Operation Sindoor: India’s top 7 cross-border operations and their code names

Following the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 people, India launched Operation Sindoor on Wednesday, striking nine terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation was reportedly named by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to honour the widows of the 26 victims. It was focused, targeted and non-escalatory, destroying camps linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. As 'Sindoor' is still underway, with tensions rising, here is the list of some of the fiercest operations launched by the Indian army on Pakistan and their code names.

In response to the Pakistani intrusions in Jammu and Kashmir's Kargil, the Indian Army and the Air Force launched Operation Vijay and Operation Safed Sagar simultaneously, to evict enemy forces from Indian territory. The conflict, fought in treacherous terrain, resulted in India reclaiming all the occupied positions.

On 4 December, 1971, the Indian Navy executed Operation Trident by launching a surprise night assault on Pakistan's Karachi port. Using missile boats, the Indian forces not only sank multiple Pakistani vessels but also destroyed oil storage facilities, crippling the country’s naval capability. This operation is commemorated as Indian Navy Day.

Almost three days after Operation Trident, the Indian Navy struck again in Operation Python, targeting Karachi’s remaining defences. More ships were destroyed and fuel supplies were disrupted. The successive strikes demoralised Pakistan and reinforced India’s maritime dominance in the western theatre.

In response to the Pulwama suicide bombing, India carried out Operation Bandar, striking a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp in Balakot, deep within Pakistan. Mirage-2000 jets crossed the Line of control, marking the first Indian airstrike inside Pakistan since 1971. The precision strike was exemplary as it redefined India’s counter-terror doctrine.

On September 29, 2016, Indian Army paratroopers conducted coordinated strikes on seven terrorist camps along a 250 km LoC stretch. The precision raids were conducted on terror launchpads in PoK. The strikes were done in retaliation to the URI attack on an army base that claimed the lives of over 19 indian soldiers. Though officially unnamed, the strikes, commonly referred to as Surgical Strikes, neutralised up to 50 terrorists. The move showcased India’s shift to overt retaliation after the Uri attack.

From maritime raids to high-altitude warfare and airstrikes, these operations reveal India's evolving strategy and messaging from power projection to symbolic tributes. Operation Sindoor stands apart for its emotional resonance.

Following the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 people, India launched Operation Sindoor on Wednesday, striking nine terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation was reportedly named by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to honour the widows of the 26 victims. It was focused, targeted and non-escalatory, destroying camps linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. As 'Sindoor' is still underway, with tensions rising, here is the list of some of the fiercest operations launched by the Indian army on Pakistan and their code names.

In response to the Pakistani intrusions in Jammu and Kashmir's Kargil, the Indian Army and the Air Force launched Operation Vijay and Operation Safed Sagar simultaneously, to evict enemy forces from Indian territory. The conflict, fought in treacherous terrain, resulted in India reclaiming all the occupied positions.

On 4 December, 1971, the Indian Navy executed Operation Trident by launching a surprise night assault on Pakistan's Karachi port. Using missile boats, the Indian forces not only sank multiple Pakistani vessels but also destroyed oil storage facilities, crippling the country’s naval capability. This operation is commemorated as Indian Navy Day.

Almost three days after Operation Trident, the Indian Navy struck again in Operation Python, targeting Karachi’s remaining defences. More ships were destroyed and fuel supplies were disrupted. The successive strikes demoralised Pakistan and reinforced India’s maritime dominance in the western theatre.

In response to the Pulwama suicide bombing, India carried out Operation Bandar, striking a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp in Balakot, deep within Pakistan. Mirage-2000 jets crossed the Line of control, marking the first Indian airstrike inside Pakistan since 1971. The precision strike was exemplary as it redefined India’s counter-terror doctrine.

On September 29, 2016, Indian Army paratroopers conducted coordinated strikes on seven terrorist camps along a 250 km LoC stretch. The precision raids were conducted on terror launchpads in PoK. The strikes were done in retaliation to the URI attack on an army base that claimed the lives of over 19 indian soldiers. Though officially unnamed, the strikes, commonly referred to as Surgical Strikes, neutralised up to 50 terrorists. The move showcased India’s shift to overt retaliation after the Uri attack.

From maritime raids to high-altitude warfare and airstrikes, these operations reveal India's evolving strategy and messaging from power projection to symbolic tributes. Operation Sindoor stands apart for its emotional resonance.