Delayed honour: On Operation Sindoor, gains and losses

Operational secrecy (गोपनीयता, गुप्तता) during wars is a must (अनिवार्यता), but there must be accountability (जवाबदेही, उत्तरदायित्व)

War is secretive (uncommunicative, tight-lipped, silent, unforthcoming) and strategy (रणनीति, सैन्य रणनीति) may require deception (धोखा, छल). But that is no good explanation for the fact that (यह तथ्य कि) the Narendra Modi government took over a year (एक वर्ष से अधिक समय) before formally (औपचारिक रूप से) acknowledging that six soldiers had lost their lives in Operation Sindoor in 2025. India had launched cross-border (सीमा-पार, अंतर-सीमाई) military strikes (हमला, सैन्य प्रहार) in Pakistan in retaliation (प्रतिशोध, जवाबी कार्रवाई) for the Pahalgam terrorist attack (a terror attack in April 2025 that killed 26 innocent people, prompting India’s retaliatory strikes), in April 2025, that killed 26 innocent (guiltless, blameless, harmless, faultless) people. From the beginning, the government has been reluctant (अनिच्छुक, हिचकिचाने वाला) to share any meaningful (सार्थक, महत्वपूर्ण) details of Operation Sindoor (a cross-border military operation launched by India in Pakistan in 2025 in retaliation for the Pahalgam terrorist attack) even as (at the same time as, while, precisely as, exactly when) it continuously kept the hyperbolic (exaggerated, inflated, overstated, magnified) self-congratulatory (complacent, self-satisfied, smug, proud) posture (attitude, stance, approach, standpoint). Its decision to not publicly (openly, overtly, transparently, visibly) acknowledge (admit, accept, recognize, concede) and honour (सम्मान, आदर) the supreme (highest, greatest, utmost, maximum) sacrifice of the fallen (dead, killed, perished (especially in battle or war)) soldiers contemporaneously (simultaneously, at the same time, concurrently, alongside) was hardly (barely, scarcely, only just, almost not) a sign of any wise (sensible, prudent, rational, logical) strategy. Casualties (victim, fatality, loss, sufferer) can happen in any military operation and that is a key consideration (factor, issue, point, aspect) in any military planning, and more importantly, the political decision to go to war or not. Not being transparent (open, candid, straightforward, frank) about losses, human and material, may serve (promote, advance, further, benefit) the political interests (advantage, benefit, concern, cause) of the ruling party, but not national interest. By trying to be clever and selective (biased, prejudiced, partial, discriminatory) about facts, the government undermined (weaken, compromise, diminish, subvert) its own credibility (trustworthiness, reliability, integrity, reputation) and did a disservice (harm, damage, injury, injustice) to those who paid with their lives. Soon after the operation concluded in May 2025, the then (former, previous, past, earlier) Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) (the Directorate General of Military Operations is an Indian Army body responsible for overseeing tactical planning, coordinating all military operations, and managing strategic troop movements), Lieutenant General (a high rank in the army, typically above major general and below general) Rajiv Ghai, paid tribute, during a press briefing (meeting, conference, update, announcement) on May 11, 2025, to Indian military personnel (staff, employees, workforce, members) who had made the supreme sacrifice, though (although, even though, in spite of the fact that, despite the fact that) their names were not disclosed (reveal, make known, divulge, unveil).

The cremations (the disposal of a dead person’s body by burning it to ashes; incineration, burning) were done with full military honours (ceremonial tributes paid by the military to a deceased soldier or dignitary; military tribute, state funeral, guard of honour). In August 2025, Air Chief Marshal (a four-star commissioned flag officer rank in the Indian Air Force, the highest active rank in the IAF; head of the air force) A.P. Singh visited the family of Sergeant (a non-commissioned officer in the armed forces; NCO) Surendra Kumar, who was killed during the operation, while the Ministry of Defence also announced gallantry (bravery, courage, valour, heroism) awards for the fallen personnel. Tributes (homage, honour, respect, recognition) were simultaneously carried on the Indian Army’s official social media platforms. In the Lok Sabha on July 28, 2025, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that “no Indian soldiers were harmed” during Operation Sindoor. Following (after, in the aftermath of, subsequent to, as a result of) accusations (charge, allegation, claim, assertion) that it has misled Parliament, the government is now explaining that the Minister’s remarks (comment, statement, observation, utterance) were made in the context of (in connection with, in respect of, relating to, in terms of) reports that Indian aircraft were shot down and were meant to clarify that no pilot was killed during the mission (operation, assignment, task, undertaking). The government has also maintained (assert, claim, state, insist) that details relating to aircraft losses during the conflict (war, armed clash, battle, military action) remain operationally sensitive and refused to disclose them. There is a distinction (difference, contrast, dissimilarity, variance) to be made between operational secrecy and requirements of public accountability (the obligation of government agencies and officials to provide information about their decisions and actions to the citizens; democratic responsibility, transparency, public answerability, civic liability). War is a stark (clear, distinct, sharp, unmistakable) demonstration (display, manifestation, expression, indication) of the fact that it is the public (people, citizens, populace, general public) that always pays for all actions of the government. A public accounting (public declaration, transparent reporting, justification of actions, open disclosure) of the gains and the losses is the best way to ensure wise decision making (the process of making choices or decisions; resolving, finalizing, judgement, determining).

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.delayed (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विलंबित
English Meaning - happening or arriving late or after the expected time; belated, overdue, postponed, tardy.

2.honour (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सम्मान, आदर
English Meaning - recognition or respect paid to someone; tribute, homage, reverence, distinction.

3.secrecy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गोपनीयता, गुप्तता
English Meaning - confidentiality, covertness, concealment, opaqueness.

4.must (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अनिवार्यता
English Meaning - necessity, essential, prerequisite, requirement.

5.accountability (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जवाबदेही, उत्तरदायित्व
English Meaning - responsibility, answerability, liability, obligatoriness.

6.(war) strategy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - रणनीति, सैन्य रणनीति
English Meaning - a comprehensive master plan or set of methods used to conduct military operations and achieve specific objectives during a conflict; military strategy, battle plan.

7.deception (noun)

Hindi Meaning - धोखा, छल
English Meaning - trickery, deceit, subterfuge, double-dealing.

8.the fact that (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - यह तथ्य कि
English Meaning - used to refer to a particular situation or truth; the reality that, given that, considering that, acknowledging that.

9.over a year (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - एक वर्ष से अधिक समय
English Meaning - more than a year.

10.formally (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - औपचारिक रूप से
English Meaning - officially, legally.

11.cross-border (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सीमा-पार, अंतर-सीमाई
English Meaning - occurring across a border between two countries; transborder, transnational.

12.strike (noun)

Hindi Meaning - हमला, सैन्य प्रहार
English Meaning - attack, offensive, assault, bombing.

13.retaliation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिशोध, जवाबी कार्रवाई
English Meaning - revenge, vengeance, retribution, counter-attack.

14.reluctant (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अनिच्छुक, हिचकिचाने वाला
English Meaning - unwilling, disinclined, hesitant, resisting.

15.meaningful (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सार्थक, महत्वपूर्ण
English Meaning - significant, important, relevant, material.

16.acknowledge (verb)

English Meaning - admit, accept, recognize, concede.

17.operational secrecy (noun)

English Meaning - the practice of keeping the details, planning, and execution of military operations confidential to prevent adversaries from gaining an advantage; tactical confidentiality, military covertness, strategic concealment, classified nature.

18.secretive (adjective)

English Meaning - uncommunicative, tight-lipped, silent, unforthcoming.

19.military deception (MILDEC) (noun)

English Meaning - deliberate actions executed by armed forces to mislead adversary decision-makers regarding their military capabilities, intentions, or operations, thereby causing the enemy to take actions that give friendly forces a strategic advantage; tactical trickery, strategic misdirection, subterfuge, operational concealment.

20.lose one’s life (phrase)

English Meaning - die, perish, pass away, be killed.

21.Operation Sindoor (proper noun)

English Meaning - a cross-border military operation launched by India in Pakistan in 2025 in retaliation for the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

22.Pahalgam terrorist attack (proper noun)

English Meaning - a terror attack in April 2025 that killed 26 innocent people, prompting India’s retaliatory strikes.

23.innocent (adjective)

English Meaning - guiltless, blameless, harmless, faultless.

24.even as (phrase)

English Meaning - at the same time as, while, precisely as, exactly when.

25.hyperbolic (adjective)

English Meaning - exaggerated, inflated, overstated, magnified.

26.self-congratulatory (adjective)

English Meaning - complacent, self-satisfied, smug, proud.

27.posture (noun)

English Meaning - attitude, stance, approach, standpoint.

28.publicly (adverb)

English Meaning - openly, overtly, transparently, visibly.

29.honour (verb)

English Meaning - to show respect, pay tribute to, recognize, celebrate.

30.supreme (adjective)

English Meaning - highest, greatest, utmost, maximum.

31.supreme sacrifice (noun)

English Meaning - the act of dying for one’s country or a cause; giving one’s life, ultimate sacrifice, martyrdom.

32.fallen (adjective)

English Meaning - dead, killed, perished (especially in battle or war).

33.contemporaneously (adverb)

English Meaning - simultaneously, at the same time, concurrently, alongside.

34.hardly (adverb)

English Meaning - barely, scarcely, only just, almost not.

35.wise (adjective)

English Meaning - sensible, prudent, rational, logical.

36.casualty (noun)

English Meaning - victim, fatality, loss, sufferer.

37.consideration (noun)

English Meaning - factor, issue, point, aspect.

38.transparent (adjective)

English Meaning - open, candid, straightforward, frank.

39.serve (verb)

English Meaning - promote, advance, further, benefit.

40.interest (noun)

English Meaning - advantage, benefit, concern, cause.

41.selective (adjective)

English Meaning - biased, prejudiced, partial, discriminatory.

42.undermine (verb)

English Meaning - weaken, compromise, diminish, subvert.

43.credibility (noun)

English Meaning - trustworthiness, reliability, integrity, reputation.

44.disservice (noun)

English Meaning - harm, damage, injury, injustice.

45.pay (verb)

English Meaning - suffer, bear the cost, face the consequences, undergo.

46.then (adjective)

English Meaning - former, previous, past, earlier.

47.Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) (organization/body)

English Meaning - the Directorate General of Military Operations is an Indian Army body responsible for overseeing tactical planning, coordinating all military operations, and managing strategic troop movements.

48.Lieutenant General (noun)

English Meaning - a high rank in the army, typically above major general and below general.

49.pay tribute (phrase)

English Meaning - to show respect, honour, praise, or admiration for someone; express admiration for, commemorate, salute.

50.briefing (noun)

English Meaning - meeting, conference, update, announcement.

51.personnel (noun)

English Meaning - staff, employees, workforce, members.

52.though (conjunction)

English Meaning - although, even though, in spite of the fact that, despite the fact that.

53.disclose (verb)

English Meaning - reveal, make known, divulge, unveil.

54.cremation (noun)

English Meaning - the disposal of a dead person’s body by burning it to ashes; incineration, burning.

55.military honours (noun)

English Meaning - ceremonial tributes paid by the military to a deceased soldier or dignitary; military tribute, state funeral, guard of honour.

56.Air Chief Marshal (noun)

English Meaning - a four-star commissioned flag officer rank in the Indian Air Force, the highest active rank in the IAF; head of the air force.

57.Sergeant (noun)

English Meaning - a non-commissioned officer in the armed forces; NCO.

58.gallantry (noun)

English Meaning - bravery, courage, valour, heroism.

59.tribute (noun)

English Meaning - homage, honour, respect, recognition.

60.carry on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - broadcast, publish, feature, display (in this context: “carried on social media platforms”).

61.following (preposition)

English Meaning - after, in the aftermath of, subsequent to, as a result of.

62.accusation (noun)

English Meaning - charge, allegation, claim, assertion.

63.mislead (verb)

English Meaning - deceive, delude, misguide, misdirect.

64.remark (noun)

English Meaning - comment, statement, observation, utterance.

65.in the context of (phrase)

English Meaning - in connection with, in respect of, relating to, in terms of.

66.shoot down (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - destroy, bring down, gun down (an aircraft); blast out of the sky.

67.mission (noun)

English Meaning - operation, assignment, task, undertaking.

68.maintain (verb)

English Meaning - assert, claim, state, insist.

69.conflict (noun)

English Meaning - war, armed clash, battle, military action.

70.distinction (noun)

English Meaning - difference, contrast, dissimilarity, variance.

71.public accountability (noun)

English Meaning - the obligation of government agencies and officials to provide information about their decisions and actions to the citizens; democratic responsibility, transparency, public answerability, civic liability.

72.stark (adjective)

English Meaning - clear, distinct, sharp, unmistakable.

73.demonstration (noun)

English Meaning - display, manifestation, expression, indication.

74.the public (noun)

English Meaning - people, citizens, populace, general public.

75.public accounting (noun)

English Meaning - public declaration, transparent reporting, justification of actions, open disclosure.

76.decision making (noun)

English Meaning - the process of making choices or decisions; resolving, finalizing, judgement, determining.