Details about Operation Sindoor, the retaliatory attacks by India on nine chosen terror sites in Pakistan, were given to the world via two women officers in the Capital today. Col Sofia Quraishi, who spoke after foreign secretary Vikram Misri’s initial statement, is from the signal corps of the Indian Army. The unit is described as the communications backbone of the armed forces.
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh is a helicopter pilot, who gave the briefing in English. The selection of the two women as the spokespersons of the armed forces for this briefing, seems to be part of the very careful messaging by India- women leading the response to the terror attack that had widowed several women, wives of some of the 26 men that were killed at Baisaran, Pahelgam on April 22.
According to details available publicly, Singh was commissioned into the Indian Army only in 2004 and became a Wing Commander in December 2017. She is trained in flying the Cheetah and the Chetak with more than 2,500 flying hours.
Quraishi has also been in the limelight in 2016, becoming the first woman officer to lead at a multi-national military exercise. Quraishi was the only woman leading a contingent among the 18 nations that participated.
Reactions to the two women were flooded on social media. Political leaders from across party lines welcomed the choice of speakers. Former union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar posted, “Two fearless women – Col. Sophia Qureshi Wing Cdr. Vyomika Singh, are briefing the world media after the success of #OperationSindoor. This isn’t just a briefing, it’s a bold declaration. Our women lead from the front, in every battle, every mission.”
Aam Aadmi Party leader and former minister Saurabh Bhardwaj posted, “The strength of India Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and two women officers representing Indian Army and Indian Airforce at the Press Conference: Col. Sofiya Qureshi Wg. Cdr. Vyomika Singh. जय हिन्द”
