NCERT adds Operation Sindoor to classroom syllabus, highlights India’s response to Pahalgam terror attack

Operation Sindoor now in NCERT textbook

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has introduced a new learning module on Operation Sindoor, describing it as a “military success, a technological breakthrough, and a political message combined.” The content is designed for students from Classes 3 to 12 and will serve as an additional resource beyond regular textbooks.

According to the module, the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025, which killed 26 tourists, was “directly ordered by Pakistan’s military and political leadership” and carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives under the guidance of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Though The Resistance Front (TRF) initially claimed responsibility, India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) confirmed TRF’s role through evidence and eyewitness testimonies.

Operation Sindoor – A Strategic Response

The document states that India responded with Operation Sindoor, a coordinated military action in which the Indian Air Force struck nine key terror-linked sites inside Pakistan. The targets included command and control centres, radars, surface-to-air weapons, runways, and hangars, effectively breaching Pakistan’s air defence systems.

The NCERT notes that the strikes were carried out with precision to minimise civilian casualties, while also showcasing India’s growing reliance on indigenously developed defence technologies such as the S-400, Akash, MRSAM systems, Pechora, and OSA-AK platforms.

Linking Past and Present

Before detailing Operation Sindoor, the module revisits the 2019 Pulwama attack and India’s retaliatory Balakot air strikes, underlining the continuity in India’s counter-terror policy. It also contextualises the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, highlighting subsequent progress in Jammu and Kashmir—such as better infrastructure, upgraded schools, direct rail connectivity, and record tourism numbers by 2023.

The Pahalgam attack, it adds, was an attempt to destabilise this progress.

Escalation and Defence

Following India’s strikes, Pakistan carried out repeated ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC), targeting not just military sites but also civilian infrastructure, schools, and religious places, leading to 14 Indian civilian deaths. The Indian Army retaliated, neutralising an estimated 35–40 Pakistani soldiers.

On May 10, Pakistan launched fresh attacks on Indian Air Force bases and cantonments, but “no critical Indian asset was damaged,” the module notes.

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy deployed its Carrier Battle Group with MiG-29K fighter jets and surveillance systems in the North Arabian Sea, securing India’s maritime interests and deterring further escalation.

Broader Impact

According to the NCERT, Operation Sindoor was not only a military victory but also a diplomatic and psychological one. The strikes reassured Indian citizens, restored confidence in the armed forces, and conveyed to the international community that India would decisively protect its sovereignty.

The document also emphasises self-reliance in defence manufacturing, presenting the operation as proof that homegrown technologies are combat-ready and effective.