What happened?
On 7 May 2025, between 1:05 am and 1:30 am, the Indian Armed Forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, targeting nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. This action was a response to the 22 April terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which resulted in the deaths of 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen. Officials, including Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, stated that the operation successfully destroyed terrorist camps, including those where Ajmal Kasab and David Headley had trained. Precision technology and specialised weapons were employed to hit only intended targets and avoid civilian casualties; no Pakistani military facilities were targeted. Among the locations struck were the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke and Jaish-e-Mohammed in Bahawalpur. Indian officials cited intelligence, including communication intercepts and social media activity by groups like The Resistance Front (identified as a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy), linking the Pahalgam attack to terrorists based in Pakistan.
Why it matters to India
Operation Sindoor underscores India’s commitment to holding perpetrators of terrorist attacks accountable, specifically responding to the Pahalgam incident. The strikes aimed to significantly degrade the operational capabilities of terrorist organisations by dismantling their infrastructure for recruitment, training, and launching attacks against India. By selectively targeting terrorist sites and avoiding Pakistani military installations, India demonstrated a focused approach to counter-terrorism while signalling its preparedness to address any escalation. The operation aligns with India’s stance within global counter-terrorism efforts and international calls to hold sponsors of terrorism accountable, thereby reinforcing its resolve to pre-emptively act against terror threats. It also serves as a strong deterrent against future cross-border attacks, which intelligence suggested were imminent, and highlighted concerns about safe havens for terrorists.