Operation ‘Sindoor’: The Red Dot on Indian Women’s Foreheads Becomes a War Name Against Pakistan

The military operation named ‘Sindoor’ by India carries deep religious symbolism. Operation ‘Sindoor’ involved attacks on multiple locations in Pakistan, quickly prompting a Pakistani response and escalating the Indo-Pakistani conflict to uncontrollable dimensions. This operation was retaliation for the deadly attack in Pulwama that killed 25 Indians and one Nepalese citizen on April 22. The situation has escalated significantly in the disputed region of Kashmir, causing international concern. Why was the operation named ‘Sindoor’? The name chosen by India for its military action against Pakistan reflects strong religious connotations. Sindoor refers to the red vermilion dot on the foreheads of Indian women, signifying their marital status. The massacre in the Indian-administered part of Kashmir left many women widowed. Days later, an image of a woman next to her deceased husband went viral, becoming a symbol of the trauma suffered by the victims. Both the Defense and Foreign Ministers of India posted the name of the operation on X, depicting the red powder. ‘The world must show zero tolerance for terrorism,’ wrote India’s Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar, on X. ‘Victory to India,’ wrote Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in Hindi.