New Delhi, May 7, 2025 — In a significant military operation, the Indian Armed Forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor’in the early hours of Wednesday, conducting precision strikes on nine identified terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK). The operation, described by officials as a pre-emptive and retaliatory action, follows the barbaric April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 Indian civilians, including tourists.

The Indian government emphasized that the operation did not target any Pakistani military facilities, focusing solely on terror camps linked to banned outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen. According to the Ministry of Defence, these strikes aimed to disrupt the infrastructure used to plan and execute cross-border terror operations.

Targets and Tactical Objectives

Among the sites targeted were:

• Sawai Nala and Syedna Bilal camps in Muzaffarabad, known LeT and JeM training hubs responsible for recent attacks in Sonmarg, Gulmarg, and Pahalgam.
• Gulpur and Abbas camps in Kotli, associated with fidayeen training and operations in Rajouri and Poonch.
• Barnala in Bhimber and Sarjal, Mehmoona Joya, and Markaz Taiba camps in Sialkot and Muridke, including training sites linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
• Markaz Subhanallah in Bahawalpur, the headquarters of JeM, where recruitment and indoctrination were actively conducted.

The Union Government noted that intelligence-based selection of these sites ensured “surgical precision with no collateral damage,” with each target confined to specific buildings.

Background and Justification

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated the Pahalgam attack was “calculated to derail the return to normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir,” particularly targeting the tourism sector, which saw a record 23 million visitors last year. He further accused Pakistan of attempting to provoke communal unrest and halt development in the Union Territory.

Highlighting the continued threat, the government cited that over 350 Indian civilians and 600 security personnel have died due to cross-border terrorism in the past decade.

Reactions

• Pakistan Army responded with shelling across the Line of Control (LoC), targeting forward villages in Poonch and Rajouri.
• The UN Security Council held closed-door consultations, urging de-escalation. While no formal statement was issued, Pakistan claimed the meeting “served its objectives.”
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and China’s Foreign Ministry both called for “maximum restraint,” stressing the need for peace in the region.
• U.S. Secretary of State engaged with national security advisors from both countries, while former U.S. President Donald Trump expressed hope for a swift end to tensions.

Across India, mock drills were held, and schools in border areas like Pathankot and Ferozepur were closed as a precaution. Victims’ families, like Arathy, daughter of a slain tourist, welcomed the strikes. “There couldn’t be a more fitting name than Operation Sindoor,” she said, thanking the Prime Minister and the armed forces.

Reiterating its stance, the Indian government declared that it had exercised its right to defend, deter, and prevent further loss of life. “Pakistan has earned a well-deserved reputation as a haven for terrorists,” the statement said, vowing continued action until the infrastructure of cross-border terror is dismantled.