Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has released a commemorative volume on Operation Sindoor, capturing the personal testimonies of 100 officers, sailors, and airmen who took part in the decisive military operation of May 2025.

The book departs from conventional military historiography by focusing on the lived experiences of combatants across the three Services, offering citizens a rare insight into the human dimension of modern warfare.

On 29 May 2026, Rajnath Singh unveiled the commemorative publication in New Delhi, in the presence of Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, and Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi.

The Defence Minister described Operation Sindoor as an unprecedented success, noting that India compelled Pakistan to seek a ceasefire within four days of the strikes. He emphasised that the operation was unlike any other war India has fought, as it demonstrated seamless jointness, precision, and resilience.

The book documents the personal accounts of combat aviators, naval watchkeepers, surface-to-air missile crews, special forces operators, signallers, logisticians, medical officers, and personnel from integrated defence organisations.

These testimonies provide a ground-level perspective of the operation, highlighting moments such as soldiers on the Line of Control targeting adversary bunkers, air defence operators neutralising inbound drones, pilots releasing weapons in combat, and sailors at action stations as the fleet adopted heightened posture.

Compiled under the guidance of the CDS, the volume was supported by contributions from the Additional Directorate General of Strategic Communication, the Media and Public Information Cell, and the Directorate of Media and Public Relations, with publication assistance from the United Service Institution of India.

Singh stated that the book is a tribute to those who executed the operation and connects citizens with the devotion and resilience of soldiers. He urged citizens to draw inspiration from the accounts and become worthy of the sacrifices made to safeguard sovereignty.

The commemorative volume deliberately departs from the conventions of official military historiography, which often privilege the perspective of headquarters and commanders. Instead, it seeks to recover the texture of war as lived by combatants in real time.

This approach underscores the human dimension of modern warfare, where leadership, courage, judgment under pressure, and commitment translate strategy into success.

Operation Sindoor itself was launched in response to the brutal Pahalgam terror attack of April 2025, which claimed 26 lives. Between 7 and 10 May 2025, Indian forces struck terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, destroying multiple launchpads and crippling critical Pakistani air force assets.

The operation demonstrated India’s ability to conduct complex joint operations under pressure, compelling Pakistan to agree to a ceasefire after four days of hostilities.

The commemorative book thus serves not only as a historical record but also as a living testimony of courage and sacrifice. It offers citizens a rare opportunity to understand the operational realities faced by India’s armed forces and to appreciate the tremendous cost paid to ensure national security.

PTI