• Source:JND
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Operation Mahadev: Achieving a major success on Monday, Indian Army's specialised Para Commandos killed the mastermind of Pahalgam attack and two other terrorists during an encounter in Harwan jungle of Dachigam in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. According to news agency PTI, one of the terrorists killed in the encounter was identified as Suleman alias Asif, who is believed to be the mastermind of the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack. The second terrorist identified as Jibran was allegedly involved in last year's Sonmarge Suran attack and the third terrorist is said to be Hamza Afghani. The group was killed after the security force launched a surprise action codenamed ‘Operation Mahadev’ following a technical signal, indicating use of a satellite phone that was used by the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack.

As the Indian armed forces intensified their crackdown on terrorism this year, there have been several military operations launched under special codenames. Earlier this year, the country saw a massive action, named Operation Sindoor, as India targeted and dismantled terror bases in neighbouring Pakistan. Such names for covert Army operations are not new. Over the years, these codenames of military operations have come to reflect the language of India, national pride and mythology.

Here’s a look at some of the major Indian Army operations launched in the year 2025.

Operation Mahadev

The codename 'Mahadev' carries both tactical and symbolic weight. It is named after Mahadev Peak, a strategically and spiritually significant summit in the Zabarwan Range, located near New Theed in Srinagar. This revered peak, a popular trekking destination, towers over the city and overlooks the areas of Lidwas and Mulnar.

The Indian Army's Chinar Corps posted on X , stating that the initial contact with the terrorists occurred on July 28th in the general area of Lidwas. Acting on intelligence inputs, security forces then launched a cordon and search operation in the Mulnar area of Harwan, near the peak.

Operation Sindoor

On April 22, 2025, after terrorists attacked tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, the military launched Operation Sindoor and carried out precise drone and air strikes on nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. It avoided targeting military installations and showed strategic restraint and concentration. The name Operation Sindoor refers to the Sindoor ( Vermilion), the symbol of marital bliss for Indian women, or it is a symbol of sacred protection and culture.

Exercise Prachand Prahar

According to the New Indian Express, West Bengal-based Eastern Command of the Indian Army conducted a tri-services joint integrated multi-domain warfare exercise in the Eastern Sector. The exercise named "Abhyas Prachand Prahar" was conducted from March 25 to 27, 2025 'in the high-altitude terrain of Arunachal Pradesh' and brought together the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and other wings of the Indian Armed Forces in a coordinated warfare exercise designed to simulate future wars.

Exercise Desert Hunt

An integrated three service special force exercise called Exercise Desert Hunt was conducted by the Indian Air Force at Jodhpur Air Force Station from February 24 to 28, 2025. According to PIB, the aim of this exercise was to increase coherence and interoperability and establish proper coordination between the three special force units to ensure immediate and effective process for future security challenges.

In this exercise, special forces of the Indian Army, Marine Commandos of Indian Navy and Guard of Indian Air Army participated together in a virtual war environment.

In Exercise Desert Hunt, realistic conditions like airborne insertion, precision strikes, hostage rescue, counterterrorism operations, combat free fall were being tested.

TROPEX 25

TROPEX is the biennial largest maritime exercise of the Indian Navy which strengthens the maritime operations against maritime threats with the participation of the Army, Air Force and Coast Guard.

The aim of this exercise is to validate the combat skills of the Indian Navy and to ensure a unified response to the territorial, territorial and hybrid maritime threats generated by China.