 15 and 16, 2025.

Investigators believe the attackers conducted reconnaissance roughly a week before the attack, which unfolded on April 22, 2025. The valley, located about 6 km from Pahalgam, saw 26 tourists and one local resident killed. Sixteen others were injured.

 Pakistan-based handler directed operation

The chargesheet filed by NIA on December 15, 2025, names Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Saifullah alias Saifullah Sajid Jatt alias Langda as the mastermind. A resident of Kasur near Lahore, he allegedly remained in constant touch with the three attackers during the operation.

Investigators said Langda sent them the Baisaran location and provided real-time directions throughout the attack. He reportedly crossed into Kulgam, south Kashmir, in 2005 and now uses a prosthetic leg after being shot. The nickname 'Langda' stuck.

 GoPro camera trail leads to China

The investigation has also traced an action camera recovered from the terrorists. US-based GoPro Inc informed the agency that the device had been shipped to one of its authorised distributors in China. From there, it somehow reached LeT operatives.

NIA officials say terror outfits in Jammu and Kashmir are increasingly using body cameras to record attacks for propaganda purposes. Tracing the camera's route could expose networks supplying funds and equipment.

 Tourist guides arrested for not alerting security

The chargesheet notes the attack might have been prevented. Tourist guides Parvez Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar had reportedly seen the terrorists in Baisaran but did not inform security agencies. Both have been arrested.

A day before the attack, the three terrorists allegedly sought help in the name of God and ate food at Parvez's hut. They took bread and vegetables with them. Before opening fire, they ate under a tree in Baisaran Valley, investigators said.

 Operation Sindoor: India's response

In retaliation, India carried out airstrikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on the night of May 6-7, 2025. Named Operation Sindoor, the strikes targeted nine terrorist hideouts. Indian authorities reported over 100 terrorists killed, including family members and associates of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar.

The three Pakistani terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack were killed by security forces on July 28, 2025, during Operation Mahadev in the Dachigam forests. Langda, carrying a ₹10 lakh bounty, remains wanted in multiple attacks including the Z-Morh Tunnel firing and the Reasi bus attack.

‘Operation Sindoor was stopped voluntarily’: Rajnath rules out nuclear fear  

Defence Minister says India called off Operation Sindoor on its own terms, asserts readiness for long conflict if needed.  

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said India voluntarily halted Operation Sindoor and was not forced into the decision by Pakistan’s nuclear threats. Speaking at the ANI National Security Summit 2.0 in the capital, Singh described the operation as a deliberate, measured response — not a sign of hesitation.  

No pressure from nuclear threats  

Singh rejected suggestions that Islamabad’s nuclear brinkmanship influenced the government’s calculus. “Pakistan had threatened a nuclear attack, but India was not afraid of it,” he said. The Minister added that the Indian Army’s surge capacity — its ability to rapidly escalate troop and firepower strength — is now stronger than ever before.  

Operation timeline and scale  

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 last year, hours after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam killed several tourists. According to military assessments shared by officials, the operation struck nine major terrorist launchpads across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Over 100 militants were reportedly killed in the cross-border strikes.  

“This was a turning point,” Singh said. “It showed the world that India is no longer a country that only makes statements, but one that takes direct action.”  

‘Long conflict’ readiness  

Without naming specific scenarios, the Defence Minister said India is fully prepared for a protracted engagement against Pakistan if circumstances demand. “We stopped on our terms, voluntarily,” he reiterated. “If needed, we are ready for a long conflict.”  

Sources familiar with the matter told reporters that the decision to end the operation was based on achieving tactical objectives — not external pressure.  

Terrorism’s root cause  

Singh drew a sharp contrast between the two neighbours. “India is known today for Information Technology. Pakistan is seen as the centre of ‘IT’ — International Terrorism,” he said.  

The Defence Minister stressed that terrorism cannot be eliminated without uprooting its ideology and political patronage. “The root lies in its ideology and political support. Without removing this, terrorism cannot be fully wiped out,” he added.  

Clear policy under PM  

Singh said the government’s post-Uri and post-Pulwama doctrine remains unchanged: no terrorist attack will go unanswered. Under the Prime Minister’s leadership, he added, direct action will follow if needed — without seeking permission or signalling intent beforehand.  

What next  

While cross-border calm has largely held since the operation wound down early this summer, officials indicate surveillance along the Line of Control remains heightened. Intelligence inputs suggest Pakistan has not fully vacated forward launchpads, though no fresh mobilisation has been detected in recent weeks.