Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday commended the Indian Armed Forces for their successful execution of Operation Sindoor, describing it as a decisive step in India’s fight to eradicate terrorism.
Speaking to reporters, Scindia said, "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our three armed forces have worked to eliminate terrorists permanently. Today, through Operation Sindoor, India has delivered a strong response to terrorism... This is a war to end terrorism."
Operation Sindoor, launched in the early hours of May 7, involved a coordinated strike using long-range precision weapons that destroyed nine terrorist sites—four deep inside Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The mission was carried out in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed by terrorists affiliated with The Resistance Front, a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba.
According to defence sources, the Indian strikes resulted in the elimination of over 100 terrorists. However, due to the ongoing nature of the operation, the exact number of casualties remains unconfirmed.
In the wake of India's response, Pakistan attempted to retaliate late on May 7 and into the early hours of May 8, launching a large-scale drone and missile assault targeting Indian military installations in 15 cities across Northern and Western India.
These included Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Bhatinda, among others. India’s advanced air defence systems, including the S-400 and Integrated Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Grid, successfully neutralised all incoming threats.
Also Read: India blunts Pak air defence, foils missile strikes on 15 cities
At a press briefing by the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi detailed India’s countermeasures. She confirmed that the Indian Armed Forces launched retaliatory strikes on multiple Pakistani air defence radars and systems. "This morning, the Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised," she said.
Colonel Qureshi reiterated that India's actions were focused, measured, and non-escalatory, aimed solely at terrorist infrastructure. She also stressed that no Pakistani military establishments had been targeted during Operation Sindoor. However, she warned that any future attacks on Indian military targets would elicit an appropriate response.
The Indian government has also stated that physical evidence—including debris from Pakistani drones and missiles—has been recovered from various locations, substantiating claims of Pakistan’s attempted attacks.
Operation Sindoor marks a significant escalation in India’s counter-terrorism strategy following the Pahalgam massacre. As tensions continue, the Indian Armed Forces remain on high alert, with further operations contingent on Pakistan’s actions.
Also Read: Pak drone hits Jammu airport, defence system blocks 8 missiles
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