National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval has challenged the foreign media to provide evidence of any damage to Indian structures following Operation Sindoor, India's response to a terror attack in Pahalgam. Speaking at IIT Madras, Doval refuted claims of widespread damage on the Indian side and asserted that the operation precisely targeted terrorist infrastructure within Pakistan.
Operation Sindoor was launched in response to a devastating terror attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 civilians were killed by the Pakistan-based terrorist group, The Resistance Front (TRF). TRF is an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba. India responded with 24 precision strikes on nine different targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on May 7. The Indian Armed Forces stated that the strikes were a justified response to the attack.
Doval emphasized that India utilized indigenous technology and achieved precision in hitting the intended targets. According to reports, Indian forces struck 13 air bases in Pakistan within 23 minutes. He highlighted the effectiveness of Indian-made systems like BrahMos and integrated air control. He stated that the operation began at 1:05 AM and concluded at 1:28 AM.
Doval directly addressed reports in the foreign media that claimed Pakistan inflicted damage on Indian assets. He challenged these outlets to produce a single photograph or image showing any damage to Indian structures, "even a glass pane having been broken". He pointed out that images released by the foreign media showed the condition of 13 Pakistani air bases before and after May 10, implying that the damage was on the Pakistani side.
Indian officials have described Operation Sindoor as a "calibrated, non-escalatory response". The strikes specifically targeted terrorist camps, including recruitment centers, indoctrination hubs, launchpads, and weapons training facilities operated by groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). India has maintained that the operation was intended to deter future attacks by dismantling the infrastructure that enables cross-border terrorism.
The operation has been described as a turning point in India's approach to terrorism emanating from Pakistan. Unlike previous responses, such as the 2016 surgical strikes and the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, Operation Sindoor involved strikes deep inside Pakistan. This demonstrated India's ability to strike targets within Pakistan—be it terror camps, drone hubs, airbases, or air defense systems—with precision.
Following Operation Sindoor, Pakistan resorted to unprovoked firing across the Line of Control (LoC), resulting in civilian casualties. There were also reports of drone incursions from Pakistan, which were successfully intercepted. India conducted precision strikes against Pakistani Air Defence systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. These strikes were deliberately confined to the neutralization of systems that had facilitated the earlier Pakistani assault and were executed under the guiding principle of “equal intensity in the same domain”.
Ajit Doval briefed his counterparts in the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Russia, China, and several Gulf nations, emphasizing India's intention to de-escalate while also responding firmly to any provocations.