On Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofia Qureshi of the Indian Army, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force addressed the press, briefing the nation on Operation Sindoor—”India’s most decisive counter-terror strike” in recent years. The operation was carried out in direct retaliation to the Pahalgam attack, which left 26 civilians dead.
Colonel Sofia Qureshi, a trailblazer in the Indian Army’s Corps of Signals, is no stranger to firsts. She earned national recognition in 2016 when she became the first Indian woman to lead a military contingent at the Force 18 multinational field exercise, hosted by ASEAN Plus nations. She was also the only female commander among participants from multiple countries—a feat highlighting India’s push to promote women in military leadership.
Commissioned in 1990, Col. Qureshi has decades of experience, including service in United Nations peacekeeping operations in Congo in 2006, where she focused on training for humanitarian mine action and peace support. Her leadership and dedication have been praised at the highest levels, including by late Lt. Gen. Bipin Rawat, who noted the Army’s belief in equal opportunity for all, regardless of gender.
In Wednesday’s briefing, Qureshi confirmed that “no military installations were targeted and there are no reports of civilian casualties in Pakistan”, underscoring the precision and restraint with which the Indian Air Force carried out the strikes.
The armed forces said they targeted and destroyed nine terror hideouts linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Of these, four were in Pakistan, and five within PoK. According to the Ministry of Defence, the mission was “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” and aimed solely at terror infrastructure.
Foreign Secretary Misri said that the Pahalgam attack was designed to disrupt tourism and development in Jammu and Kashmir and provoke communal discord across the country. He further criticized Pakistan for “shielding terror groups and failing to take meaningful action against them.”
A video released by the Indian government showcased highlights of the operation, declaring it a success.
