India’s Ministry of Defence report has confirmed that Indian Navy Special Forces, including MARCOS, played a direct role in the precision strikes of Operation Sindoor, alongside the Army and Air Force, WION reported.

The report underscores the tri-service coordination, planning, and execution that followed the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, marking a decisive shift in India’s counter-terrorism doctrine.

The report underscores the tri-service coordination, planning, and execution that followed the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, marking a decisive shift in India’s counter-terrorism doctrine.

The Ministry of Defence account reveals that Operation Sindoor was launched on the intervening night of 6–7 May 2025, in response to the brutal Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. The strikes were carried out against nine identified terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

These camps were linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen. The report highlights that the operation was designed to avoid civilian casualties and caused no collateral damage, reflecting India’s calibrated approach.

The Indian Navy’s role was more extensive than previously disclosed. Alongside the deployment of the INS Vikrant-led Carrier Battle Group and submarines in the Arabian Sea, Navy Special Forces MARCOS were inserted into forward areas to conduct reconnaissance and support precision targeting. 

Their involvement ensured that the strikes were synchronised with maritime surveillance and offensive posturing, effectively confining Pakistan’s naval units to their harbours.

The report also details the Indian Air Force’s use of long-range precision-guided weapons, striking terrorist infrastructure at Muridke and Bahawalpur. Pakistani retaliation through drones and missile attacks was countered by India’s Integrated Air Command and Control System, which fused sensors and air-defence assets.

Systems such as the S-400, Akash, Pechora, and OSA-AK played a central role, with one S-400 unit reportedly destroying a Pakistani special mission aircraft at a range of 314 km.

The Army’s contribution included rapid mobilisation, counter-explosive device units, and sanitisation of drone wreckage. Turkish-origin Baykar drones, MAM munitions, and PL-15 missiles were recovered, underscoring Pakistan’s reliance on foreign-supplied systems. The Army also disposed of over 220 unexploded ordnance items in Northern Command, ensuring operational safety.

The Ministry’s report frames Operation Sindoor as a watershed in India’s military doctrine. It demonstrated the ability to conduct integrated, network-centric warfare involving intelligence, precision strike, air defence, maritime power, and unmanned systems. The operation validated India’s capacity to impose costs on adversaries not only through direct strikes but also by leveraging economic and maritime pressure.

The report further notes that the experience of Operation Sindoor has prompted a review of capability gaps, with emphasis on jointness, restructuring, and emerging technologies. It highlights India’s resolve to safeguard sovereignty and its readiness to respond decisively to state-sponsored terrorism.

The inclusion of Navy Special Forces in the strikes adds a new dimension to the narrative of Operation Sindoor. Their role in reconnaissance, targeting, and coordination with other services reflects India’s growing emphasis on special operations as part of integrated campaigns.

Agencies