India responds to Pakistan's escalatory drone and artillery attacks with precision strikes; urges caution amid ongoing disinformation.
On 9 May 2025, Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri addressed the media in a press briefing concerning the ongoing developments under Operation Sindoor. He was accompanied by Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vameka Singh, who provided operational updates regarding Pakistani aggression and India’s calibrated response. The session focused on Pakistan’s repeated violations, cross-border provocations, and India’s measured and restrained responses.
Colonel Qureshi reported that on the night between 8 and 9 May, the Pakistani military violated Indian airspace multiple times across the entire western border. Approximately 300 to 400 drones attempted intrusion from Leh to Sir Creek. These incursions were paired with heavy-caliber artillery shelling along the Line of Control (LoC).
The Indian Armed Forces responded using both kinetic and non-kinetic measures, neutralizing several drones. Preliminary forensic analysis of drone debris suggests Turkish-origin Asis Guard Songar drones were used. Additionally, a Pakistani armed UAV targeted the Bathinda military station, but it was intercepted and neutralized in time.
In response, India launched armed drones targeting four Pakistani air defense sites. One of these drones successfully destroyed an air defense radar installation. Meanwhile, Pakistan initiated artillery shelling using heavy guns and armed drones across various sectors in Jammu and Kashmir, including Tangdhar, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, Rajouri, Akhnoor, and Udhampur. This led to casualties among Indian soldiers. However, retaliatory fire by Indian forces inflicted significant losses on the Pakistani side.
Despite launching a failed drone and missile attack on 7 May, Pakistan did not close its civilian airspace. This exposed international and domestic air traffic to the risk of military retaliation. India, in contrast, closed its airspace in affected regions to safeguard civilian lives.
Live data from the application FlightRadar24 was shared, showing Indian airspace clear of civil flights while aircraft continued to fly between Karachi and Lahore in Pakistani territory. The Indian Air Force showed restraint, ensuring international civil aviation safety.
Foreign Secretary Misri emphasized Pakistan’s continued use of disinformation. He cited Pakistan’s false denial of the previous night’s attacks and its baseless claim that India had targeted its own cities like Amritsar.
He clarified that the Indian Armed Forces had responded proportionately and responsibly to Pakistan’s aggression. He also reiterated that Pakistani claims of not attacking religious places were false, referencing the attack on a Gurudwara in Poonch, where local Sikh community members, including a religious figure, were killed.
In a particularly tragic incident, a Pakistani shell hit near the Christ School in Poonch, run by the Carmelite order. Two students lost their lives and their parents were critically injured. Another shell damaged a convent run by the Mother of Carmel congregation, affecting water tanks and solar panels. Fortunately, the school was closed at the time, preventing further casualties.
Foreign Secretary Misri condemned Pakistan’s use of religious disinformation. He specifically denied the false claim that India had targeted the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara with a drone, calling it part of Pakistan’s communal disinformation campaign.
In light of the existing security situation, services of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor have been suspended until further notice. Any future updates will be provided as the situation evolves.
Further information revealed that multiple religious institutions were affected by Pakistani shelling, including churches and convents. This included damage to infrastructure and loss of civilian life.
The Foreign Secretary confirmed that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had spoken with several key international counterparts:
These conversations reflected a consistent global sentiment in support of India’s right to defend itself and recognition of its measured response.
Responding to a query, the Foreign Secretary confirmed that Bahawalpur, the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed, was among the sites targeted by India. He referenced its historic links to global terror, including the murder of Wall Street Journal journalist Daniel Pearl.
He connected Pearl’s killing to British-Pakistani jihadist Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who had been previously released from Indian custody and later lured Pearl to his death. The strike on Bahawalpur was framed as a fitting response to decades of Pakistan-sponsored terror.
Foreign Secretary Misri closed the briefing by reiterating that India’s actions were defensive, proportionate, and aimed only at terrorist infrastructure. Pakistan’s reckless aggression, use of disinformation, and targeting of civilians and religious sites were called out in strong terms. The international community’s backing and India’s unity across all faiths remain central to India’s response to terrorism under Operation Sindoor.
Jai Hind 🇮🇳