10th Anniversary Of Surgical Strikes: A Look Back At The 2016 Operation And Its Significance

India marks the 10th anniversary of the surgical strikes on Monday, September 28, 2026. On September 28-29, 2026, the Indian Army carried out targeted surgical strikes on terrorist launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The attack was carried out in the wake of the September 18 attack on an Indian Army base in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed. In the 138th episode of his Mann Ki Baat programme on September 27, 2026, Prime Minister Modi also talked about the 2016 surgical strikes and their historic milestone. Let's take a look at the operation, its challenges and how it made history by standing against terrorism.

India observes 10th anniversary of the surgical strikes

On Monday, September 28, 2026, India is observing the 10th anniversary of the surgical strikes. In 2016, India conducted a surgical strike across the Line of Control, striking seven terror launch pads and inflicting "significant casualties" on terrorists preparing to infiltrate from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The attack was carried out in the wake of the September 18 attack on an Indian Army base in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed.

PM Modi recalls operation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about the surgical strikes and the operations against terrorism in 2016. Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated a significant portion of the 138th episode of his radio broadcast Mann Ki Baat on September 27, 2026, to mark the tenth anniversary of the 2016 cross-border surgical strikes. He said that surgical strikes served as a decisive counter-response to the prolonged pain and suffering caused by historical terrorist attacks in India.

About surgical strikes

The operation was initiated as a direct and firm military reaction to the Uri terrorist attack that occurred earlier that month, resulting in the deaths of 19 Indian soldiers. The anniversary emphasises ten years of advancing national security protocols. The government observed that the determination demonstrated in 2016 established the foundation for later courageous measures, such as the 2019 Balakot airstrike and Operation Sindoor in 2025.