In the first official public acknowledgement of military casualties suffered during Operation Sindoor, the Government of India has released the names of six armed forces personnel who were killed in action during the cross-border operation conducted against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in May 2025.
The names of the fallen soldiers and airmen have been included in the Roll of Honour on the National War Memorial website and have also been engraved at the National War Memorial in New Delhi. Their inclusion marks the first formal confirmation of Indian military losses during the operation.
Names of personnel
The personnel honoured are Subedar Major Pawan Kumar of Headquarters 10 Infantry Brigade, Rifleman Sunil Kumar, who was posthumously awarded the Vir Chakra, of 4 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of 5 Field Regiment, Aviation Technician Mood Muralinaik of 851 Light Regiment, Havildar Sunil Kumar Singh of 237 Field Workshop Company, and Sergeant Surendra Kumar, a recipient of the Vayu Medal, from 39 Wing.
Their names have been inscribed on Wall 3D of the National War Memorial under the 2025 section dedicated to military personnel who made the supreme sacrifice in service to the nation.
Until now, the government had not publicly identified any military personnel killed during Operation Sindoor, despite widespread reports and speculation regarding casualties during the brief but intense military confrontation between India and Pakistan in May 2025. The publication of the names effectively serves as the first official confirmation of the losses sustained by the Indian armed forces during the campaign.
Operation Sindoor
Operation Sindoor was launched in the early hours of May 7, 2025, in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 civilians, most of them tourists.
During the operation, Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes on nine locations linked to terrorist organisations operating from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The targets reportedly included infrastructure associated with Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Military action between the two countries ceased on May 10 after discussions between the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan resulted in an agreement to halt hostilities.
The list of personnel honoured indicates that Operation Sindoor involved close coordination between multiple branches of the armed forces, with casualties recorded in both the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.
The National War Memorial, inaugurated in 2019 near India Gate in New Delhi, commemorates members of the Indian armed forces who have laid down their lives in military operations and conflicts since Independence. The addition of the six names ensures that the sacrifices made during Operation Sindoor are formally recognised and preserved in the nation’s military history.
