Continued from Previous Page

While reactions and responses from various walks of the Indian populace were abuzz expressing shock and anger against the gruesome terror attack at Pahalgam on Indian tourists, mostly Hindus, as also tribute and condolences for the slain people and their surviving families, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short his Saudi Arabia visit to return home to deal with the emerging situation. His impromptu sad and angry response was that those behind this heinous act of terror would be brought to justice: “They will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakeable and it will get even stronger.” Later on, in a rally in Bihar, prime minister stated on 24 April 2025 publicly for the first time that India will pursue the Pahalgam attackers to the end of the earth to ensure that the terrorists behind the killing, along with their backers, get punishment bigger than they can imagine. He added that India’s resolve to fight terrorism is unshakeable and it will get even stronger henceforth. 

Subsequently, while addressing the nation in his popular interactive programme “Mann Ki Baat” on 27 April, Mr. Modi once again stressed that the perpetrators and conspirators of the Pahalgam attack will be given a befitting reply. Expressing his deep anguish and sorrow over the terror incident, he stated that our enemies have dared to attack the nation’s soul and this also shows the desperation and cowardice of the patrons of terrorism. He added that the enemies of India and Jammu & Kashmir were not pleased that peace was returning to Kashmir, democracy was getting stronger, and tourists were increasing at a record rate; the main reasons why the terrorists and the masterminds of terror executed the conspiracy and more so because they want Kashmir to be destroyed again. Over a period, Mr. Modi has gained a reputation that whatever he says, he actually acts accordingly, too. So, it became pretty certain by the last week of April 2025 itself that that the terrorists, masterminds and their backers would soon meet their due nemesis.

Operation Sindoor

It was evidently clear that a reprisal strongest so far by India on the cross-border terrorism and their sponsors is imminent, and on the cards soon, at the very moment when the Indian prime minister held a second successive meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), the highest decision-making body on the national security, within seven days of the Pahalgam attack as widely reported in the national and international media and press. Following the meeting, Mr. Narendra Modi publicly declared that the Indian armed forces have been given free hand authorizing to respond decisively to the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, earlier responsibility claimed by The Resistance Force (RTF), a proxy of the widely banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, killing 26 people, mostly Hindus. The armed forces were given complete freedom to decide on the mode, targets, and timing of the Indian military’s response to the heinous act of terrorism.

A. Terror Dens Destroyed on 6-7 May 2025

Those who understand the persona of the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, his commitment for the progress and welfare of the nation, and how he works for it, nationally and internationally, would have certainly got indication of what was at cards when, while speaking in the national language “Hindi” at a rally in the state of Bihar on 24 April 2025, he impromptu switched to English and stated, "From the soil of Bihar, I am telling the world that India will identify and punish every terrorist, and those behind them." Then he further added, "We will pursue them to the ends of the world... India's spirit will never be broken and terrorism will not go unpunished. Every effort will be made to ensure justice is done. The entire nation is firm in this resolve and everyone who believes in humanity is with us..." This was a candid and powerful assurance not only for the Indian community but also a clear and intelligible message for the global community that resonated around the world.

True to his words and green signals given to the Indian military, the armed forces took just about a week for a careful and calculated planning & preparations, and struck at the night of 7 May 2025 at nine terrorist camps/sites inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (POK). The military operation was codenamed “Operation Sindoor” and both the Indian military and government maintained that the punitive strike on the terror establishments was "focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” during which any Pakistani military and civil establishment was neither targeted nor harmed in any way. Prime Minister asserted that this operation was part of the country’s firm commitment of a decisive action against terror and the resolve of 140 crore Indians’ unity and solidarity to collectively fight against the terrorism. The nine terror establishments and training camps, which were destroyed during the strike, are briefly listed as under:

I - Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur: This is one of the most dreaded terrorist organizations Jaish-e-Mohammad’s headquarters in Pakistan’s Bahawalpur, which was run by the Jaish leader and internationally acknowledged terrorist Masood Azhar under the guise of Jama Masjid and widely used for recruitment, fundraising, and indoctrination. Masood Azhar is listed as an international terrorist by the United Nations Security Council since May 2019, he is living and operating from Pakistan, and is on the “wanted terrorists list” of India for many terror attacks, including the hijack of an Indian Airlines Flight IC-814 in December 1999, 2016 Uri attack and 2019 Pulwama attack. As per video evidence produced by the Indian armed forces as also many social media inputs/satellite images, the aforesaid Jaish headquarters was completely destroyed leaving only rubble at the site. Later on, a spokesperson of JeM admitted that 10 family members and 4 close associates of Masood Azhar were killed in Indian missile attack on Markaz Subhan Allah.

II - Markaz Taiba in Muridke: Destroyed by the precision strike by the Indian armed forces on 7 May 2015, the Markaz Taiba was the headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Taiba at Muridke near Lahore, another powerful terrorist organization well known for their nefarious activities, which is widely acknowledged as a proxy terrorist organization used by Pakistan against India. It was founded by Hafiz Saeed & others in 1985-86 and has been declared as a terrorist group by the United Nations and a host of other countries including the US. Some of the more dreaded terror attacks on India such as the 2000 Red Fort attack, 2005 Delhi bombings, 2006 Mumbai train bombings, 2008 26/11 Mumbai attacks (2008) and the recent 22 April 2025 Pahalgam attack were carried out by them. Terrorists like Ajmal Kasab and David Headly are believed to be a product of this terror training camp.

III - Sarjal Camp in Sialkot: Sarjal Camp is one of the identified training grounds for the terrorist recruits of the Jaish-e-Mohammad in Sialkot, Pakistan. According to Indian intelligence sources, the terrorists who killed four Jammu & Kashmir police personnel in March 2025, had received their training at this camp. The camp was destroyed in the Indian precision strike on 7 May 2025.

IV - Mehmoona Joya Camp in Sialkot: This was yet another terror camp in the Sialkot district of Pakistan, destroyed by India during the Operation Sindoor on 7 May 2025. In January 2016, the terrorist attack on the Indian Air Base at Pathankot was carried out by the members of the United Jihad Council as claimed which the Indian authorities believe is actually a proxy of the Jaish-e-Mohammad and the attack was planned and carried out from this terrorist camp. 

V - Sawai Nala camp in Muzaffarabad: This was a training centre for the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist recruits in Muzaffarabad, the capital of POK. According to Indian intelligence sources, the terrorists involved in 20 October 2024 attack in Sonmarg, 24 October 2024 attack in Gulmarg, and recent 22 April 2025 attack in Pahalgam were all trained here.

VI - Syedna Bilal Camp in Muzaffarabad: There is a Masjid in the same name which was the chief centre of Jaish-e-Mohammad in POK, located opposite the Red Fort in Muzaffarabad. This facility was in use of this terrorist group as a transit camp and launchpad for the Jaish terrorists before their entry into the Jammu & Kashmir. According to sources, this camp served as the staging area for 50 to 100 JeM cadres with training facilities in weapons, explosives and jungle survival. 

VII - Gulpur Camp in Kotli: This was a base camp of Lashkar-e-Taiba in Kotli, POK, active mainly for the terror activities in Rajouri and Poonch areas of Jammu. Attacks in the Pir Panjal Valley’s Poonch district on 20 April 2023 killing five soldiers of a Rashtriya Rifle unit, and 9 June 2024 in the Reasi district wherein 9 Hindu pilgrims lost lives and another 41 were injured, were carried out by terrorists trained in this camp.

VIII - Abbas Camp in Kotli: This was yet another terrorist camp of Lashkar-e-Taiaba at Kotli which was destroyed by the Indian armed forces on 7 May 2025. Located just about 13 km from the line of control (LOC) in POK,  seritved as the nerve centre for training fidayeen (suicide bombers) with estimated adequate key training infrastructure for about 50 terrorists. 

IX - Barnala Camp in Bhimber: About 9 km from the LOC in POK, the Barnala camp in Bhimber was also struck by the Indian armed forces on 7 May. It is believed to be a training camp and launchpad for the terrorists trained in using weapons, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and in jungle survival.

Following the precision strikes on the terrorist camps in the Punjab province of Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Jammu & Kashmir on 7 May 2025, India announced that nine terrorist camps/sites have been destroyed with the launch of “Operation Sindoor” by the Indian armed forces. The strikes were described as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory” as the joint operation of the Indian Army and Air Force, apparently engaging precision long range M982 Excaliber rounds, missiles and loitering munitions. Military spokespersons categorically held that only carefully selected terrorist sites were targeted and no harm was done to any Pakistani military or civil establishment during the operation. Except the Markaz Subhan Allah of Jaish-e-Mohammad Headquarters and Markaz Taiba of Lashkar-e-Taiba Headquarters at Bahawalpur and Muridke respectively, all other terror targets were within the Indian artillery range from the LOC. Indian armed forces later on showed satellite images showing the damage done to the targeted sites and reported over one hundred terrorists were killed in these strikes.

In the very first press conference jointly held by the three-armed Indian forces i.e. Army, Air Force and Navy on 7 May 2025, the purpose, target, and operational ethics and restraints of the Operation Sindoor were amply clarified by the military spokespersons. As explained, the purpose was to punish perpetrators and planners of terror in and from the foreign territory with an immediate aim to destroy known terror infrastructure across the border. For the target selection, an intelligent microscopic scan of the terror landscape was carried out beforehand during which multiple terror camps and training sites were identified. The operational ethics included a self-imposed restraint to avoid collateral damage, and accordingly the terrorist dens were neutralized while simultaneously avoiding any harm to the Pakistani civilian and military establishments. It was, however, made clear that any attack on Indian military targets in India will invite immediate suitable response.

During the first press briefing on May 7, India clarified its response as focused, measured and non-escalatory. It was specifically mentioned that Pakistani military establishments had not been targeted. It was also reiterated that any attack on military targets in India will invite a suitable response. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, across multiple press briefings on May 8, 9, and 10, laid bare India’s plan of action and the full extent of Pakistan’s designs. The consistency of regular press briefings for the national and global audience was maintained by India during following days till implementation of a ceasefire. 

B. Military Conflict Post-destruction of Terror Camps

Contrary to what was reported by India along with evidence provided based on the satellite images as also many video clips and images circulating on social media mostly emanating from Pakistani sources (unverified) showing damages on the selected terror targets, Pakistan conceded strikes on six sites by the Indian armed forces but claimed that they were all civilian areas including mosques and residential areas. They denied the existence of any terrorist facilities in Pakistan, patently a false averment. The Pakistani government condemned Indian action as an “act of war” leading to their civilian casualties. By 7th May (AN), Pakistan National Security Council (NSC) declared that Pakistan will exercise their right in self-defence at a time, place and manner of their choosing, and the escalation of an all-out hostilities commenced the same day.

7th May 2025

With the onset of sunset on the same day, Pakistan launched a barrage of drone and missile strikes on several Indian cities across the long India-Pakistan border. As transpired from widely reported mainstream Indian news channels, the Indian armed forces focused on self-defence with an endeavour to neutralize incoming threats making use of own integrated defence grid comprising of a hybrid of indigenous and imported equipment for neutralizing it. Later during the same night, a befitting response was also delivered targeting the concerned Pakistani military establishments. Although Indian sources did mention engaging their Air Force in the operation but they did not report much to self or enemy losses on this date. On the contrary, The Pakistani military sources claimed that about 125 Indian and Pakistani fighter jets engaged in the aerial dogfight exchanging long range missiles fire in a confrontation that lasted over an hour. None of the adversary countries claimed that their fighter aircrafts crossed the LOC or international border but many conflicting claims about shooting down Indian fighter jets were made by Pakistani ministers and military in terms of numbers (2 to 6) as well as variants (including SU-30 to Rafale), which was widely publicized in the Pakistani and Western media.

Although exaggeration and unrestrained reporting was made by both the Pakistani and Indian (private) media but misinformation campaign by the Pakistani media, including their ministers, remained a key feature during the conflict. Pakistani Prime Minister and Defence Minister themselves made conflicting claims at different occasions about the achievements by their military without any commensurate evidence. For instance, Defence Minister Khwaja Muhammad Asif stated that they shot down five aircrafts and captured Indian soldiers. Soon thereafter, the minister himself said that Indian soldiers were not made prisoner by them and about evidence for the aircrafts, he said it’s all there in the social media. One Pakistan source claimed that they had shot down two Indian aircrafts and destroyed one Brigade headquarters in a retaliatory action. On the contrary, the Indian government and military sources exercised wisdom and restraint and claimed or reported only verifiable achievements and losses supported with evidence during the conflict. About the fighter aircrafts, the Indian side reported that one Pakistani JF-17 aircraft was intercepted and neutralized while it tried to enter the Indian air space. They categorically denied any harm to the stated Indian Brigade headquarters, and a military source said that all aircraft were safe and the image circulated by Pakistan was actually about one year old that of an Indian Mig-29 crashed in an accident.

On the same day, the Pakistani army also resorted to a heavy cross-border artillery shelling and small arms firing following the Indian attacks on the terrorist dens inside Pakistan, including the Jammu region, particularly in the areas of Poonch, Rajouri, Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri and Akhnoor. Consequently, there were several civilian casualties and many buildings/installations were damaged, and occupants of the border Indian villages had to retreat to safer places away from the LOC and international border. The Pakistani shelling did not spare even religious places and, as reported, Shambhu Temple in Jammuu, the Gurudwara in Poonch, and some other Hindu worship places and Christian convents were attacked. According to Indian officials, these were not just random strikes but of a planned conspiracy to break India’s unity by creating communal disaffection. On their part, the Indian army gave commensurate response inflicting heavy damages on Pakistan side.

During the escalation of conflict, the media and news channels on both sides, as also Pakistani prime minister and others, indulged in indiscreet misinformation and reporting of unverified claims and threats. As hitherto fore, the reporting of the Western media largely appeared favourably biased towards Pakistani version of war reporting during the first few days. As against this, the foreign secretary and representatives of three armed forces in India carried out daily briefings with adequate restraints and verifiable facts. Also, when the Indian side started giving evidences of claims made by them, the reporting in the Western media improved after a few days taking cognizance of the Indian armed forces operation against the terrorists and their masterminds. On the other hand, Pakistan military and their political leadership constantly failed to produce any evidences vis-a-vis often bizarre claims made by them during the four days of largely autonomous war and thereafter.

8th May 2025

On the second day, the day time was generally spent with a relative calm in the war hostilities, albeit the Pakistani army continues heavy shelling of the artillery and other fire arms along the LOC and international border while the Indian army too responded with a commensurate counter reply. However, with the fall of the dusk, the Pakistani military resumed their full throttle attack of the automated war machinery with a barrage of drones, UAVs and missiles as on the previous day. The Indian side initially focused on self-defence and most of the treats were, reportedly, neutralized in air before reaching their targets. This Indian claim appears credible and sustainable because in the era of the electronic warfare, signals intelligence and satellite imaging, it is well nigh impossible to hide damages and losses, which neither Pakistan could establish with evidence nor such accounts were reported by the media in India. After the heat of the enemy attack slowed down, the Indian armed forces resumed their retaliatory strikes to punish the Pakistani units and formation engaged in such offensive.

On 8 May, Pakistan launched numerous drone and missile attacks on many Indian cities, including Amritsar targeting military establishments, important institutions, religious places and even civil population: however, almost all threats were neutralized by the Indian forces in the air by the S-400 Missile System at Adampur Air Force Station, marking India's first combat use of the coveted Russian missile system. Besides, India’s own indigenous multi-layered air defence also came handy to ensure successful interception of the majority of the incoming areal threats. In short, the Akash Air Defense System for the short-range interception and MANPADS and Anti-Aircraft Guns for vary short ranges worked in tandem with the long-range S-400 Missile System to ensure almost foolproof protection from the enemy missiles and drones. A few explosions were indeed reported from some locations in Jammu and other areas but without causing any significant loss to material or human life. 

As part of misinformation and consumption of the international audience, Pakistan kept denying launch of drone and missile attacks on India. In fact, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar went to the extent of claiming that the Indian Army had deliberately carried out a false flag attack on the Indian city of Amritsar, and blamed it on Pakistan in order to generate favourable domestic opinion. A Pakistani spokesman claimed that Indian drones attack on Nankana Sahib (Sikh holy Gurudwara in Pakistan) was foiled by shooting them down with a view to spread disaffection among Sikhs. According to Indian sources, more than 300 Turkish Asisguard Songar drones targeted about three dozen sites, including civilian and military infrastructure in Amritsar, Jammu, Jaisalmer and other places but all such attacks were successfully neutralized by the air defence systems deployed by India.

9th May 2025

While 8th-9th May night was eventful with intense hostilities through drones’ war and cross-border shelling, it nearly stopped by early hours of 9th May, and a relative calm existed till about early afternoon. The reports coming from various sources suggested a pattern that the Indian side would wait for the Pakistani hostilities, initially focus on self-defence, and then respond with a calibrated and forceful counter-offensive on enemy military facilities deployed or used in such attacks. According to the Indian army sources, the enemy drones were sighted and neutralized in at least 26 locations on this date, including places in Kashmir, Gujarat, and Punjab while Pakistan denied such attacks on the same day during their press briefing. While denying own aggression, the Pakistani officials suggested a neutral third-party investigation into the Pahalgam attack. (India had rejected it because Pakistan used such tactics just to divert attention and has never actually cooperated with such investigations). By this date reports also surfaced that India had positioned their naval fleet in the Arabian Sea that included an aircraft carrier, frigates, destroyers and anti-submarine warfare ships taking Karachi port and Pakistani Naval headquarters within its operational target range.

10th May 2025

Developments in the night of 9-10 May owing to the escalation of conflict between the two adversaries that commenced on 7th May became a sort of watershed changing the complete complexion of the ongoing hostilities in a decisive manner that inter alia compelled belligerent and frustrated Pakistan to unilaterally seek an urgent intervention of the US and a handful other friendly nations for a ceasefire. Consequently, the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of Pakistan had to make a request to the Indian counterpart for an immediate ceasefire which was implemented with effect from 5.00 PM on the same date although a low intensity conflict continued during the night and till early next day. Whatever Pakistani leaders and military officials, including now upgraded Field Marshal Asim Munir, claimed then and have been making patently false and ludicrous statements time and again till now, largely the factual position is briefly explained in the following paragraphs.

Pakistan resorted to heavy artillery and mortar shelling across the LOC and continued till late evening on 10 May with commensurate response from the Indian side. Besides, Pakistan said that in response and retaliation to Indian attacks, it launched a major military campaign the “Operation Bunyan Marsoos” against the Indian military bases and infrastructure. As reported by the India, Pakistan military launched drones and missiles on several airbases and military establishments in Kashmir, Punjab and other places. Later during the early morning, it was widely reported by the Indian media that a long-range Pakistani Fateh-II missile purportedly targeting the Indian national capital was intercepted near the Sirsa Air Force Station and neutralized in the air shortly after the mid-night. A Pakistan Army spokesman falsely claimed that the ballistic missiles fired from Adampur by the Indian Army fell into their own territory in Adampur and Amritsar causing significant damage. Shortly after they added that India had targeted Afghanistan too with missile and drone strikes. India promptly denied these allegations calling such claims as “ludicrous” and “frivolous”. The Taliban government of Afghanistan too denied Pakistani claims of attack on Afghanistan. Needless to mention that most of the incoming drone and missile threats from Pakistan were intercepted and neutralized in the air itself by the Indian defence system. 

Let’s see what Pakistan actually claimed about their attacks and Indian losses and how India responded to these assertions. Accusing India as aggressors, Pakistan said that it launched aerial attacks in response against multiple Indian military bases inter alia including Udhampur airbase, Pathankot airbase, Uri field support depot, Drangyari artillery gun position, Nagrota and Beas known as the storage facilities for Brahmos missiles, Admpur airbase, Bhuj airbase, and so in. In a press conference later during the day, the Indian military spokesperson said that Pakistan used drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and fighter aircrafts to target civilian areas and military infrastructure. Besides, the firing of heavy caliber weapons and air intrusions using drones also continued along the line of control. Author is clarifying here just for the sake of layman audience that the “loitering munitions” are actually remote-controlled suicide drones designed to crash into their targets. As the most incoming military threats were successfully neutralized by Indian armed forces, the frustrated Pakistan military resorted to target the civilian infrastructure and population in Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab, including religious places with obvious intent to sow discord between communities in India.

On the fourth day of continuing hostilities on 10 May, the Indian military responded forcefully and decisively in the early hours specifically targeting eleven crucial Pakistan airbases at Nur Khan (Chaklala), Rafiqui, Murid, Sukkur, Sialkot, Pasrur, Chunian, Sargodha, Skardu, Bholari, and Jakobabad. These sites were primarily targeted for their operational significance, such as for use as drone warfare command centres, air defence nodes, and aircraft deployment hubs. The targets hit by India included technical infrastructure including runway, command and control centers, radar sites, and weapon storage areas, etc., at these bases. These Indian strikes were so precise, calibrated and powerful that it not only temporarily paralyzed the Pakistani Air Force operation but also broke their morale in the ongoing war.  For the first time, India used its much talked about lethal Brahmos missiles to strike these targets, which are highly regarded as supersonic cruise missiles with a formidable speed, accuracy, and adaptability.  Owing to its speed, versatility and low trajectory to avoid radar detection with a reputation of "fire and forget" capability, it is well-nigh impossible to get intercepted and stopped by enemy. A brief description of a few Pakistani airbases which suffered heavy damages/destruction during the Indian counter attack, is given as under. 

1.  Nur Khan Airbase located in Chaklala, Rawalpindi was the most important and prized target with maximum damage as it served as the nerve centre for Pakistan’s air mobility command housing the Saab Erieye airborne early warning systems, C-130 transporters, and IL-78 refueling aircraft. This strike significantly minimized strategic coordination abilities of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in conducting drone and missile campaigns.

2.  Murid Airbase located in Chakwal district was another significant target badly hit and damaged during the Indian strike. It is an operational flying base of the Pakistan Air Force located near the village of Murid housing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) fleet of the PAF. During the last four days, this airbase was used to operate hundreds of Turkish and Chinese made drones, both armed and unarmed (decoy), for the attack and surveillance, most of which was foiled by the Indian armed forces.

3.  Rafiqui Airbase, formerly known as PAF Base Shorkot, is located near Shorkot in Jhang District of the Punjab province of Pakistan which was yet another airbase badly hit and damaged during the Indian counter attack. Besides functioning as a flight training facility, the airbase also housed Pakistan’s advanced Mirage and JF-17 fighter squadrons. According to reports, the Rafiqui airbase also played an important role in aerial operations against India and the latter’s strike was intended to ground those capacities.

4.  Bolari Airbase is located about 140 km away from Pakistan's main port city Karachi and it was also among the worst hit airbases on 10 May. The Brahmos missile strike caused a hole in the hangar rooftop of airbase turning the surrounding area into flames and rubble. According to reports, when the missile hit the hanger, at least four western fighter jets and a Saab 200 AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control) aircraft were stationed inside.

5.  Many other bases struck across different regions of Pakistan too suffered considerable damages inter alia including some of them becoming temporarily nonoperational after the Indian counter strike. For instance, the Sukkur and Rahim Yar Khan airbases are in southern Punjab of Pakistan, and the latter, close to the India-Pakistan border near Rajasthan, was rendered inoperable following a missile hit its runway creating a very large crater. The Sukkur airbase too suffered considerable damage, which is located in Sindh province supporting strategic operations across Sindh and Balochistan. Chunian airbase in Central Punjab, and radar installations in Pasrur and Sialkot were also hit; while Sukkur served as a frontline operational station, the Pasrur and Sialkot reportedly handled Pakistan’s centralized air defence network. According to defence analysts, the aim of striking these specific locations was not just to disable Pakistani air defence but also to send a discrete message (warning).

India’s nearly one-sided dominance during largely an autonomous war for the first three days and well calibrated precision strikes on Pakistani airbases and allied military infrastructure on the 4th day i.e. 10th May destroying a large chunk of its airborne war abilities apparently broke latter’s morale and resolve to further prolong hostilities. The sequence of developments suggest that Pakistan urgently contacted the US and other friendly countries to persuade India for an immediate ceasefire. The US vice-president and secretary of state did try to reach Indian prime minister and foreign minister for mediation, respectively, but they were told that a request for ceasefire must directly come from Pakistan. Accordingly, Pakistani Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) spoke to his Indian counterpart and a ceasefire was enforced with effect from 5.00 PM on 10 May 2025.

Elements of Autonomous Warfare

As it transpired from a plethora of reports published by the national and global electronic media and press, the recent four days limited India-Pakistan war decisively rewrote new rules of engagement, setting a ‘new normal’ of airborne deterrence without pilots, engaging autonomous platforms, armed drones and loitering munitions. All this occurred below the threshold of a full-scale war without rival armies crossing the LOC and international borders while managing a calibrated and escalation-managed conflict. A few reports suggest that before commencing the Operation Sindoor, Indian armed forces gathered sufficient electronic and signals intelligence and thermal signatures of the terrorist camps inside Pakistan at least for two days utilizing Israeli Heron MK-II, indigenously developed TAPAS-BH-201/ Rustom-II-Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) Intelligence, and Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

India’s array of offensive aerial systems to overwhelm Pakistan’s air defences included a diverse inventory such as indigenously developed loitering munitions like the GPS-guided Nagastra-1 and Israeli-origin Harop drones, capable of autonomously homing in on enemy radar systems, as also decoy drones and indigenous swarm drone formations capable of creating enemy radar clutter, trigger pre-mature defensive responses besides saturating the surveillance networks. These were followed by the real time guided armed UAVs and precision loitering munitions, etc., ensuring dynamic precision targeting and responses. Initial priority enemy targets included ammunition depots, Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) batteries, radar sites, forward operating bases, etc. in this regard, two much talked about media claims suggested abandonment of a cricket match in Rawalpindi and destruction of a Chinese-supplied HQ-9 air defence system near Lahore shocking Pakistan’s stated layered air defence shield. Of course, as the hostilities escalated, the outcome of the Indian attack on 11 Pakistani airbases with Brahmos missiles on 9-10 May, and its consequences leading to an immediate ceasefire are well known. Many global military analysts now agree that India’s growing competence in autonomous, cost-effective and networked warfare has demonstrated a significant shift in balance of aerial power in the South Asia.

As part of its Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos (i.e. wall of lead), Pakistan used a plethora of UAS including Turkish-origin Bayraktar TB2s, and Chinese-supplied CH-4 and Wing Loong II platforms as also some of its indigenously built Shahpar (feather)-II MALE UAVs and armed Burraq (lightening) drones for swarm attacks on Indian military targets, civilian establishments including religious sites, often supplemented by CH-901 and WS-43 loitering munitions from China. Such attacks were stretched to an expanse of about 1,500 km right from Kashmir to Bhuj in Gujarat. . However, most of these attacks were effectively neutralized in the air by India’s multi-layered and robust air defence incurring minimum or no damage at all. Pakistan specifically targeted multiple times strategic military and urban infrastructure at places like Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Bhuj but, despite the density and intensity of assaults, India’s air defence grid successful mitigated damages thereby preventing disruptions. India claimed to have neutralized over 600 Pakistani drones while Pakistani alleged a similar claim of having downed 300-400 Indian drones. Later on, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif admitted in a speech in Azerbaijan that Pakistan military led by Field Marshall Asim Munir had planned a massive response to teach India a lesson after 4.30 AM Islamic prayer (Fajr) on 10 May but India pre-empted their move by attacking Pakistani airbases with Brahmos missiles.

Major Takeaways of Operation Sindoor

• In the recent India-Pakistan war stretching to about four days of hostilities, both sides had new rules of engagement, ushering in a ‘new normal’ of airborne deterrence often without pilots, engaging autonomous platforms, armed drones and loitering munitions.
   
• The ‘Operation’ was conceived to punish perpetrators and planners of terror with the object to destroy terror infrastructure across the border. It was achieved by India with a precision and punishing strike on nine identified terror camps and training establishments.
   
• This was planned and executed by the Indian armed forces, mainly Army and Air Force, with meticulously self-imposed restraint to avoid collateral damage and neutralize only terrorist targets, avoiding civilian harm.
   
• For the first time, India took a resolute stand to treat terrorists and their sponsors alike, and took stern punitive action against Pakistan, including both non-military and military means.
   
• The operation exhibited a significant demonstration of India’s military and strategic power and prowess, executed through a combination of non-military and military means. This multi-dimensional operation effectively neutralized terrorist threats, deterred and defeated Pakistani aggression, and firmly enforced India’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism. 
   
• Non-Military measures against Pakistan included Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 being held in abeyance previously known for unequal and unfair sharing of water between India and Pakistan on 80 and 20 percent basis; closure of the Attari-Wagah border with immediate effect for all purposes; suspension of all bilateral trade including export of key goods like onions and import of cement and textiles; revoked visas of all Pakistanis under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme asking them to immediately leave the country; Pakistani artists and bilateral  cultural ties banned; and the overall strength of the High Commission reduced to nearly half and Defence attaches declared Persona Non Grata. While taking their own reciprocal retaliatory action, Pakistan sharply reacted on suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty but India made it clear that “blood and water cannot flow together.”
   
• Militarily, India successfully destroyed nine major terror camps and launchpads in Pakistan and POK, including the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. While carrying out cross-border precision strikes, India redefined the rules of engagement, striking deep into enemy heartland in Punjab, including cities like Muridke and Bahawalpur in Punjab. Over 100 terrorists are believed to have been killed in these strikes in a short while.
   
• India set a new paradigm in its war against terrorism when it said that no distinction shall be made between the terrorists and their masterminds (sponsors) hereinafter. Accordingly, Indian military had strikes with a measured yet powerful response against the involved military facilities, when Pakistan started escalation of hostilities following the Indian action on terror camps.
   
• The limited 4-days war exposed Pakistan’s air defence weaknesses when the Indian Air Force jammed and bypassed the former’s Chinese-origin defence systems and completed its mission against terrorists in less than a-half hour demonstrating India’s technological edge through Rafale jets, SCALP missiles, and HAMMER bombs, etc. Simultaneously, India displayed its air defence superiority with own multi-layered air defence including the indigenous Akashteer system, in shooting down hundreds of Pakistani drones and missiles of the Chinese and Turkish origin.
   
• Many high-profile terrorists on India’s most wanted list were neutralized in a single night on 7 August; a few significant names revealed by them include Yusuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf, Mudassir Ahmad linked to the IC-814 hijack in 1999 and Pulwama attack in 2019. Also, India had a unique achievement of becoming first country to strike 11 airbases of a nuclear-armed nation in one coordinated operation, destroying almost 20% of enemy air force assets including airbases infrastructure, radars, AWACs, fighter aircrafts, etc. on 9-10 May 2025.

Following the ceasefire, Indian Prime Minister himself outlined a few points with a firm Indian resolve as a sort of policy in relation to the cross-border terrorism and their sponsors (masterminds):

• If there is a terrorist attack on India, a fitting response will be given;
• India will not tolerate any nuclear blackmail and strike precisely and decisively at the terrorist hideouts prospering under the cover of nuclear blackmail;
• India will not differentiate between the government sponsoring terrorism and the masterminds of terrorism in the nation’s endeavour to take decisive steps to protect India and its citizens from such threat.

The Government of India maintained that the Operation Sindoor has not been officially closed yet. Additionally, a New Strategic Red Line has been drawn under this Operation making it crystal clear that if terror is used as a state policy, it will undoubtedly be met by India with a visible credible and forceful response. This is now a marked strategic shift on terrorism and “new norm” substituting deterrence to direct action.