The remarkable specifics of Operation Sindoor, a painstakingly carried out tri-service campaign in which the Indian Army and Indian Air Force (IAF) struck deep into Pakistan-occupied territory, have been clarified by new disclosures from the government’s official Gazette Notification. Key terror infrastructure operated by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) across the Line of Control was destroyed by the concerted operation, which combined precision airstrikes with unrelenting artillery fire.
Major terror headquarters were severely damaged by the IAF’s initial round of attacks, forcing the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) to launch hasty defensive maneuvers. The PAF reportedly incurred losses in air combat and infrastructure despite its counterattacks. Citations for a number of officers who received the Vir Chakra for displaying extraordinary bravery and leadership in the face of criticism may be found in the most recent Gazette entries.
Among the honored officers was Group Captain Ranjeet Singh Sidhu, who commanded a Rafale squadron. While providing air defense cover for Su-30MKI planes tasked with launching BrahMos missiles, his unit led deep-penetration strikes on heavily defended targets. His commendation demonstrates his leadership in organizing and carrying out concurrent missions from several western sites, guaranteeing the survival of the forces he was covering as well as the success of the mission.
Group Captain Manish Arora, who was also a recipient of the Vir Chakra award, oversaw unaccompanied nighttime strike packages in advanced missile defense situations and under enemy radar surveillance. He remained composed and led his unit to destroy reinforced enemy sites, hampering PAF response capacity, even though he was being targeted by aircraft and surface-to-air missiles.
The commanding officer of an S-400 Triumf air defense unit, Group Captain Animesh Patni, is commended for the way his crew repelled many aerial threats while enduring fierce enemy fire. His unit successfully relocated several times to avoid PAF targeting in addition to downing hostile planes. Personnel even detained a suspected Pakistani intelligence agent close to their deployment area while he was in charge.
When his aircraft experienced a mechanical malfunction in the middle of the mission, Group Captain Kunal Kalra showed extraordinary bravery. He carried out two accurate hits in spite of malfunction warnings and enemy interceptors, redistributing the remaining targets to his formation in midair to complete the mission.
According to his commendation, Wing Commander Joy Chandra oversaw a high-risk precision mission while Pakistan’s air and ground defenses were tightly guarded. Accurate weapon delivery and target neutralization were made possible by his situational awareness and decision-making under multilayer adversary radar coverage.
For their crucial roles in Operation Sindoor, a number of junior officers were also honored. Within 48 hours, the enemy’s war capabilities were significantly weakened by a series of long-range standoff strikes made possible by Squadron Leader Sarthak Kumar’s painstaking preparation and faultless mission coordination. Squadron Leader Siddhant Singh showed remarkable ability to precisely direct stand-off weapons across a challenging threat environment.
Under intense radar cover and electronic jamming, Squadron Leader Rizwan Malik, acting as Deputy Mission Leader, carried out several unescorted nighttime strikes. The enemy’s operational readiness was severely reduced as a result of his accurate weapon launches that damaged defended positions.
Similar bravery was displayed by Flight Lieutenant Aarshveer Singh Thakur, who led a two-aircraft formation during a midnight strike. His aggressive maneuvering and weapon accuracy caused devastating impacts on the opposing infrastructure in spite of hostile radar locks and missile fire.
Another first for Operation Sindoor, the quick airborne mobilization of a specialized artillery unit under strict secrecy, is Colonel Koshank Lamba’s Vir Chakra citation. Despite intense retaliatory fire, his coordination resulted in pinpoint bombardments that destroyed several terror sites in a matter of days. Under close enemy surveillance, his leadership maintained morale and made sure the operation was completed.
Additionally, Lieutenant Colonel Sushil Bisht received recognition for leading precision artillery operations that destroyed the targeted terrorist camps. He demonstrated excellent planning and battlefield management by ensuring operational surprise and a prompt withdrawal after the engagement through his extensive use of satellite reconnaissance and tactical rehearsals.
The overall impression that these citations provide highlights the scope, accuracy, and coherence attained throughout Operation Sindoor. In addition to showcasing military prowess, it also showed how air and ground forces could coordinate in real time under the most trying circumstances.
The valor exhibited by the ground-based artillery units and the strike crews of the Su-30MKI and Rafale has solidified Operation Sindoor as one of India’s most audacious and decisive military actions in recent memory.
