In response to widespread public criticism, Reliance Industries Limited has officially withdrawn its trademark application for the term “Operation Sindoor,” a phrase recently etched into the national consciousness due to its association with a decisive Indian military response to terrorism.

The phrase gained prominence after the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor — a retaliatory strike targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir — following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 Indian and foreign tourists. The operation has since been hailed as a symbol of national resolve and military precision.

According to Reliance Industries, the trademark application was filed by a junior employee at Jio Studios, a company subsidiary, without proper authorization. In a statement issued today, the conglomerate emphasized that it had no intention of commercializing a term so deeply tied to national sacrifice and military valor.

“Reliance Industries and all its stakeholders are incredibly proud of Operation Sindoor, which came about in response to a Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attack in Pahalgam,” the statement read. “Our commitment to the motto of ‘India First’ remains unwavering.”

The attempted trademarking drew immediate backlash on social media and in public discourse, with many accusing the corporation of inappropriately seeking to profit from a military action that has become a rallying point for Indian unity. Critics argued that such terms should remain part of the national domain, not subjected to corporate claims.

Recognizing the sensitivity of the matter, Reliance Industries moved quickly to retract the application and issue an apology, reaffirming its alignment with the nation’s values and the armed forces.

Operation Sindoor itself has been lauded by leaders across the political spectrum. Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the mission for delivering a “clear message” to India’s adversaries, while Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta called it a “turning point” in India’s fight against terrorism.

By stepping back from the trademark claim, Reliance Industries has been credited with making a “mature and respectful” decision that upholds the sanctity of national symbols and honors the memory of those who lost their lives in Pahalgam.

Widespread panic gripped the Pakistani cities of Lahore and Karachi on Thursday following a series of explosions believed to be linked to India’s ongoing Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

In Lahore, three loud explosions were reported on Walton Road early in the day, sending plumes of smoke into the sky and triggering mass evacuation as terrified residents fled their homes. Local sources also reported blasts near Askari 5 and the Naval College area, with additional explosions heard in the Burki and Naseerabad districts.

In Karachi, a blast near Sharafi Goth in Malir reportedly resulted from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) strike that hit a building deep inside the city. Although official confirmation is awaited, videos and images circulating on social media show smoke rising from several areas and civilians seeking shelter.

Samaa TV and MM News cited local witnesses and unverified footage indicating multiple strike points. In response to the escalating situation, commercial flights at Lahore and Sialkot airports were suspended until noon, underscoring rising national security concerns.

These developments come in the wake of India’s precision airstrikes launched under Operation Sindoor on May 7. The operation, a direct response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 Indian civilians, has so far targeted known terror hubs of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), including Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur and Markaz Taiba in Muridke.

While India has officially confirmed strikes on nine key targets in PoJK and Punjab province of Pakistan, unconfirmed reports suggest that Indian drones may have also struck sites in Attock, Gujranwala, Chakwal, Rawalpindi, Mianwali, Chor, and Karachi.

As uncertainty grips major urban centers in Pakistan, tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations continue to escalate. Pakistani authorities have yet to provide an official statement on the blasts, but social media posts from local journalists show civilians pouring onto streets and reports of emergency services being overwhelmed.

The situation remains volatile as global powers urge restraint and call for urgent diplomatic engagement to prevent a wider regional conflict.

Newly released satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies, accessed by Reuters, confirms massive destruction at Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) strongholds in Bahawalpur and Muridke, respectively. The visuals, taken before and after India’s May 7 precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, provide irrefutable evidence of structural devastation at the heart of Pakistan’s terror infrastructure.

The operation was launched in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 civilian lives, mostly tourists. Among the key targets was the Markaz Subhan Allah mosque complex in Bahawalpur, which served as JeM’s operational headquarters since 2015. The satellite images show the mosque’s dome pierced by missile impact, collapsed buildings, and widespread debris.

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army confirmed during a press briefing that the strike on Bahawalpur hit the residences of JeM founder Maulana Masood Azhar, his family, and the group’s de facto leadership. “This was a facility where radicalization, arms training, and anti-India sermons were conducted routinely,” she stated, calling the destruction a significant blow to JeM’s operations.

The Markaz Subhan Allah complex had long been linked to terror planning, including the Pulwama suicide bombing in 2019. It also served as a site for physical, arms, and religious training of cadres who were later deployed across the region.

In Muridke, the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Markaz Taiba complex — a sprawling campus active since 2000 — suffered extensive structural damage. Pre-strike imagery showed multiple buildings used for ideological training and indoctrination, while post-strike visuals reveal large portions of the facility flattened.

Colonel Qureshi noted that Markaz Taiba, situated just 18–25 km inside Pakistan, enrolled over 1,000 students annually in various ideological and paramilitary courses. “The attackers of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, including Ajmal Kasab and David Headley, received training at this very facility,” she added.

These strikes mark a major strategic move by India to dismantle what it calls the “deep infrastructure of terrorism” supported across the border. Though Pakistani officials have called the strikes a violation of sovereignty, India maintains the action was “measured and necessary” in light of the Pahalgam massacre.

As Operation Sindoor continues, the international community remains on edge, with satellite evidence now adding powerful credibility to India’s claim of striking only terror-related assets while avoiding civilian casualties and military installations.

The Indian Army’s growing reliance on high-tech precision weaponry was on full display during Operation Sindoor, as SkyStriker suicide drones—a class of unmanned aerial vehicles known as loitering munitions—were reportedly deployed to target terrorist infrastructure deep within Pakistan early Wednesday.

These advanced drones are the product of a strategic India-Israel joint venture between Alpha Design Technologies, based in western Bengaluru, and Elbit Security Systems of Israel. Manufactured locally, the SkyStriker drones reflect the Army’s push for technological self-reliance following the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, with an emergency order for over 100 units placed in 2021.

Each SkyStriker drone can fly up to 100 km, carrying a 5kg or 10kg warhead, and uses electric propulsion to ensure near-silent, low-altitude operations. This stealth capability allows for covert strikes, enhancing survivability and effectiveness in hostile environments.

While Alpha Design’s Chairman and Managing Director, Colonel (Retd) HS Shankar, declined to comment on the drones’ role in Operation Sindoor, citing operational confidentiality, sources confirmed their participation in multiple seek-and-destroy missions during the operation.

Elbit describes the SkyStriker as a unique fusion of aerial surveillance and missile-like precision, capable of silently loitering over a target area before delivering a lethal strike. This technology significantly enhances the Army’s sensor-to-shooter loop, enabling real-time engagement with minimal collateral damage.

The deployment of these drones signals a paradigm shift in Indian battlefield tactics, placing greater emphasis on autonomous systems and precision warfare to counter asymmetric threats and cross-border terrorism with enhanced speed and accuracy.

In a dramatic development highlighting the rising military tensions in South Asia, fragments of two Chinese-made air-to-air missiles were discovered in a field in Hoshiarpur district, Punjab. Indian authorities confirmed the debris was found early Tuesday morning, just hours after the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully intercepted incoming aerial threats along the India-Pakistan border.

Officials from the Indian Air Force indicated that the attempted missile strike was thwarted late by India’s multi-layered air defense network. The successful interception is being attributed to India’s Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) programme, which combines systems like the Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) and Advanced Air Defence (AAD) to neutralize threats at varying altitudes ranging from 16 km to 180 km.

The discovery has sparked national security debates, with analysts warning of an increasingly complex military dynamic between India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed nations. “This isn’t just another border incident,” said one senior defense analyst. “This is the deployment of fifth-generation missile technology supplied by China, falling on Indian soil.”

Tensions were already high following a recent terrorist attack in Kashmir, which India has linked to Pakistan-based groups. Indian defense officials have reiterated that their actions remain “focused and measured,” underscoring a policy of deterrence without provocation.

As forensic teams examine the missile debris, international observers are watching closely. The use of Chinese-origin weapons in Pakistan’s operational engagements could have broader implications for regional security and arms proliferation. The Ministry of External Affairs is expected to issue a formal diplomatic communication to both Islamabad and Beijing, seeking clarifications and assurances.

The incident marks one of the most serious military alerts along the India-Pakistan frontier in recent months and is a grim reminder of the fragile peace in the region. With investigations ongoing, the world waits to see how New Delhi and Islamabad will navigate this latest flashpoint in their tense relationship.