Pakistani missiles in Jaisalmer skies on May 8, 2025.
New Delhi: Under the cloak of night, as May 7, 2025, bled into May 8, Pakistan’s reckless gambit to pierce India’s northern and western frontiers unravelled in a blaze of futility. Drones and missiles, aimed at military bastions in Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, met the unyielding might of India’s Integrated Counter Unmanned Aerial System Grid and Air Defence systems. Each threat was extinguished with surgical precision, leaving no casualties or scars on Indian soil, only debris as a testament to Pakistan’s failed audacity.
This clash, igniting Operation Sindoor 2.0, showcased India’s vigilant resolve. On 8 May at 10:42 pm, the Ministry of Defence, via @SpokespersonMoD on X, proclaimed, “Military stations at Jammu, Pathankot & Udhampur were targeted by Pakistani-origin #drones and missiles along the International Border in J&K today. The threats were swiftly neutralised using kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities in line with established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). No casualties or material losses were reported. India remains fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and ensure the safety of its people.” By dawn, India’s response thundered across the border, neutralising Pakistani Air Defence radars and a critical system in Lahore, a measured riposte that matched Pakistan’s aggression in scope and domain, yet spared military establishments, as affirmed in a May 7 press briefing.
In New Delhi’s Parliament Library Building on May 8, leaders from every political hue gathered in a rare show of unity, convened by the government to dissect Operation Sindoor’s triumph. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, flanked by Home Minister Amit Shah and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, briefed the all-party meeting, detailing the obliteration of nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, neutralising nearly 100 terrorists with no civilian toll.
Colonel Sofia Qureshi, speaking at a related briefing, underscored the Indian Air Force’s precision under Operation Sudarshan: “Under Operation Sudarshan, the Indian Air Force struck targets with precision and destroyed terrorist bases. This operation was completely successful, and no civilian was harmed.” Leaders, from opposition stalwarts to ruling allies, lauded the Armed Forces’ surgical artistry, their voices echoing national pride and unwavering support for the government’s stand against terrorism, a consensus that fortified India’s resolve amid escalating tensions.
Pakistan, unbowed, fanned the flames, unleashing mortars and heavy artillery across the Line of Control in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri, claiming sixteen innocent lives—three women and five children among them. India, compelled to silence the barrage, held fast to de-escalation, urging Pakistan to reciprocate, as Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri declared on May 8. In Jammu city, air raid sirens wailed as blackouts cloaked the night, with locals whispering of downed drones, though official reports confirmed only eight missiles intercepted, leaving no damage or casualties in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s claim of 31 deaths from India’s strikes, unbacked by evidence, was dismissed as a lie, one of many in a disinformation campaign that Misri eviscerated. “I am not surprised that this kind of misinformation is being indulged in,” he said, adding, “Look, when the time is right, the official information will be shared. But as for your question — that Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, and Defence Minister are making such claims — it’s not really surprising. This is a country whose habit of lying began at the time of its creation.” He cited Pakistan’s stonewalling in the 2008 Mumbai and 2016 Pathankot probes, where evidence against Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) conspirators was ignored, and their honours for terrorists, belying civilian casualty claims. Misri also exposed Pakistan as a haven for UN-proscribed groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), masterminds of the Pahalgam attack via their proxy, The Resistance Front, and JeM, whose leaders like Masood Azhar continue to thrive under Pakistan’s aegis. Not surprisingly, Pakistan continued with its lies today. For example, Pakistani handles circulated a fake video alleging that an Indian Post was destroyed by the Pakistani Army. It circulated another lie that there was a “fidayeen” attack on an Army brigade in Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir, when no such fidayeen or suicide attack occurred on any army cantonment in India. Besides, a fake letter was being shared on Social Media claiming that the Chief of the Army Staff, General V.K. Narayan, sent a confidential letter regarding military preparedness to the Army officer of Northern Command. There was yet another concerted misinformation campaign with a social media post which falsely claimed that the Indian military used Ambala Airbase to attack Amritsar and its own citizens. Several Pakistan-based handles were circulating an image that claimed that a Pakistani missile had hit an Indian S-400. The image being shared was actually from 2023, of a fire at a military site in Moscow. Moreover, yet another social media post falsely claimed India targeted the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project in Pakistan, which was baseless. Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri clearly stated in a press conference that India has only targeted terrorist infrastructure.
The conflict’s ember was the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack, where The Resistance Front, a LeT front, slaughtered 26 pilgrims and tourists. Misri, wielding detailed evidence shared by Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, exposed Pakistan’s denial of complicity, noting their objection to the group’s mention in a UN Security Council statement, and refuted their fabrications about India targeting civilians, religious sites, or the Neelum Jhelum project. He warned that attacks on Indian infrastructure would invite grave consequences. Singh, addressing the National Quality Conclave on 8 May, hailed Operation Sindoor’s flawless execution, a matter of national pride powered by cutting-edge equipment and rigorous training. “India’s restraint is not weakness,” he vowed, as unconfirmed reports swirled of injuries to JeM’s Rauf Asghar or deaths among Masood Azhar’s kin, though Pakistan’s claim of 10 relatives, including five children, killed remained unverified.
The world rallied behind India’s measured stand. Iran’s Foreign Minister, Dr. Abbas Araghchi, who is currently in New Delhi for consultations with senior Indian officials, held a telephone conversation on May 8 afternoon with Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, regarding the latest security developments in South Asia following the recent escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan. During the call, the Iranian Foreign Minister emphasised, in light of his discussions with Indian officials, the importance of both parties making every effort to prevent further escalation and to de-escalate the situation. He also met President Droupadi Murmu on May 8, offering condolences for Pahalgam and cementing ties on their 75th diplomatic anniversary.
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, met Jaishankar, who shared India’s resolve to crush terrorism, as noted in Jaishankar’s X post. Misri confirmed, “Yes, the Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs is in Delhi. He had a meeting with the External Affairs Minister earlier today. I don’t have further details at this moment, but if there are details, the Ministry will share them at some point.” U.S. Secretary of State and acting National Security Advisor Marco Rubio, in calls with Jaishankar and Pakistan’s Shehbaz Sharif, urged de-escalation, condemned Pakistan’s terrorism support, and mourned civilian losses. He categorically told Sharif to take “concrete steps to end any support for terrorist groups”. Jaishankar disclosed that Rubio affirmed the US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism. “Underlined India’s targeted and measured response to cross-border terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation,” Jaishankar said. Meanwhile, China’s Lin Jian called for restraint, casting China as a mediator. “We are concerned about the ongoing situation. India and Pakistan are and will always be each other’s neighbours. They’re both China’s neighbours as well. China opposes all forms of terrorism. We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation. We stand ready to work with the international community to continue to play a constructive role in the de-escalation of the ongoing tensions,” he said. This global chorus underscored India’s delicate balance of strength and forbearance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chairing a high-level meeting on May 8, marshalled a whole-of-government response, directing secretaries to bolster emergency systems, counter falsehoods, and shield critical infrastructure. Attended by officials from Defence, Home Affairs, External Affairs, and beyond, the meeting fortified civil defence and state coordination, reaffirming India’s security vow. Misri highlighted Pakistan’s Indus Waters Treaty violations, noting India’s six-decade fidelity and recent suspension until Pakistan abjures terrorism, citing technological, demographic, and security shifts. Amid the storm, the Indian Navy unveiled ‘Arnala’, the first of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft, on 8 May. Built indigenously with over 80% local content, this 77-metre warship, named for Maharashtra’s historic fort, strengthens coastal defences, embodying ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
As May 9, 2025, unfolds, the shadow of conflict lingers, with no bilaterally verified resolution to the escalating strife. Sporadic shelling and gunfire persist along the Line of Control, each salvo a reminder of the fragile precipice on which both nations stand. India’s closure of 27 airports in its northern and western regions until May 10, coupled with Pakistan’s suspension of flights from Karachi, Lahore, and Sialkot, has choked regional air travel, stranding passengers and rerouting global carriers. The Indian government, on May 8, directed OTT platforms to halt streaming of Pakistan-origin content, a move to safeguard national security amid fears of disinformation.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, having authorised “corresponding actions” by his military, keeps the threat of retaliation alive, though no new strikes are confirmed. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and UN Secretary-General António Guterres continue to press for restraint, with Guterres warning, “The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan.” Misri’s May 8 call for Pakistan to de-escalate met Asif’s claim of limited de-escalation space, leaving the path forward shrouded in uncertainty. India’s resolve, forged in the crucible of unity and valour, stands as a lighthouse in the tempest, with the global call for peace—from Riyadh to Washington—placing the choice squarely on Pakistan. As Misri declared, “The choice is Pakistan’s.”
– global bihari bureau
