For the first time in the history of the Republic Day parade, the Indian Army will showcase a unique “Battle Array” formation, inspired by Operation Sindoor. The display will present a realistic battlefield sequence, highlighting the Army’s operational capabilities through the ordered movement of equipment and troops — from intelligence gathering and reconnaissance to the main assault and subsequent support systems.
Operation Sindoor was launched in response to a brutal terror attack on April 22, when three terrorists belonging to The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba, killed 25 tourists and a pony operator in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The victims were targeted on the basis of their religious identity. TRF claimed responsibility for the attack within hours and reiterated its claim shortly thereafter.
A fortnight later, on the intervening night of May 6–7, India executed Operation Sindoor, delivering a calibrated and decisive response through a series of precision strikes on nine terror hubs located deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
In the highly classified operation, Indian forces targeted camps belonging to proscribed terror outfits including Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM). Key locations neutralised included Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur (JeM), Markaz Taiba in Muridke (LeT), Sarjal and Tehra Kalan (JeM), Mehmoona Joya in Sialkot (HM), Markaz Ahle Hadith in Barnala (LeT), Markaz Abbas in Kotli (JeM), Maskar Raheel Shahid in Kotli (HM), Shawai Nalla Camp in Muzaffarabad (LeT) and Syedna Bilal Camp in Muzaffarabad (JeM).
India’s strikes were supported by advanced air defence, counter-drone and electronic warfare systems, ensuring precision while avoiding civilian casualties. The operation also included measured counter-actions against critical Pakistani airbases and command-and-control nodes, eventually prompting Islamabad to seek a cessation of hostilities on May 10, 2025.
According to official sources, more than 100 terrorists — including key trainers and handlers — were neutralised during the operation, significantly degrading the operational infrastructure of JeM, LeT and HM.
Subsequent attempts by Pakistan to target Indian military installations using missiles and drones during the night of May 9–10, 2025, were successfully intercepted by India’s integrated air defence and electronic warfare systems.
Referring to Operation Sindoor in his Independence Day address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described it as a testament to India’s growing defence self-reliance. He also announced Mission Sudarshan Chakra, a long-term initiative aimed at strengthening India’s offensive and defensive capabilities through swift, precise and indigenous military solutions.
The mission seeks to establish a comprehensive national security shield by 2035, reinforcing India’s doctrine of deterrence while rejecting coercion and nuclear intimidation.
In July 2025, the United States formally designated The Resistance Front as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity, citing its involvement in recent attacks against Indian security forces. The US State Department said the move reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to countering terrorism and violent extremism, while also confirming that Lashkar-e-Taiba would remain on its list of banned terrorist organisations.
