New Delhi, June 26:
In a significant and solemn development, the Government of India has, for the first time, officially disclosed the names of six armed forces personnel who were killed in action during Operation Sindoor, a cross-border military operation conducted in May 2025.
The names of the fallen soldiers have now been inscribed in the Roll of Honour at the National War Memorial in New Delhi, marking the first formal public acknowledgement of the casualties suffered during the operation.
The personnel honoured include Subedar Major Pawan Kumar, Rifleman Sunil Kumar (Vir Chakra), Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, Aviation Technician Mood Muralinaik, Havildar Sunil Kumar Singh, and Sergeant Surendra Kumar (Vayu Medal). These soldiers represented both the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, reflecting the coordinated, multi-service nature of the mission.
Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, 2025, in response to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, most of them tourists. In retaliation, Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes targeting terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, focusing on groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Despite widespread speculation about casualties during the four-day conflict, the government had not previously released the identities of those who lost their lives. The engraving of their names at the National War Memorial now serves as an official recognition of their sacrifice and valour.
The inclusion of these names in the 2025 section of the memorial ensures that their contribution to national security will be remembered alongside other martyrs who laid down their lives in service of the country.
The move has been widely seen as a tribute to the bravery and dedication of the armed forces, while also bringing closure and recognition to the families of the fallen soldiers.
As the nation pays homage, Operation Sindoor now stands formally recorded in India’s military history, with the sacrifices of these six heroes etched permanently in the country’s collective memory.