Women Officers Head India’s Operation Sindoor Brief, Reporting 24 Missile Attacks on Pakistan Terror Camps

GG News Bureau 

New Delhi, May 7, 2025 – In a first ever demonstration of leadership and determination, two senior women officers of the Indian Armed Forces — Wing Commander Vyomika Singh  of the Indian Air Force and  Colonel Sofiya Qureshi  of the Indian Army — presented the official government briefing on Operation Sindoor , India’s targeted military operation against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The operation, which was initiated in retaliation for the fatal Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians and security personnel on April 22, consisted of 24 missile strikes at nine terror-related sites**. Officials said the strikes killed at least **70 terrorists** and injured 60 others, severely crippling terror infrastructure along the border.

During the briefing, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, a decorated Corps of Signals officer and the first woman to command an Indian Army contingent in a multinational military exercise, emphasized the operation’s strategic accuracy. “Terrorist targets were chosen on the basis of credible intelligence of their participation in cross-border terrorism. No Pakistani military establishment was targeted during Operation Sindoor,” she said.
She said the name “Operation Sindoor” was selected as a tribute to **the wives of the soldiers and civilians who died in the Pahalgam attack , marking their sacrifice and endurance.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, a seasoned helicopter pilot with extensive experience in high-altitude rescue operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast, spoke on India’s readiness. “India has shown significant restraint. But the Armed Forces are well equipped to retaliate decisively if there is any escalation by Pakistan,” she asserted.

Operation Sindoor was initiated at 1:05 am on May 6 and continued for 25 minutes The Indian armed forces used **SCALP missiles, HAMMER bombs, and stand-off precision munitions** to wipe out nine terror camps with minimal detection. Key terrorist bases in Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Bahawalpur, Rawalakot, Chakswari, Bhimber, Neelum Valley, Jhelum, and Chakwa were the targets of the attack.

Government officials characterized the operation as greater than a military response — it was a strategic message of zero tolerance for cross-border terrorism”
The decision to have women officers present at the briefing  was universally welcomed as a strong symbol of India’s changing defence leadership, demonstrating gender equality and operational excellence at the highest levels.
Pakistan initially reacted with unbridled firing and artillery shelling along the Line of Control (LoC), killing civilians in India’s Poonch sector, including a 12-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy. But Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif later indicated willingness to ease tensions if India takes a soft line.
Operation Sindoor is a turning point — not only in India’s military action against terrorism but also in the women’s visibility and leadership in national security.