Following the deadly April 22nd attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 individuals, India launched a significant military operation dubbed “Operation Sindoor” in the early hours of May 7th, 2025. This operation involved multiple missile strikes targeting what India identified as terrorist infrastructure within Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that the operation was an exercise of India’s “right to respond” to the attack on its soil. The Indian military reported conducting 24 precision strikes across nine different locations.
Pakistan’s military, through its ISPR media wing, reported that at least 31 Pakistanis were killed in six targeted cities and claimed to have retaliated by shooting down Indian military planes. India, however, stated that Pakistan subsequently targeted military stations in Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur with drones and missiles, which were “swiftly neutralised.” India claimed its counterattacks were of “the same domain and same intensity.” Heavy shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) has also been reported, resulting in casualties on both sides.
Why These Targets? India’s Justification
India attributed the Pahalgam attack to The Resistance Front (TRF), a group demanding independence for Kashmir, which India alleges is an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). While Pakistan has denied involvement in the Pahalgam attack and called for a neutral investigation, India proceeded with Operation Sindoor.
Escalating Tensions and Diplomatic Fallout
The aftermath of the Pahalgam attack has seen a significant escalation in tensions between the two nations. India suspended its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty, a crucial water-sharing agreement for Pakistan. In response, Pakistan threatened to suspend its involvement in the Simla Agreement, a 1972 pact following the Indo-Pakistan War. Diplomatic ties have also been severely strained, with both countries expelling each other’s citizens.
Pakistan’s ISPR director general described the Indian strikes as an “unprovoked attack, targeting innocent people,” claiming 24 strikes across six locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
