In what controversies surrounding conflict between India and Pakistan is a prime case, the concern of how many fatalities occurred in Operation Sindoor still stands. The operation targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) suffered heavy losses on both sides because it was launched in retaliatory fashion for the April 22 Pahalgam thorn attack which took away the lives of 26 civilians.

The Origins of Operation Sindoor

It was a joint services operation of the Indian Air Force, Army, and Navy that did Sindoor’s Operation Start at 1:44 IST May 7. The Air Force and Navy targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK. According to Research and Analysis Wing, these bases were used by LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen terror groups which were affiliated to Pahalgam attack. 26 civilians from Baisaran Valley in Jammu and Kashmir were brutally mauarded during the holiday season for sinister motives that fuelled widowhood of women. In the contempt of the Sindoor operation, Indian MD was of the opinion ‘the blows were accepted with steady therapeutic intention and non-descalation escalation’. Indian still did not touch any Pakistani base military grounds.

The name of the operation “Sindoor”, which also represents the red vermillion mark worn by Hindu women signifying their marital status, carries the emotional burden of the Pahalgam widows. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in command during the operation, had committed to hunting down the culprits without mercy. The issue of how many people died in Operation Sindoor sheds light on the sharp, irrevocable consequences the operation has inflicted, provoking global sympathies and regional tensions. 

Casualties in Operation Sindoor: Indian Claims

Answering the question of how many people died in Operation Sindoor, some Indian sources did put forward estimates regarding the death toll of terrorists as no official figures are available. In the words of Defence Expert Brigadier Hemant Mahajan (Retd), “around 80 terrorists” were neutralized in “25 minutes” during the strikes in the following locations: Bahawal, Muridke, Sialkut, Chak Amru, Gulpur, Bhimber, Bagh, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad. The primary strikes were reported to take place at Bahawal, the JeM’s fortress and Muridke, which is home to LeT, where it is claimed that around 25-30 terrorists were exterminated in each strike. In addition, Masjid wa Markaz Taiba also known as Muridke, a “terror nursery” was also targeted.

According to reports from Indian military officials, preparation for the operation included the use of precision strike weaponry including Rafale jets armed with SCALP cruise missiles and Hammer bombs, which could be fired from Indian territory. The Indian Army’s social media handle “Justice is served. Jai Hind” alongside a video displaying military hardware commends the operation’s success in terror infrastructure dismantling. To date India has not publicly validated the figure for terrorist deaths, but intelligence agencies put the figure at 80 to 90, giving an ambiguous context of how many died in Operation Sindoor.

Pakistan’s Account of the Toll: Civilians in Addition to Military Deaths

The account offered by Pakistan summarizing the death toll during Operation Sindoor predominantly centers on civilians. Officials reported 24 impacts to six sites which in turn yielded a minimum of eight casualties and over twenty-two injuries. These included a Bahawalpur, Punjab, missile strike on a mosque which killed a child along with two civilians. There were also reported attacks in both Muzaffarabad and Kotli where a mosque’s minaret was claimed to have been destroyed. Pakistan’s military Spokesperson put the total figure of people reported dead out of these strikes at twenty-six and forty-six injured as a result of the border firing, although many argue these were neither direct employees, nor part of the clashes.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed additional casualties with Lt. General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry mentioning three civilian deaths, including a child, in the initial strikes with a minimum of 12 other injuries. Pakistan’s figures mention nine civilian deaths and 38 injuries, with two still unaccounted for. However, these figures are yet to be verified independently. Furthermore, the claim of five Indian jets being shot down by Pakistan, along with soldiers being captured, was later retracted which casts doubt on the claims regarding the operational death toll of Sindoor.

Indian Civilian Casualties from Pakistani Retaliation

Pakistan’s response was to initiate intense mortar and artillery bombardments on the LoC in the Poonch and Rajouri districts which contributed to the toll of what was claimed as the operational death count. The Indian Army reported three civilian fatalities alongside over 30 injuries during the night skirmishes between May 6 and May 7. More recent reports from NDTV suggested that the number further increased, estimating 10 civilian deaths owing to “arbitrary and indiscriminate” artillery fire by Pakistan across the LoC and International Border.

The violence has impacted civilian life as both schools and colleges in the border regions were closed, while airports such as Srinagar and Amritsar ceased operations. The evacuation of civilian population to bunkers by the Indian government during the conflict has prioritized security, which adds to the confusion of how many people died in Operation Sindoor.

Discrepancies and Lack of Independent Verification

Conflicts such as these presented discrepancies in the reporting of both Indian and Pakistani forces. India’s unverified estimation of 80-90 terrorists being killed, followed by Pakistan’s 26 dead and 46 wounded claim which includes non-combatants on India’s denial narrative claiming only terror camps were bombed. Posts circulating on social media X with unfounded assertions speculating 62 or 92 terrorists being killed, while some shedding light on the death of civilians. Al-jazeera captured the aftermath in Muzaffarabad but could not determine casualities which highlights the confusion of how many people died in operation sindoor.

This critical lack of transparency fosters skepticism. The retracted statement of Pakistan claiming to downed planes alongside India’s unbacked claim of terrorists killed prefer the fog of war. Each country pushes their narrative which aligns to their interests, making accurate accountable fatality reporting difficult.

Broader Impact: Regional and Global Responses

Concerns from all over the globe increased exponentially when the number of civilian casualties regarding Operation Sindoor emerged. The United Nations Security Council had private debates throughout the week, with Secretary General Antonio Guterres pleading for “maximum military restraint” due to fears of conflict escalation between nuclear superpowers. US President Donald Trump criticized it as an utter disgrace and called for an immediate resolution, whereas his Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged to reverse to de-escalation. In view of the soaring death-toll figures, China and UAE also joined the bandwagon urging for diminished violence.  

Victim’s families like Arathy’s shared mixed feelings, with some alieving but also demanding more action to be taken while in India support for the operation stemmed from Rajnath Singh alongside Rahul Gandhi making hostile remarks towards India’s so-called adversaries. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was also seen actively condemning the strikes while the civilian outrage keeps escalating according to Al Jazeera’s Kamal Hyder reporting from Islamabad.

Critical Analysis: The Human Cost and Strategic Implications

A compilation of valid accounts surrounding how many people died in sindoor suggest a very rough target regarding the results of the operation will remain at:

Claimed Terrorist Casualties (India Claims): 80-90 Indian claimed headcount on terrorists.  

Claimed Civilian Deaths (Pakistan’s Claim): 8-26 claimed with 22-46 heads injured.

Indian Reports: Casualties on the Indian side are estimated at 10 deaths and more than 30 injuries.

The reports are approximate, and have some degree of uncertainty. The operation accomplished its intended goals of dismantling terror infrastructure, however the civilian toll poses risks of skyrocketing conflict. India’s symbolic rhetoric juxtaposed with Pakistan retaliation which allegedly included an F-16 being shot down exacerbate hostilities. The shutdown of schools, airports, and airspace exhibit the secondary impacts of the situation. All of this brings to light the critical question regarding how many people died in Operation Sindoor relative to the volatile benefits in this region. 

Conclusion 

How many people died in operation Sindoor is till now an unanswered question. As of May 7th, 2025, the estimates range between 98 to 126 with 80 to 90 being terrorists, 8 to 26 Pakistani and 10 Indian civilian. While Operation Sindoor dealt with the fallout of the Pahalgam incident, the human toll on both sides is far greater and prone to international conflict down the line. The lack of certainty regarding the headcount on human remains and means to reduce escalation will inevitably lead to loss of life.

FAQ: Key Questions Addressed on Operation Sindoor Casualties

1Q. How many deaths does India attribute to Operation Sindoor? 

Answer. Indian estimates claim unverified numbers as usual, and state 80 to 90 terrorists were killed along with an additional 10 civilians from Indian side perishing due to Pakistani counter shelling.

2Q. What does Pakistan say about civilian causalities resultant from Operation Sindoor?  

Answer. According to Pakistan, there were between 8 to 26 deaths, including civilians, and there were between 22 to 46 injuries due to the strikes and border firing along with incidents such as a child’s death in Bahawalpur.  

3Q. Were any Indian soldiers killed during Operation Sindoor?  

Answer. No military casualties were reported on the Indian end. Pakistan later rescinded its assertions of downing aircraft and capturing soldiers. India verifies all of the pilots are safe.  

4Q. How many Indian civilians were killed as a result of Pakistani retaliation during Operation Sindoor?  

Answer. Reports from India indicate that 10 civilians alongside more than 30 individuals were injured as a direct result of shelling from Pakistan within J&K. 

5Q. Why is there a difference in the reported microwave casualities figure of how many people died in operation sindoor? 

Answer. The discrepancy arises from India prioritizing counting terrorist deaths and Pakistan accentuating the counting of civilian casualties. The absence of independent verification as well as conflicting narratives aggravates the situation.  

6Q. Was there a civilian target aspect that as a result affects how many are reported to have died in operation sindoor?  

Answer. India firmly states that only terror camps were targeted, whereas Pakistan alleges that civilian structures, including mosques, were bombed, resulting in causalities such as a child in Bahawalpur.

7Q. What was the approximate death toll of people died in Operation Sindoor? 

Answer. Accumulative reports suggest that the count is between 98 and 126, which includes 80 to 90 terrorists, 8 to 26 Pakistani deaths, and 10 Indian civilian casualties, but these estimates are not confirmed. 

8Q. Were there any child casualties in how many people died in Operation Sindoor? 

Answer. Pakistan claimed that a child was killed along with two other civilians wounded in a missile shot fired at a mosque located in Bahawalpur, Punjab.

9Q. To what action had the international community resorted in answer to how many people died in Operation Sindoor? 

Answer. There was also concern from other countries like China and the UAE along with the UN that restraint be exercised in viewing the escalation. Leaders like Antonio Guterres and Donald Trump articulated concern over the rampant toll of deaths and the perilous potential growth into wider conflict. 

10Q. What other options were considered for reducing the casualty count after how many people died in Operation Sindoor? 

Answer. India is relocating, and the civilians are forced to go into bunkers. Both countries are under international stress to reduce tension, with the US and UN urging conversations.