Operation Sindoor: Government reveals names of 6 soldiers killed in action for first time
New Delhi: The government has officially disclosed, for the first time, the names of six Indian military personnel who were killed during Operation Sindoor, with their names now added to the National War Memorial's Roll of Honour in New Delhi.
More than a year after Operation Sindoor, the government has formally acknowledged the sacrifice of six Indian armed forces personnel who lost their lives during the cross-border military operation by publishing their names on the National War Memorial's Roll of Honour.
The names have been engraved on Wall 3D of the National War Memorial in New Delhi under the 2025 Roll of Honour, marking the first official public confirmation of military casualties suffered during Operation Sindoor.
The six personnel honoured are:
- Subedar Major Pawan Kumar – Headquarters 10 Infantry Brigade
- Rifleman Sunil Kumar (Vir Chakra) – 4 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry
- Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar – 5 Field Regiment
- Aviation Technician Mood Muralinaik – 851 Light Regiment
- Havildar Sunil Kumar Singh – 237 Field Workshop Company
- Sergeant Surendra Kumar (Vayu Medal) – 39 Wing, Indian Air Force
Until now, the government had not officially identified personnel killed during the operation, despite widespread reports of casualties following the military campaign against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, 2025, in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians, most of them tourists. During the operation, Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes on nine terror-linked locations associated with Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Military action between India and Pakistan ended on May 10 after the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries agreed to halt hostilities.
The newly published Roll of Honour also highlights the joint nature of Operation Sindoor, with personnel from both the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force among those who made the supreme sacrifice. Two of the fallen servicemen had also received gallantry or distinguished service honours—Rifleman Sunil Kumar was awarded the Vir Chakra, while Sergeant Surendra Kumar was a recipient of the Vayu Medal.
The National War Memorial, inaugurated in 2019 near India Gate in New Delhi, commemorates members of India's armed forces who have laid down their lives in service of the nation. The addition of these six names formally recognises Operation Sindoor and the personnel who died during the mission.