Under intense internal pressure, the Indian government has officially acknowledged the heavy toll suffered during ‘Operation Sindoor’ and announced that 100 fallen troops will be honoured posthumously. The recognition includes four fighter pilots and five S-400 air defence system operators.
After months of denial, the Indian military has indirectly admitted to major troop losses. The acknowledgement came as the armed forces announced military honours for several deceased personnel, including elite Rafale fighter jet pilots and S-400 damage.
This sudden recognition has exposed the extent of Indian military casualties during Operation Sindoor. Until now, the government had kept these losses hidden from the public.
Among the honoured are three Rafale fighter jet pilots, two personnel from Rajouri Aviation Base, and five operators of the S-400 system killed at Adampur Airbase. Several others from Udhampur Airbase and the Uri Supply Depot will also be recognised for their service.
The Indian government has acknowledged that the Pakistani Air Force struck an S-400 battery. India didn’t disclose how many S-400 launchers, radar and command posts were destroyed, five S-400 operators killed during Operation Sindoor indicates that the S-400 command centre and radar may have been damaged significantly.
Reports suggest that the conflict ended with a US-brokered ceasefire after Pakistani strikes hit strategic sites like Pathankot and Udhampur. Despite the recent honours, Indian authorities had reportedly discouraged the victims’ families from sharing details online to hide the operation’s failure, drawing sharp criticism from defence experts.
The operation was triggered by Indian accusations of Pakistan’s involvement in the killing of tourists in Pahalgam, occupied Kashmir, a claim Islamabad has strongly denied. The four-day conflict saw intense retaliatory action from Pakistan’s armed forces, resulting in considerable damage to Indian military installations and personnel.
Initially, the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi attempted to conceal the scale of losses to avoid public backlash and diplomatic embarrassment. However, under growing pressure from within the military and public domain, India has now confirmed the deaths of more than 250 soldiers along the Line of Control (LoC).
Among the casualties were seven Indian Air Force (IAF) members, including four fighter pilots, three of whom flew Rafale jets and five operators of the S-400 air defence system who were killed during Pakistani strikes on Adampur Airbase. Additionally, nine personnel from the Udhampur Airbase and its air defence unit, two from the Rajouri Aviation Base, and four soldiers from the Uri Supply Depot, including the Officer Commanding, are among those being honoured.
Five members of the 10th Infantry Brigade stationed at G-Top and nine from the 93rd Infantry Brigade Headquarters were also reported killed in action. All will receive posthumous military decorations.
According to international media reports, India was compelled to agree to a US-brokered ceasefire following precision strikes by Pakistan’s forces on strategic locations, including Pathankot and Udhampur. The scale of the losses reportedly included the destruction of key airbases and advanced fighter aircraft.
Indian security sources have also revealed that the families of fallen soldiers were pressured not to share photos or information on social media, a move widely criticised as an attempt to suppress the truth and avoid political fallout.
Defence analysts argue that while nations around the world honour their martyrs with pride, India’s initial efforts to hide its casualties mark a concerning departure from military tradition and transparency. Comparisons have been drawn with the 2019 Abhinandan incident, where the Indian pilot captured and later released by Pakistan was given multiple awards despite the mission’s failure.
The belated recognition of soldiers lost in Operation Sindoor comes amid rising questions about the Indian government’s handling of military conflicts and its commitment to transparency with the public.
© 2025, GDC. © GDC and www.globaldefensecorp.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to www.globaldefensecorp.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
