India has asserted that its recent military actions were a “controlled, precise, measured, and non-escalatory” response to Pakistan’s original provocation in the form of the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed several civilians on April 22.
Speaking at a joint press briefing on Thursday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated unequivocally:
“Pakistan escalated on April 22. We are only responding to escalation. If further escalation occurs, the response will be in the appropriate domain.”
Misri underscored that India’s military response was targeted solely at terrorist infrastructure and not at Pakistani military sites. The Resistance Front (TRF), a Pakistan-backed terror outfit, had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack — a claim Pakistan opposed at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), despite clear evidence.
“TRF claimed the responsibility not once, but twice… yet Pakistan opposed its mention at the UNSC. That says a lot,” Misri noted.
The Foreign Secretary further criticized Pakistan’s long-standing record of sheltering terrorists:
“I don’t need to remind anyone where Osama Bin Laden was found or who called him a martyr… Pakistan is home to a large number of UN-proscribed terrorists and others blacklisted by various countries.”
He also condemned Pakistan for the targeted artillery attack on a gurdwara in Poonch that claimed the lives of three Sikh civilians, part of the broader toll of 16 civilian deaths in recent cross-border firing incidents.
India’s Response: Operation Sindoor and Beyond
The Indian Armed Forces, under Operation Sindoor, responded early Wednesday by striking terror infrastructure inside Pakistan. According to the Defence Ministry, India’s actions were non-escalatory and deliberately focused on neutralizing terror threats without targeting Pakistan’s military.
However, in a dangerous counter-escalation, on the night of May 7–8, Pakistan attempted to strike multiple Indian military targets using drones and missiles across northern and western India — including key zones such as Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Chandigarh, and Bhuj.
India’s Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and Air Defence systems intercepted these attacks, and debris is being recovered from various regions confirming Pakistan’s intent.
In response to this broadening aggression, India launched fresh strikes on Thursday morning, targeting air defence radars and systems in Pakistan, with reports confirming the neutralization of an air defence system in Lahore.
The Defence Ministry reaffirmed that:
“India’s response has been in the same domain, with the same intensity, and specifically aimed at restoring peace.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s increased artillery shelling across the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri continues to take civilian lives. Of the 16 killed, three were women and five were children, intensifying humanitarian concerns.
India has reiterated that escalation is not its intention, but it remains committed to protecting its citizens and responding firmly to terror threats emanating from across the border.