Operation Sindoor strikes aim at terror infrastructure, not military targets: Ministry of External Affairs

In a strong retaliatory move under Operation Sindoor, India launched precision strikes against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan in the early hours of Thursday, following escalating tensions triggered by the deadly Pahalgam attack last month. Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, both in combat uniform, briefed the media in Delhi, reaffirming that India’s military action remains "non-escalatory, precise, and measured."

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that Indian Armed Forces successfully thwarted a missile offensive launched by Pakistan targeting Indian territory in the early hours. However, the day turned grim as Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir claimed the lives of 16 civilians, including women and children.

The MEA linked the latest military developments to the April 22 terrorist strike in Pahalgam, which resulted in the death of 26 civilians. "This attack marked the escalation in India-Pakistan tensions," the ministry noted during the briefing.

Defence officials revealed that Pakistan had attempted to target multiple military installations across Northern and Western India, including strategic locations such as Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles.

"These attempted strikes were effectively neutralised by our Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and Air Defence systems," said Colonel Qureshi. She added that debris from intercepted drones and missiles is currently being recovered from several sites, providing clear evidence of Pakistani aggression.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri addressed the international dimension, highlighting Pakistan's contradictory stance at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). "When discussions on the Pahalgam attack were ongoing at the UNSC, Pakistan opposed the identification of TRF (The Resistance Front) as the perpetrator, despite TRF claiming responsibility twice," Misri pointed out.

Reiterating India’s position, Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh emphasized that no Pakistani military targets were engaged in the strikes. "Our operations are solely directed at terrorist infrastructure. The aim is not to escalate but to respond proportionately to the provocations we face," they asserted