India’s recent strategic communication in the Operation Sindoor integrates gendered narratives to disrupt conventional international relations discourse. This framing influences both domestic sentiment and international perceptions, reinforcing India’s broader strategic aims.

On 7 May 2025, India launched Operation Sindoor, a series of precision missile strikes targeting nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK). The operation, a retaliation to the 22 April Pahalgam massacre that resulted in the deaths of 26 male tourists, has garnered worldwide attention for both its military accuracy and its explicit gendered framing. Named after the vermilion powder worn by married Hindu women as a symbol of their husbands’ longevity, Operation Sindoor was presented by Indian authorities through a narrative of avenging widows, with two female military officers—Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh—fronting the media briefing. This purposeful employment of gendered narratives and individuals disrupts traditional international relations discourse, merging cultural significance with geopolitical communication.  

Operation Sindoor

The Indian strikes took place on 7May between 1:05 AM and 1:30 AM IST, targeting four locations in Pakistan and five in PoJK. In Pakistan, attacks targeted Bahawalpur (Jaish-e-Mohammed’s Markaz Subhan Allah), Muridke (Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Markaz Taiba), Sialkot, and Shakar Garh. Targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir included Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Gulpur, Bhimber, and Bagh. These sites—according to the Indian media briefing—related to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen, and were picked for their involvement in terror attacks against India. The pinpoint attacks, which avoided Pakistani military installations and civilian areas to minimise escalation risks, killed 31 suspected terrorists, including ten relatives of Jaish-e-Mohammed commander Masood Azhar.  

The following day, on 8 May, the Indian Armed Forces carried out SEAD/DEAD operations, neutralizsing Pakistani air defence systems in Lahore. On 10 May, after Pakistani retaliation, India counter-retaliated with another round of precision strikes, this time targeting 11 PAF airbases and damaging hangars, runways, and mobile facilities. Some targets were 100 miles deep inside Pakistan. Washington Post called it the most extensive Indian air assault on Pakistan since the 1971 Bangladesh war. A panicked Pakistan requested a ceasefire via the DGMO hotline at 3:35 PM on the same day. Hostilities halted at 5:00 PM. India deliberately avoids calling the development a “ceasefire,” implying Operation Sindoor only paused, signalling conditional engagement and readiness to respond to future provocations. 

The gendered narrative: cultural symbolism as a strategic tool 

Apart from the scale of the retaliation, which was much bigger than the 2019 Balakot strikes, what immediately caught everyone’s eyes was the name of the operation. Christened as “Operation Sindoor,” it invoked the Hindu symbol of Sindoor, signifying marital fidelity and the presence of a husband. The operation, which resulted in the deaths of 25 Indian men and one Nepali citizen, was named in a manner that framed the strike as a safeguard of familial integrity, resonating profoundly with emotional and cultural values of the country. This gendered narrative individualised national trauma, converting geopolitical retaliation into a manifestation of collective justice. The global focus on mourning widows has nuanced the understanding of aggression, recasting the operation as a principled reaction to bereavement. 

The decision to have Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh—representing Islam and Hinduism—to brief the media alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri was equally strategic. Their presence transcended mere symbolism, embodying a calculated challenge to the ideological and patriarchal narratives prevalent in Pakistan. In a context where gender roles are profoundly intertwined with political discourse, the presentation of female military officers on a national stage exemplified India’s commitment to a pluralistic and inclusive identity. It underscored the elevation of women across various religious backgrounds within the Indian Armed Forces—an observation that sharply contrasts with the predominantly male-centric military framework of Pakistan. This action also possessed significant ideological implications, quietly challenging Pakistan’s two-nation theory by illustrating the capacity for Indian Muslims and Hindus to collaborate and lead in unison. By emphasising gender and religious diversity, India conveyed its message beyond mere military strength, presenting its response as not only justifiable and ethical, but also socially advanced. This blend of hard power and symbolic messaging crafted a compelling narrative. 

As a consequence, this gendered narrative has consolidated public sentiment domestically. Operation Sindoor received significant bipartisan support, unifying the political spectrum of India. Congress, under the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, supported the government, emphasising national interest. Left parties and southern chief ministers, such as M.K. Stalin and N. Chandrababu Naidu, commended the operation’s precision. Internationally, however, the gendered framing of Operation Sindoor has struggled to resonate with Western audiences, who perceive the operation primarily as a strategic military action, thereby diminishing the salience of its gendered narrative and rendering it subordinate to realpolitik concerns. 

On 18 May, the Indian government notified the establishment of seven all-party parliamentary delegations to articulate the nation’s position on Pakistan’s proxy warfare on the world stage. The initiative emphasises a cohesive national front, involving both ruling and opposition parties. The Modi government’s objective is to demonstrate India’s steadfast dedication to countering cross-border terrorism and to enhancomg international backing for its security policies. 

Strategic objectives and geopolitical context 

Operation Sindoor corresponds with India’s overarching strategic goals: mitigating terrorist threats, establishing regional deterrence, and combating Pakistan’s proxy warfare. The attacks conveyed a strong message to Islamabad. By striking terrorist infrastructure and attacking Pakistani military assets only sparingly, India preserved a fragile equilibrium, avoiding full-scale conflict while exhibiting resolve. The gendered framing fortifies this tactic by situating the operation within a moral narrative, complicating Pakistan’s ability to react without seeming to disregard the human toll of terrorism.  

The strikes on 8, 9, and 10 May, going beyond terror infrastructure to target Pakistani military assets, are likely to restore India’s deterrence because New Delhi, for the first time, directly confronted Pakistan’s state support for terror groups. This decisive action threatens the Pakistan Army’s strategic shield against terrorists, indicating India’s willingness to escalate if provoked. By targeting military infrastructure, New Delhi is sending a clear message that state-sponsored terrorism will not be accepted. In this context, Operation Sindoor exemplifies a hybrid model of strategic communication: one that simultaneously addresses internal political sentiment and external geopolitical calculations, challenging traditional paradigms in international security discourse. 

Anubhav Shankar Goswami is a Doctoral Candidate of Politics and International Relations at the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Science, Murdoch University, Perth. His doctoral research is based on the field of nuclear strategy, with a particular focus on nuclear brinkmanship. Anubhav is the author of the book, ‘Deterrence from Depth: SSBNs in India’s Nuclear Strategy.’

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