Operation Sindoor, launched by the Indian Armed Forces on May 7, 2025, was a series of coordinated strikes targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation was a direct response to the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, where 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen were killed. The Resistance Front (TRF), a group linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam killings. India has long accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism, a charge Pakistan denies.
The planning for Operation Sindoor reportedly began with Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting with the three defense chiefs, giving them complete freedom to decide when, how, and where to attack. The defense chiefs then presented various options to the Prime Minister, with the clear goal of re-establishing deterrence. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval led the operation, setting up a special team to oversee it; only a small group was initially aware of the impending strikes.
The strikes targeted nine locations, including four within Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. These locations were selected by Indian intelligence agencies because they housed terrorist camps and infrastructure belonging to banned outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen. Key targets included Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, a stronghold of Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Markaz Taiba in Muridke, linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba. Other locations included areas near Sialkot and Kotli.
India emphasized that the strikes were "focused, measured, and non-escalatory," with no Pakistani military facilities targeted. The Indian government asserted that the operation was conducted with considerable restraint in the selection of targets and methods of execution. Reports indicate that the projectiles were fired from within Indian airspace, a key difference from the 2019 Balakot strikes where Indian jets crossed into Pakistani territory. While there is no official confirmation on the weapons used, some reports suggest the use of loitering munitions, also known as suicide drones. These drones carry warheads, hover over the target area, and then crash into the site.
Following the strikes, India briefed key global allies, including the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia. India's message to Pakistan was clear: it targeted only terrorists, not Pakistani civilians or military personnel, and that it acted responsibly, using precision weapons to hit the targets with pinpoint accuracy.
Pakistan, however, has presented a different narrative. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the strikes as an "act of war" and vowed to respond. Pakistan claims that the Indian strikes targeted civilian areas, including a mosque, resulting in casualties, including children. Pakistan initially claimed to have shot down several Indian jets, but these claims have been widely debunked as false, with old and doctored videos being circulated to support the claims. Pakistan's military also claimed that Indian attacks killed at least eight people and wounded more than 35.
Tensions remain high between the two countries, with Pakistan vowing retaliation and India stating its readiness to deal with any potential misadventures. Several airports in northern India were temporarily shut down, and schools and colleges near the border in Jammu and Kashmir were closed. The international community has urged both sides to exercise restraint and de-escalate the situation.
