In the early hours of 7 May 2025, the Indian Armed Forces launched a string of precision strikes under the codename “Operation Sindoor” on nine locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army said it had hit specific terror infrastructure believed to be responsible for the Pahalgam massacre, where 26 tourists were gunned down in cold blood just two weeks ago. In a social media post, the army stated simply, “Justice is served.”
There had been speculation for days that India would retaliate. But the form, intensity and targets of these strikes caught many off guard. Locations in Muzaffarabad, Kotli and Bahawalpur—known hubs for Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba—were hit. India was quick to describe the action as focused, calibrated and non-escalatory. But what’s non-escalatory in New Delhi might look very different in Islamabad.
Pakistan has confirmed civilian casualties—at least three dead, including a child—and over a dozen wounded. Among the damaged structures is a mosque in Bahawalpur, according to local reports. Pakistan has responded with outrage, grounding all Pakistan International Airlines flights, closing its airspace to commercial routes and placing key military units on alert. Islamabad has promised to respond “at a time and place of its choosing.”
So far, the two nuclear-armed neighbours haven’t declared war. But many observers say we are already living through the early stages of what could be described, unofficially at least, as the Fourth India-Pakistan War. It’s not marked by declarations, tanks or public mobilisation. Instead, this one may be fought through airstrikes, proxy groups and global messaging campaigns. A shadow war, but a war nonetheless.
The backdrop to this is the horror of Pahalgam. On 22 April, heavily armed militants opened fire on a group of Indian tourists and pilgrims in the picturesque Baisaran Valley. Witnesses told police that the gunmen separated people by religion and executed those believed to be Hindu. It was an attack calculated not only to kill, but to inflame. A senior official said, “This wasn’t just terrorism. This was terrorism designed to provoke a nation.”
India’s immediate response had been diplomatic. It suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, downgraded relations, and expelled Pakistani military advisers from the High Commission. But those measures never quite satisfied public outrage, especially after chilling mobile footage from survivors began circulating.
There’s also the issue of precedent. This isn’t the first time India has launched strikes beyond the Line of Control. After the 2016 Uri attack, India conducted “surgical strikes” on militant camps in PoK. In 2019, following the Pulwama suicide bombing that killed 40 CRPF personnel, Indian jets crossed the LoC and bombed a Jaish-e-Mohammad facility in Balakot. Each strike was declared precise, each one came with denials and counterclaims from Pakistan, and each one ratcheted up tensions. But this one, according to retired defence officials, is wider in scope and scale than previous operations.
The government has been at pains to emphasise that Operation Sindoor is not a declaration of war. No Pakistani military bases were targeted. Intelligence inputs were verified multiple times. Civilian areas were reportedly avoided. Still, that message is mostly for global consumption. The visuals beamed across Indian TV screens—missile trails, charred buildings, intercepted chatter—have done their work domestically.
Pakistan, for its part, has called the strikes unprovoked. In a statement, it said the attacks violated international law and risked sparking a larger regional conflict. Officials in Rawalpindi insist no terror infrastructure exists at the bombed sites, and that any further “aggression” would be met with force.
Air traffic in the region has already been impacted. Flights into Lahore and Islamabad were diverted through Gulf airspace. Ground movement in border areas has slowed, and on both sides of the LoC, locals have begun stocking essentials. In Kashmir, over half the tourist zones have been shut, and mobile internet is being throttled intermittently.
The international reaction has been one of cautious alarm. The United States has called for restraint. China and Russia have issued similar statements. The United Nations Secretary-General said he was “deeply concerned” by the developments. No country has openly condemned India’s actions, but none have endorsed them either. It’s a delicate balance—acknowledging India’s right to defend its citizens while not encouraging military adventurism.
A question now being quietly asked is: where does this end? Unlike previous episodes, both countries are battling domestic crises. India is heading into a high-stakes state election season. Pakistan is struggling with economic collapse, IMF pressures and an emboldened military. In that context, military action plays well on television—but comes with enormous risks.
And then there’s the question of escalation. Already, rumours are swirling on both sides of aerial skirmishes, troop deployments and cyber intrusions. Indian officials have not confirmed Pakistan’s claim that two Indian jets were downed while crossing the LoC. Nor have they addressed whether Pakistani drones were intercepted over Rajouri last night.
Historically, India and Pakistan have fought three wars—1947, 1965 and 1971—along with the Kargil conflict in 1999, which many consider a mini-war. Each one began with denials, each one ended with thousands dead and a fragile ceasefire. The shadow of history looms large. This time, the battles may be more digitised, more surgical, more disavowed. But the blood, as ever, is real.
Note: The situation is developing rapidly. All facts are based on information available as of the morning of 7 May 2025.
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💥India launches #OperationSindoor with precision strikes on 9 Pak locations, avenging #Pahalgam massacre.🚨Pak confirms civilian casualties, closes airspace. 🌏 Global calls for restraint as tensions escalate between nuclear rivals. #TheIndianSunhttps://t.co/dkiAVJb5ul
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