Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has strongly supported the Indian government and armed forces after the recent cross-border strikes, named Operation Sindoor. The strikes were launched early on Wednesday and lasted just 25 minutes. They targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Tharoor praised both the operation and its name. He said the strikes were necessary and well planned. Speaking to the media, he called the government’s actions “commendable” and the name “evocative and powerful”.
“The name reminds us of the young widow crying beside her husband in Pahalgam,” Tharoor said. “That moment is seared into our national memory. It shows why the operation was needed.”
Responding to a post on X that speculated on a possible acronym for the operation, Tharoor wrote, "Clever, esp given the government’s penchant for creative acronyms! But jokes apart, Operation Sindoor is a brilliant name."
He added, "It evokes the image, seared into our national consciousness, of the newly-widowed bride, kneeling and weeping by the side of her assassinated husband of six days in Pahalgam – the entire reason why Operation Sindoor was necessary. The fact that sindoor is blood red also sends a telling message. Shabash to whoever thought of it!"
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The strikes were carried out using air, naval and ground forces. Officials said they were precise and designed to avoid escalation. The government stated the targets were only terror hideouts. No civilians were harmed.
The operation was a response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 civilians were killed. India said it acted with restraint and focus. “We have been measured and careful,” said the Ministry of Defence.
Tharoor also replied to a post on X that joked about the name. The post claimed Sindoor might stand for Strategic Initiative for Neutralising Destructive Opponents with Overwhelming Retaliation. The author was unnamed.
Tharoor responded, “Clever, especially with this government’s love for acronyms. But jokes apart, it’s a brilliant name.”
Pakistan confirmed the casualties. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the strikes a “blatant act of war”. He warned of a strong response.
India has denied this. It said the operation was limited and carefully executed. The aim, according to officials, was to strike terror infrastructure, not provoke conflict.
Tharoor’s remarks stood out in the political space. His clear support offered a rare moment of unity on a sensitive issue.
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