India stated on Thursday that it successfully thwarted attempts by the Pakistani military to attack 15 locations across Northern and Western India using missiles and drones. According to the defence ministry, these attempted attacks, which occurred the previous night, targeted Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj. The ministry reported that these attempts were neutralized by the Integrated Counter Unmanned Aircraft System (Grid and Air Defence systems).
This Pakistani action followed Indian armed forces’ missile strikes on nine alleged terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan on Wednesday, conducted under Operation Sindoor. The defence ministry described India’s anti-terror response as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” emphasizing that Pakistani military establishments were not targeted. The ministry also stated, “It was also reiterated that any attack on military targets in India will invite a suitable response.”
The ministry further announced, “Today morning Indian armed forces targeted air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with the same intensity as Pakistan.” They added, “It has been reliably learnt that an air defence system at Lahore has been neutralised.”
India also accused Pakistan of increasing the intensity of unprovoked firing across the Line of Control (LoC) using mortars and heavy artillery in areas including Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir. The defence ministry reported, “Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing.” India stated it was “compelled to respond” to halt the mortar and artillery fire from Pakistan.
The defence ministry concluded by saying, “Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military.”
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had stated on Wednesday that India’s “proportionate” strikes were a response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, aiming to bring the perpetrators and planners to justice. He asserted that there had been “no demonstrable step” from Pakistan to act against terrorist infrastructure within its controlled territories.
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