Rafale, S-400, BrahMos: Operation Sindoor tableau to showcase India's ability to 'strike deep, strike fast'

New Delhi: A Su-30 MKI launching a BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, the Army's M777 ultra-light howitzers delivering calibrated firepower to neutralise hostile intent and the Navy's maritime dominance, denying the adversary any operational freedom, have been symbolically showcased in an Operation Sindoor-themed tableau for the Republic Day by the Indian military.

The tri-service tableau, which will roll down the Kartavya Path on January 26, stands as "India's strongest affirmation that the age of decisive, joint and self-reliant military power has arrived," officials said on Friday.

The float by the Department of Military Affairs carries the theme 'Operation Sindoor: Victory Through Jointness' and celebrates India's victory in the operation conducted last year and the jointness the three wings of the armed forces displayed during the decisive action, they said.

The tableau would be a compelling and authoritative representation of the nation's "evolved military doctrine", marking a decisive transition to precision, integration and indigenous supremacy.

With a detailed artistic depiction, it showcases the country's frontline defence platforms such as Rafale jets, Akash air defence system, a Harop loitering munition and the formidable S-400 system, which played a key role during the operation.

In response to the Pahalgam terror attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, carrying out air strikes on terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan. The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions on May 10.

The tableau brings to life the jointness demonstrated by the Army, Navy and the Indian Air Force with a dynamic and sequential portrayal of tri-service synergy.

"At the heart of the tableau unfolds the strike narrative, reflecting the new normal of India's national security doctrine -- rapid response, controlled escalation and uncompromising accuracy," a senior official said.

The opening segment highlights the Indian Navy's maritime dominance, asserting control over the sea front and decisively "denying the adversary any operational freedom".

This transitions seamlessly to the Indian Army's steel resolve, with M777 ultra-light howitzers delivering "precise and calibrated firepower to neutralise hostile intent". Standing sentinel behind them is the Akash air defence system, symbolising India's layered and integrated air defence shield and an "unbreachable aerial posture," the defence ministry official said.

A Harop loitering munition eliminates the adversary's air defence radar, showcasing India's growing edge in unmanned precision warfare.

This is followed by a Rafale aircraft, armed with SCALP missiles, executing a surgical strike on terror infrastructure. The tempo intensifies as the SU-30 MKI, launching the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, destroys hardened aircraft shelters -- an "unmistakable demonstration of India’s ability to strike deep, strike fast and strike flawlessly," the official said.

The operation had reached its pinnacle with the extended reach of India's integrated air defence network, as portrayed in the tableau.

"The S-400 system, executing the longest-range engagement of the operation at 350 km, neutralises the adversary's airborne early-warning platform, sending an unequivocal message: India detects first, decides first and destroys first," he said.

Every depicted phase of Operation Sindoor underscores the maturity of jointness and integration, with intelligence fused across domains, targets selected with precision and objectives achieved with minimal collateral damage, the defence ministry said.

The narrative reinforces a firm national resolve with an assertion that "those who sponsor or shelter terrorism will face swift, accurate and overwhelming consequences," the official said.

Powered by 'Brand India Defence', the tableau highlights that "indigenous defence systems are not merely catching up, they are leading," he added.

It presents a nation where tri-service interoperability, civil-military fusion and real-time operational coordination form the backbone of credible power projection.

"In essence, Operation Sindoor is not merely a military response, it is India's strategic declaration that victory through jointness, is now its operational identity and defining signature," the official said.

Guided by the prime minister's vision, Operation Sindoor exemplified the rising strength of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and the nation's unwavering march towards Viksit Bharat by 2047, a future defined by "self-driven, coordinated and unshakable defence capability," the ministry said.