NEW DELHI: Foreign secretary Vikram Misri along with Col Sophia Qureshi of the Indian Army and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force on Wednesday briefed the media about the Operation Sindoor.Who is Colonel Sophia Qureshi?Colonel Sophia Qureshi, an officer from the Indian Army’s Corps of Signals, has earned the distinction of being the first woman to lead an Indian Army training contingent at Force 18, a multinational field exercise involving ASEAN Plus countries.She was also the only female commander among all participating nations, underscoring India’s commitment to increase women’s participation in military roles.Commissioned in 1990, Qureshi has significant experience in peacekeeping operations and was part of the Indian mission in Congo in 2006.She has been actively involved in United Nations peacekeeping efforts where her role focused on training related to peacekeeping operations and humanitarian mine action.For young Indian women seeking meaningful and challenging careers, she had a clear message: “If possible, join the Indian Army.”Southern Army Commander Lt Gen Bipin Rawat in 2016 commended her leadership, noting that the Army believes in equal opportunity and responsibility for all personnel, regardless of gender.‘Operation Sindoor’Under ‘Operation Sindoor’, the armed forces on Wednesday targeted and destroyed nine terror hideouts belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.This marked India’s most decisive strike in response to the recent Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians were killed. According to the Ministry of Defence, the Indian Air Force conducted precision strikes on four terror sites inside Pakistan and five within PoK. The ministry described the operation as “focused, measured and non-escalatory,” adding that no Pakistani military installations were targeted. “These actions are in direct response to the horrific Pahalgam attack,” the Defence Ministry said in its statement, adding, “We are upholding our commitment to ensure that those responsible for the attack face consequences.” The Indian government later released an official video declaring the mission a success, while Pakistani authorities were reportedly caught off guard.
