BY PC Bureau
New Delhi/Muzaffarabad, May 7, 2025 – In a decisive military operation, the Indian Armed Forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ in the early hours of Wednesday, targeting nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK). The precision strikes, executed at approximately 1:44 AM IST, were a direct retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists, in one of the deadliest assaults on Indian soil in recent years.
A Measured Response to Terror
The Indian government described the strikes as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” emphasizing that no Pakistani military, civilian, or economic targets were hit. “Only known terror camps were targeted,” the Indian Defense Ministry stated, underscoring India’s restraint in target selection and execution. The operation aimed to dismantle terrorist infrastructure responsible for cross-border attacks, particularly the Pahalgam massacre, which India attributes to Pakistan-based militants. Pakistan has denied involvement in the attack.
The targeted sites included four locations in Pakistan—Muridke, Bahawalpur, Sialkot, and one additional camp—and five in PoK, including two in Muzaffarabad, as well as Gulpur, Bhimber, Chakamru, Kotli, and another undisclosed site. The strikes utilized advanced precision weaponry, including loitering munitions, with coordinates provided by Indian intelligence agencies. The Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force collaborated seamlessly, employing special precision munitions to minimize collateral damage.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Responds
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the strikes, calling them a “heinous violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty” during an emergency address to the nation. Speaking from Islamabad, Sharif described the Indian operation as “an unprovoked act of aggression” and vowed a robust response. “Pakistan will not remain silent. We reserve the right to retaliate at a time and place of our choosing,” he warned, while urging the international community to hold India accountable for what he termed “state-sponsored terrorism.” Sharif also announced the suspension of all diplomatic engagements with India and ordered heightened military readiness along the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border.
Operation Sindhoor
India strikes terror camps in Pakistan
Visuals from Pakistan pic.twitter.com/SpkGvmyGPn
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) May 7, 2025
Sharif convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee, attended by military chiefs and key cabinet members, to assess the situation and plan Pakistan’s next steps. In a post on X, he stated, “India’s reckless actions endanger regional peace. Pakistan stands united and will defend every inch of its soil.”
Escalation Amid Tensions
The operation has significantly escalated tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors, marking the most significant military engagement since India’s 2019 Balakot airstrikes. Pakistan reported at least eight deaths, 35 injuries, and two missing individuals in Muzaffarabad, PoK’s capital, where power outages followed the explosions. Pakistan’s military spokesman claimed the targeted sites were civilian areas, not militant camps—a claim India dismissed as false. Heavy cross-border shelling was reported along the LoC less than two hours after the strikes, with Pakistan’s military claiming to have shot down three Indian jets—one in Bathinda, Punjab, and two in Indian-administered Kashmir. Indian Air Force sources have not confirmed these claims, stating all pilots involved in Operation Sindoor are accounted for.
Operation Sindhoor
India strikes terror camps in Pakistan
Visuals from Pakistan pic.twitter.com/SpkGvmyGPn
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) May 7, 2025
Operation Sindoor: A Strategic Strike
Named ‘Operation Sindoor,’ the strikes were monitored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from a war room in New Delhi, with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval briefing international counterparts, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on the operation’s objectives. The Indian Embassy in Washington reiterated that the strikes were surgical, targeting only terror infrastructure. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the operation, posting on X, “Victory to Mother India! Bharat Mata ki Jai!”
Indian broadcaster CNN News-18 reported that the strikes killed 12 “terrorists” and injured at least 55 others, citing Indian sources. Opposition leaders and regional figures, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, praised the Indian Army’s precision. “Justice is served. Jai Hind,” the Indian Army tweeted, reflecting national sentiment.
The strikes follow the April 22 Pahalgam attack, where gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, in Baisaran meadow. India accused Pakistan of harboring the perpetrators, a charge Islamabad denied. The attack, the deadliest on Indian civilians in over a decade, inflamed the Kashmir dispute, with both nations claiming the Muslim-majority region. Since the attack, diplomatic relations have deteriorated, with both countries expelling diplomats, closing borders, and suspending trade and water-sharing agreements.
India’s intelligence had identified 42 terrorist camps in PoK, with multiple launchpads pinpointed as threats. Posts on X from April 23 highlighted India’s resolve to crush terrorism, with some suggesting permanent security deployments in Jammu and Kashmir.
The international community HAS BEEN URGING restraint to prevent escalation. The United Nations Security Council held a closed-door meeting on Monday, with envoys calling for dialogue. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov advocated de-escalation under the 1972 Simla Accord and 1999 Lahore Declaration. Iran offered to mediate, while the U.S., China, and Saudi Arabia pressed both nations to avoid military confrontation.
The strikes impacted India’s stock market, with the NSE Nifty 50 index falling 1.2% amid fears of escalation. Pakistan’s markets also saw volatility, with the KSE-100 index dropping sharply.
A Region on Edge
As both nations brace for potential retaliation, Kashmir remains a tinderbox. In PoK, life continues despite the threat of war, with weddings and daily activities persisting amid heightened security. Rabia Bibi, an 18-year-old bride in Neelum Valley, told The Hindu, “We want peace, so our life does not get affected.”
However, the specter of conflict looms large. Pakistan’s recent ballistic missile test and reports of locals being trained by the Pakistani Army in PoK signal preparations for a possible Indian offensive. Former Pakistani National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf warned that the lack of crisis mechanisms could spark unintended conflict, though he downplayed the likelihood of a major war.
Operation Sindoor has reaffirmed India’s zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism but has heightened the risk of escalation. Prime Minister Sharif’s vow to retaliate, combined with Pakistan’s military posturing, suggests a volatile period ahead. The international community watches closely, hoping diplomacy can avert a broader conflict between the nuclear-armed rivals.
