‘Beyond historical account’: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh unveils book on Op Sindoor

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday (May 29) launched a commemorative book on Operation Sindoor, bringing together personal narratives from 100 members of the Indian armed forces who took part in the audacious mission. The book, released at an event in New Delhi, focuses on the experiences of officers and personnel from the Army, Navy and Air Force, offering a ground-level perspective on the operation that destroyed terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) last year in May.

Calling the operation a major success, Singh said the mission demonstrated India’s military preparedness and strategic coordination. He stated that the publication was meant to honour the contribution of the personnel involved and help citizens understand the sacrifices made by the armed forces to safeguard the country’s sovereignty.

“Operation Sindoor was an unprecedented success where India compelled Pakistan to seek a ceasefire under four days. It was different from all other wars that India has fought so far,” Singh wrote in a post on X.

“The commemorative publication on Operation Sindoor released today goes beyond historical account and captures the personal experiences of our brave soldiers while offering insight into the human dimension of modern warfare where leadership, courage, judgment under pressure and commitment translates strategy into success,” he said.

He further added, “It is a tribute to those who executed this operation and gives us a connect with the devotion and resilience of our soldiers. The citizens need to draw inspiration from this book and be citizens worthy of the tremendous cost the nation pays to ensure security and maintain sovereignty.”

Rather than presenting a conventional military history, the volume highlights the experiences of soldiers and officers directly involved in critical moments of the operation. According to the Defence Ministry, “The accounts span across the three Services as well as Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff and include combat aviators, naval watchkeepers, surface-to-air missile crews, special forces operators, signallers, logisticians, medical officers & the personnel of the joint and integrated organisations that knit the operation together.”

The publication was released during a ceremony function attended by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh.