Meet Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh Who Led Operation Sindoor Briefing

New Delhi: In a significant and symbolic moment for India’s military leadership, Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh led the high-profile media briefing on Operation Sindoor—India's targeted military strike on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). At the briefing, the officers emphasized India’s strategic restraint, operational precision, and the non-escalatory nature of the strikes in retaliation for the barbaric

Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, including a Nepali national.

India Strikes with Precision, Purpose and Restraint

Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh presented the operational outline of Operation Sindoor, clarifying that the strikes:

Targeted nine key terror camps of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen

Avoided any Pakistani military installations, reflecting India’s commitment to measured response

Were carried out by the tri-services Army, Navy, and Air Force  using precision ammunition

Were in response to the April 22 Pahalgam massacre, where terrorists executed civilians, mostly men, in front of their families

Who is Colonel Sophia Qureshi?

Colonel Sophia Qureshi, from the Indian Army’s Corps of Signals, is a trailblazer with several firsts to her name. She is:

The first woman officer to command an Indian contingent at an international military exercise (Exercise Force 18, 2016)

A UN Peacekeeping veteran, having served in conflict zones like Congo

A Gujarat native, with a postgraduate degree in biochemistry

From a military family, married to a Mechanised Infantry officer

Her participation in the Operation Sindoor briefing was not just operational it was deeply symbolic. The name “Sindoor,” referring to the red vermilion worn by married Hindu women, pays tribute to the victims of the Pahalgam massacre, many of whom were newly married men targeted on religious grounds.

Who is Wing Commander Vyomika Singh?

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, a key strategist from the Indian Air Force, highlighted the precision air strikes and coordination required in multi-theatre operations. Her presence in the briefing underscores the growing role of women in strategic defence roles and high-stakes missions.

Key Takeaways from Operation Sindoor:

Nine terror camps were struck across Bahawalpur, Muridke, Kotli, Muzaffarabad, Sialkot, and other areas.

An estimated 80–90 terrorists were killed, with 25–30 neutralized each in Bahawalpur and Muridke.

The Masjid wa Markaz Taiba in Muridke, the ideological headquarters of LeT, was severely damaged.

The strikes were a direct response to the barbaric Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.

Pakistan claimed civilian casualties and termed the operation a "blatant act of war," while India clarified that no military targets were engaged.

Read Also: Operation Sindoor: Air India Suspend Flights to Jammu, Srinagar, Leh & More; Major Delays Across North India Till May 7