Operation Sindoor: PM Modi has kept women at centre of India's retaliation against Pakistan

NEW DELHI: From naming 'Operation Sindoor' to deploying women officers to present India's perspective to the world and dedicating the success of the Indian armed forces in destroying terror hubs in Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has kept women at the centre of India's retaliation against the hostile neighbour.

Calling the Pahalgam terror attack a personal tragedy, PM Modi on Monday had dedicated the bravery and courage of the armed forces involved in 'Operation Sindoor' to every mother, sister and daughter of the nation.


PM Modi said the barbarity displayed by terrorists in Pahalgam had shocked the entire country and the world.

Stating that more than 100 dreaded terrorists were killed in the strikes by India, PM Modi said not only were the buildings of terrorist organisations destroyed, but their courage was also badly shaken. "The terrorists had wiped out the sindoor of our sisters, and India responded by destroying their terrorist headquarters," he said.

Sindoor, or vermilion, is a symbol of marriage in Hindu custom. The word derives from the Sanskrit word Sindura, referring to red, orange-red or maroon cosmetic powder worn by married Hindu women in the parting of their hair. Sources said naming the operation after vermilion was suggested by PM himself, who wanted a strong message to be sent to the terrorists about the consequences of hurting Indian women.

Since the operation was launched, several parents have named their newborn baby girls 'Sindoor' in many parts of the country, with such reports emerging from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Also read: 17 newborns named ‘Sindoor’ in UP’s Kushinagar

Details of the retaliatory attacks on Pakistan were given to the world by two women officers - Col Sofia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. Their selection for the briefing was seen as part of careful messaging by India - women leading the response to the terror attack.

Also read: Meet Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, key briefers of Operation Sindoor