In a daring and highly coordinated operation launched on May 7, 2025, India carried out precision strikes against terrorist infrastructure located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The operation, named “Operation Sindoor,” marks one of the most assertive military responses by India in recent years to cross-border terrorism.
According to a statement released by India’s Ministry of Defence, the joint operation was meticulously executed by the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy. It targeted multiple terror camps associated with Pakistan-based militant outfits including Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).
The strikes come just days after a brutal terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, claimed the lives of 26 civilians, including one Nepali national. The attack, which involved automatic weapons and grenades, left dozens wounded and triggered outrage across India.
Government officials confirmed that Operation Sindoor was greenlit within 48 hours of the Pahalgam attack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a closed-door meeting with the Cabinet Committee on Security, is said to have reviewed operational plans and gave the final go-ahead for the mission.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, spokesperson for India’s Integrated Defence Staff, briefed the media ten hours after the operation concluded. According to Qureshi, the operation lasted approximately 25 minutes, commencing at 1:05 a.m. and concluding by 1:30 a.m. local time.
“Nine high-value targets were hit with precision. All assets returned safely,” Qureshi said. “This was a coordinated, non-escalatory strike aimed purely at degrading terror capabilities across the border.”
The sites targeted:
- Markaz Subhan Allah, Bahawalpur (JeM)
- Markaz Taiba, Muridke (LeT)
- Sarjal, Tehra Kalan (JeM)
- Mehmoona Joya, Sialkot (HM)
- Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala (LeT)
- Markaz Abbas, Kotli (JeM)
- Maskar Raheel Shahid, Kotli (HM)
- Shawai Nalla Camp, Muzaffarabad (LeT)
- Syedna Bilal Camp, Muzaffarabad (JeM)
Each of these locations has long been suspected by Indian intelligence of serving as operational bases for cross-border terrorism.
Within hours of India’s announcement, Pakistan’s military released a sharply worded counter-narrative. In a televised briefing, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhary, spokesperson for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), claimed Pakistani air defenses had shot down five Indian aircraft.
According to Lt. Gen. Chaudhary, the aircraft allegedly downed:
- Three Rafale fighter jets
- One MiG-29
- One Su-30MKI
- One Israeli-made Heron drone
“This act of aggression was met with a proportionate and timely response. Our air defenses intercepted multiple targets violating our sovereign airspace,” Chaudhary said. No specific details or evidence regarding the locations or methods of these alleged shootdowns were presented.
India’s Ministry of Defence has not formally acknowledged any aircraft losses. However, social media reports and local witnesses in Jammu and Kashmir reported an unidentified aerial object crashing in the village of Wuyan. A cylindrical metal object, possibly a drop tank, was found lodged in the rubble of a partially damaged school building. Its origin remains unverified.
Military analysts are urging caution. “Until satellite imagery or verifiable wreckage is made public, claims of shootdowns remain speculative,” said Air Vice Marshal (retd.) Arvind Verma.
Among the aircraft Pakistan claims to have shot down, the Su-30MKI stands out. This aircraft is considered the backbone of India’s air superiority strategy. First inducted in 2002, the Russian-designed and Indian-assembled fighter is a multi-role combat aircraft with advanced avionics and weapon systems.
Veteran IAF pilot Sameer Joshi, known for his analysis of the 2019 Balakot strikes, highlighted the symbolic value of a Su-30MKI loss. “It’s not just about tactical capabilities. The Su-30MKI is a prestige platform. Bringing it down would be a psychological and propaganda win for Pakistan,” Joshi noted.
The aircraft played a crucial role in the 2019 air skirmishes following the Indian airstrike on Balakot, which was a response to the Pulwama suicide bombing that killed 40 CRPF personnel. During ‘Operation Swift Retort,’ Pakistani F-16s attempted to engage Su-30MKIs but failed to achieve a kill, despite firing advanced AIM-120C AMRAAM missiles.
Operation Sindoor is the first confirmed Indian strike inside Pakistan since 2019. At that time, the Balakot strikes had marked a dramatic shift in India’s strategic doctrine, showcasing New Delhi’s willingness to respond to terrorism with cross-border military action.
This latest operation signals the continuation of that policy. “Sindoor represents a doctrine of calculated risk. It aims to neutralize threats without dragging the region into full-scale war,” said Lt. Gen. (retd.) Satish Dua, former Chief of Integrated Defence Staff.
What differentiates Operation Sindoor from previous strikes is its joint-force execution and the level of precision involved. According to sources, the Navy contributed electronic warfare capabilities to jam Pakistani radar, while the Air Force carried out deep-penetration strikes. The Army provided real-time intelligence using reconnaissance drones and surveillance units deployed along the LoC.
Analysts suggest Pakistan’s quick resort to shootdown claims may be driven as much by domestic political imperatives as by military reality. With inflation soaring and public dissatisfaction growing, the military establishment faces pressure to project strength.
“Pakistan’s military narratives often serve internal audiences,” said political scientist Dr. Ayesha Jalal. “Claims of shooting down Indian aircraft help bolster national pride and distract from economic and political turmoil.”
Despite repeated requests, no imagery or physical evidence of the claimed wreckage has been released by Islamabad. This has led some observers to question the veracity of Pakistan’s statement.
As of now, there has been no formal reaction from major global powers like the United States, Russia, or China. However, diplomatic sources indicate that India has briefed key allies on the objectives and execution of Operation Sindoor.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is reportedly in contact with both New Delhi and Islamabad to urge restraint. The United Nations has also issued a standard call for both sides to avoid escalation.
“The world is watching this closely. A misstep by either party could lead to regional destabilization with global repercussions,” said Stephen Hadley, former U.S. National Security Advisor.
India’s emphasis on the “calibrated and non-escalatory” nature of Operation Sindoor reflects a broader strategic calculus. By avoiding civilian targets and Pakistani military infrastructure, India appears to be drawing a red line that signals intolerance for terrorism but not a desire for war.
At the same time, the ambiguity surrounding aircraft losses keeps the narrative fluid. Should evidence emerge corroborating Pakistan’s claims, it could alter public perception within India and invite scrutiny of the operation’s risk-reward ratio.
What happens next will depend heavily on the next 48 to 72 hours. If India confirms or denies aircraft losses, that could influence both domestic political discourse and international diplomatic engagement.
Pakistan may seek to escalate through symbolic retaliatory actions or proxy engagements in Kashmir. Meanwhile, Indian security forces are on high alert across forward areas and metro cities.
Cyberattacks and information warfare are also anticipated. Both sides have stepped up digital surveillance, and fake news campaigns have already begun flooding social media platforms.
Operation Sindoor may or may not mark the beginning of a new military chapter in Indo-Pak relations, but it undeniably raises the stakes. The carefully calculated nature of the strike shows India’s intent to punish terrorism without triggering full-scale war. On the other hand, Pakistan’s counterclaims and possible retaliatory actions suggest a dangerous cycle could be in motion.
As both countries navigate the fallout, the world waits. With nuclear-capable neighbors locked in yet another standoff, the margin for error is razor-thin. One misstep could escalate a limited operation into a broader regional crisis. And at the heart of it all is a decades-old conflict that refuses to fade, reignited once more by firepower and politics.
