India-Pakistan war begins with escalatory response to Operation Sindoor

Operation Sindoor, executed by the Indian Armed Forces on May 7, 2025, represents a significant military response to the escalating terrorism threat following the Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025. This note provides a detailed examination of the operation, its context, execution, and broader implications, drawing from verified sources to ensure accuracy for publication by an Indian media house.

Context and trigger for the latest India-Pakistan war

The operation was a direct retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, which resulted in the tragic loss of 26 lives, comprising 25 Indian nationals and 1 Nepali citizen. This attack underscored the persistent cross-border terrorism threat, prompting India to take decisive action. The Indian government framed Operation Sindoor as an exercise of its "right to respond," emphasising a measured and responsible approach.

Conducted in the early hours of May 7, between 01:05 AM and 01:30 AM, Operation Sindoor involved precision missile strikes targeting nine terrorist infrastructure sites. The targets were strategically selected based on credible intelligence, focusing on camps linked to banned outfits such as Jaish e Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar e Taiba (LeT), and Hizb ul Mujahideen. The breakdown of targets is as shown in Image Attachment 1.

The operation lasted approximately 25 minutes, utilising air, naval, and ground-based assets. It was described as focused, measured, and non-escalatory, with official statements emphasising that no Pakistani military facilities were targeted. India reported no civilian casualties from the strikes, though Pakistan contested this, claiming 26 civilian deaths and 46 injuries, highlighting a point of contention.

Casualty figures from the operation suggest over 80-90 terrorists were killed, including significant figures such as family members and aides of JeM chief Masood Azhar, with claims of 14 deaths within his network alone. Sources corroborated these details, though exact numbers remain subject to verification.

War escalates

A theory was floated by Surajit Dasgupta, who is associated with The Squirrels, that India was counting on Pakistani retaliation.

This is just the beginning. India is counting on Pakistani retaliation, which will lead to military losses on the Indian side too, which will give India an excuse to hit the Pakistan Army, which it spared during #Operation_Sindoor.

India always wanted to hit the Pakistan Army,… https://t.co/TRj09Hqvak

— Surajit Dasgupta (@surajitdasgupta) May 7, 2025

And it happened. Late last night and early this morning, Pakistan attempted to escalate tensions with India by targeting military installations in 15 cities across the northern and western regions, including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Gujarat. However, these attempts were successfully countered, as reported by the government on Thursday.

In retaliation, Indian forces struck back by targeting and neutralising Pakistani Air Defence Radars and systems in various locations, including Lahore, in response to Pakistan's attacks on military facilities in Srinagar, Pathankot, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, and other areas.

The government emphasised this afternoon that the Indian forces' response was executed 'in the same domain (and) with the same intensity' as the assaults initiated by Pakistan. Pakistani forces utilised drones and missiles, which were intercepted by India's air defence systems. According to sources from the news agency ANI, India deployed Harpy drones to dismantle Pakistan's air defences and subsequently used the Russian-made S-400 defence system to intercept missiles aimed at its cities.

The government reported that debris from the downed drones and missiles is being collected, which will serve as evidence supporting India's claims that Pakistan, or its deep state, is involved in facilitating cross-border terrorism against India, either through financial support or military training. This military action by Pakistan comes just a day after the Indian armed forces conducted precision strikes on four terrorist camps in Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Tit-for-tat

Operation Sindoor, the codename for the military strikes, lasted for 25 minutes, commencing on Wednesday at 1:05 AM. It involved a series of 24 munitions, including HAMMER smart bombs and SCALP missiles, targeting and obliterating the headquarters and training facilities of terrorist organisations.

According to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, over 100 terrorists were neutralised during these operations. This initiative was a direct response to the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, where four terrorists affiliated with The Resistance Front, a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba, killed 26 individuals, many of whom were civilians, in the Baisaran Valley, a popular tourist destination located less than 70 kilometers from Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir.

In a press conference held on Wednesday afternoon, representatives from the Army and Air Force stated that the targets for Operation Sindoor were selected based on reliable intelligence, emphasising that the operation was 'focused, measured, and non-escalatory.'

They also clarified that military installations in Pakistan were not included in the targets. Among the selected targets was Muridke in Pakistan's Punjab province, which contained the headquarters and a training camp for Lashkar.

Additionally, the headquarters and training facility of Jaish-e-Mohammed, the group responsible for the 2019 Pulwama attack that resulted in the deaths of 40 Indian soldiers, were also destroyed. Pakistan has been warned that any assault on Indian military positions will provoke further military action.

Defence Minister Singh reiterated this caution during an all-party briefing, informing opposition leaders that Operation Sindoor remains 'ongoing' in light of Pakistan's actions.

Furthermore, the government has noted that Pakistan has progressively escalated cross-border firing and shelling, which began within 24 hours following the Pahalgam attack. Heavy-calibre artillery and mortars are now being launched across the border in the Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri sectors.

Casualties

To date, 16 civilians have lost their lives, comprising three women and five children. Additionally, one Indian soldier has been reported deceased, as stated by the government, which reiterated the Indian military's dedication to non-escalation, contingent upon the Pakistan Army's adherence to the same principle.