Col Sofiya Qureshi: Trailblazing Indian Army Officer at the Forefront of Operation Sindoor Briefing

New Delhi, May 7: In a historic moment for the Indian Armed Forces, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, a senior officer from the Corps of Signals, addressed the nation on Wednesday alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh during the official press briefing on Operation Sindoor—India’s calculated military retaliation against cross-border terrorism.

The briefing followed precision air strikes conducted by the Indian Air Force on May 7, targeting nine terror launchpads across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The strikes were carried out in response to the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, which claimed 26 innocent lives, many of them identified as Hindus.

Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, hailing from Gujarat, holds a postgraduate degree in biochemistry and comes from a family steeped in military tradition—her grandfather served in the Indian Army, and her husband is a Major in the Mechanised Infantry. Her remarkable career trajectory has included several pioneering roles, setting benchmarks for future generations of military officers.

In 2006, Col Qureshi was deployed as a military observer in the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Congo, where she played a vital role in international peace operations. Her dedication to multinational military cooperation and extensive experience in Peacekeeping Operations (PKOs) over six years cemented her reputation as one of India's foremost military trainers.

She made headlines in 2016 by becoming the first Indian woman officer to lead an Indian Army contingent in the multilateral ASEAN Plus military exercise 'Force 18'. At the time, then Lt Gen Bipin Rawat stated, “In the army, we believe in equal opportunity and equal responsibility. She has been picked not because she is a woman, but because she has the abilities and leadership qualities to shoulder the responsibility.”

Operation Sindoor: A Decisive Strike

The Ministry of Defence confirmed that Operation Sindoor involved the use of precision munitions to eliminate infrastructure belonging to terror outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). These groups are believed to have orchestrated several terror attacks within Indian territory, including the recent bloodshed in Jammu and Kashmir.

During the briefing, Col Qureshi and her counterparts emphasized that the operation was carried out with “clinical precision” and aimed at dismantling the operational networks of these terrorist groups. “Our objective was clear—disrupt, destroy, and deter,” she stated.

The joint briefing highlighted India's strategic resolve and reinforced the Armed Forces’ commitment to safeguarding national security and preventing future attacks on Indian soil.

As India continues to assess the impact of the strikes, Col Sofiya Qureshi’s leadership in the public communication of this critical military operation marks another milestone in her illustrious career—and a proud moment for the Indian Army.