Operation Sindoor: India’s Cross-Border Strikes Rekindle Tensions Amid Terrorism Fallout
In the shadow of one of the deadliest terror attacks in recent years, India launched a series of precise military strikes in the early hours of Wednesday, targeting what it described as terrorist infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation, dubbed Operation Sindoor by the Indian Army, marked a significant escalation in India’s strategic posture against cross-border terrorism, while carefully attempting to avoid a broader military confrontation.
The strikes came exactly two weeks after the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir that left 26 people dead, including 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen. The attack triggered widespread condemnation within India and from several international quarters. In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following a high-level meeting with top defence officials on April 29, granted the armed forces what was described as “complete operational freedom” to choose the time, place, and manner of India’s retaliation. That retaliation took form under the codename Operation Sindoor.
According to a statement released by the Indian Army at 1:44 a.m. IST, the strikes were “focused, measured, and non-escalatory in nature.” They specifically targeted nine sites used by Pakistan-based terror groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), both of which have been implicated in multiple deadly attacks on Indian soil. One of the locations struck was Bahawalpur, the longstanding base of JeM, the group believed to have orchestrated the Pahalgam assault.
Crucially, the Indian Army emphasized that “no Pakistani military facilities have been targeted” and said the method of execution demonstrated “considerable restraint.” This statement appeared aimed at projecting both operational precision and political calculation—a message to both domestic and international observers that India was not seeking war, but rather justice.
In contrast, Pakistan offered a starkly different narrative. The Pakistani military accused India of “an unprovoked and blatant act of war,” claiming Indian missiles had struck civilian areas and even mosques. Islamabad said it had activated emergency services across its populous Punjab province and claimed its air defence systems had shot down five Indian aircraft—an assertion India did not confirm. A Pakistani military spokesperson also insisted that no terrorist infrastructure was hit, dismissing India’s justification for the strikes as “false.”
The Indian broadcaster CNN-News18, citing unnamed government sources, reported that 12 suspected militants were killed and at least 55 injured in the operation. These details have yet to be independently verified. Meanwhile, a more comprehensive briefing by India’s Ministry of Defence is expected later in the day.
This latest escalation adds yet another layer of complexity to the fraught relationship between India and Pakistan, nuclear-armed neighbours who have fought three wars since gaining independence in 1947. Tensions have remained particularly high over the contested region of Jammu and Kashmir, which both countries claim in full but control in parts.
India has long accused Pakistan of harbouring and supporting terrorist groups that operate in Kashmir and launch attacks on Indian territory. Pakistan, for its part, denies state involvement in terrorism and often portrays Indian military action as aggression against civilian populations.
Yet, in the court of public opinion within India, the government’s swift and forceful response appears designed to project both strength and resolve. The Indian Army’s social media post declaring, “Justice is served. Jai Hind,” reflects a sentiment shared by many who view these actions as overdue retribution for repeated acts of terror.
What remains to be seen is how far the situation will escalate—or de-escalate—from here. With both sides trading accusations and vastly differing accounts, the fog of conflict threatens to obscure facts. But one thing is clear: the trauma of Pahalgam has reignited a volatile chapter in South Asia’s security landscape, where justice, deterrence, and diplomacy continue to collide.
This report was auto-generated from verified government sources and reviewed by editorial staff for accuracy.
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