PM Modi Links Asia Cup Victory to ‘Operation Sindoor’, Escalating India-Pakistan Tensions

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stirred controversy by invoking the recent conflict with Pakistan while celebrating India’s Asia Cup 2025 final win. Following the five-wicket victory in Dubai on Sunday, Modi posted on X:

“#OperationSindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same – India wins! Congrats to our cricketers.”

The remark referred to the four-day confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May, which brought them close to a fifth all-out war. The conflict erupted after an attack killed 22 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, an incident New Delhi blamed on Pakistan—an accusation Islamabad strongly denied.

India launched “Operation Sindoor” in retaliation, sparking missile and drone exchanges that left more than 70 dead on both sides. While both countries claimed victory, an Indian naval officer later admitted that India lost several fighter jets to Pakistani fire due to “constraints” placed on its forces by New Delhi.

The sporting rivalry has mirrored these heightened tensions. Throughout the Asia Cup, the Indian team refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts in all three clashes. Following the final, the Indian players declined to accept the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads Pakistan’s Cricket Board and serves as the country’s interior minister.

Former New Zealand cricketer and commentator Simon Doull confirmed on air that India had refused to collect their awards from the ACC due to the strained political climate. Despite calls for diplomacy, Naqvi reportedly refused to step aside from the presentation ceremony.

The episode has further underscored how cricket continues to serve as both a proxy battleground and a flashpoint for political tensions between India and Pakistan.