‘Justice is served’: Operation Sindoor and the three words that echoed across India

‘Justice is Served’ – these three words were exactly what Indians needed to hear that night from our courageous armed forces. The same words brought chills and relief to the hearts of Indians, who were still grieving for the innocent lives lost in the deadly Pahalgam terror attack. On May 7, India marks the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, one of the most audacious missions undertaken by the Indian armed forces in 2025 to avenge the lives lost during the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22.

During Operation Sindoor, Indian armed forces launched precision strikes, targeting terror camps deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). In the attacks, India struck several key Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad targets, killing hundreds of terrorists.

What happened on April 22?

On the fateful day of April 22, 2025, when the tourists were enjoying the picturesque scenery of the Baisaran Valley in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, shots echoed across the meadow. Armed terrorists of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) targeted Hindu men after infiltrating the Indian territory, killing 26 civilians in one of the deadliest terror attacks since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

The attack shook the entire nation, with India vowing strong action against cross-border terrorism and justice to those who lost their loved ones in the terror incident. Indian armed forces were on high alert as top officials held closed-door meetings. In a quick diplomatic move, India put the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan in abeyance a day after the attack and also closed its border crossings with Pakistan.

What is Operation Sindoor?

On May 7, India retaliated against the devastating Pahalgam terror attack by launching precision strikes against nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The strikes conducted under Operation Sindoor targeted the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and the Lashkar-e-Taiba Muridke base. Over 100 terrorists were killed in the operation, including Yusuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf and Mudasir Ahmed.

Following the Indian strikes, Pakistan launched attacks on Indian cities, which led to military confrontations between the two nations. India and Pakistan traded fire for four days, during which India destroyed several terror and military targets in Pakistan. While a ceasefire was declared after both sides reached an agreement, India has warned that Operation Sindoor is the new normal, maintaining that the operation remains ongoing.

‘India does not forget’

Earlier, on the eve of the Pahalgam terror attack anniversary, the Indian army sent a strong message against terrorism. “Some boundaries should never be crossed,” it wrote in a post on X, featuring a similar graphic used in its Operation Sindoor post. “India does not forget.” The post carried a caption, “When boundaries of humanity are crossed, the response is decisive. Justice is served. India stands united.”

The Indian armed forces are also expected to hold a major press conference, marking the anniversary of Operation Sindoor on Thursday (May 7) at 12 pm.