A year after India launched one of its most significant military operations in recent memory, Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked the anniversary of Operation Sindoor on Thursday by updating his official X profile picture, a gesture that was quickly mirrored by senior ministers and officials across the government.

PM Modi's profile picture now prominently references Operation Sindoor, paying tribute to the Indian armed forces whose precision strikes on May 7, 2025 targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

It is a rare move; before this, Modi had last changed his X display picture to the Tricolour on August 9, 2024, ahead of Independence Day.

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What PM Modi said

In a post on X, the Prime Minister did not hold back. "A year ago, our armed forces displayed unparalleled courage, precision and resolve during #OperationSindoor. They gave a fitting response to those who dared to attack innocent Indians at Pahalgam. The entire nation salutes our forces for their valour," he wrote.

He added: "Today, a year later, we remain as steadfast as ever in our resolve to defeat terrorism and destroy its enabling ecosystem."

A government-wide commemoration

The gesture extended well beyond the Prime Minister's account. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya all updated their X profile pictures to reference Operation Sindoor, a coordinated signal of remembrance across the country's diplomatic and political leadership.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh separately paid tribute to the valour and sacrifices of the Indian armed forces on the anniversary.

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What Operation Sindoor was, and what it achieved

Operation Sindoor was India's military response to the Pahalgam terror attack of April 2026, in which 26 civilians were killed in Kashmir, one of the deadliest attacks on Indian soil in years. On May 7, 2025, Indian armed forces carried out precision airstrikes on nine major terror launchpads in Pakistan and PoJK, targeting infrastructure linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hizbul Mujahideen. Over 100 terrorists were killed during the operation.

Pakistan responded with drone attacks and shelling, triggering a four-day conflict. India retaliated with strikes that destroyed radar installations in Lahore and radar facilities near Gurjanwala.

The operation marked a defining shift in India's counter-terror doctrine, away from restraint and toward precision, technology-driven military action that carried consequences deep inside Pakistani territory.

Published on: May 7, 2026 9:56 AM IST