Operation Sindoor: India Strikes Terror Havens in Pakistan and PoK; MEA Affirms Civilian Safety, Strategic Precision"
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In a high-stakes early morning offensive that marked a decisive response to the April 22 Pahalgam massacre, India launched&nbsp;Operation Sindoor, a calibrated and precise military action targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). As news of the successful strikes rippled through the strategic and diplomatic corridors of New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) convened a special press briefing on Wednesday, led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. The conference offered a clear articulation of India&rsquo;s rationale, military precision, and calibrated restraint.
India Responds: A Message Etched in Firepower Shortly after 2:30 AM IST, Indian armed forces initiated coordinated strikes across nine terror-linked locations, in both Pakistan's interior and in PoK. These included known hubs of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM). Among the targets were Bahawalpur and Muridke&mdash;infamous for housing the command centres of JeM and LeT respectively&mdash;as well as terror launchpads in Gulpur, Sawai, Kotli, and Bilal Camp.
The precision of the strikes, made possible through standoff munitions launched from within Indian airspace, ensured zero collateral damage. As Wing Commander Vyomika Singh clarified during the press interaction, "Every target was carefully selected to eliminate terror infrastructure while avoiding civilian casualties or destruction of civilian assets. This was a mission of justice, not vengeance."
"Justice is Served": India Speaks with Steel and Restraint In a powerful post on social media platform X, the Indian Army issued a terse but pointed statement:&nbsp;&ldquo;Justice is served. Jai Hind!&rdquo;&mdash;resonating with a nation still reeling from the brutal killing of 26 civilians in Pahalgam&rsquo;s Baisaran valley last month. The Defence Ministry clarified that the operation strictly avoided Pakistani military facilities, underlining that the objective was not war, but neutralization of terror networks.
MEA Misri: A Diplomatic Strike Accompanies the Military One Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri took the dais amidst high anticipation, delivering a measured yet firm briefing. &ldquo;India has acted in self-defence, in accordance with international law and norms of responsible state conduct,&rdquo; Misri declared. Emphasizing Pakistan&rsquo;s long-standing duplicity, he added,&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan has time and again misled the global community, including on platforms like the FATF. The Sajid Mir case remains a testament to their duplicity&mdash;first declared dead, then found alive under international pressure and arrested reluctantly.&rdquo;
Misri&rsquo;s tone blended clarity with strategic calm, clearly aimed at the international audience watching closely. He reiterated that the strikes were aimed solely at neutralizing terror infrastructures used to orchestrate cross-border attacks on Indian soil.
Pakistan Reacts, Predictably Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a reactionary statement acknowledging that India conducted the strikes from within its own airspace, confirming hits in Muridke and Bahawalpur, and across the LoC in Kotli and Muzaffarabad. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General responded with a familiar line of rhetoric, threatening retaliation &ldquo;at a time and place of its choosing.&rdquo;
Indian officials, however, dismissed the sabre-rattling as a habitual attempt to save face, asserting that Pakistan's options remain limited under current geopolitical pressures and economic fragility.
Diplomatic Coordination and Civil Defence Measures India&rsquo;s National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, reportedly briefed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio within hours of the operation, ensuring global partners were informed of the necessity and proportionality of the strikes. The U.S., through Secretary Rubio&rsquo;s office, confirmed that it was closely monitoring the escalation and urged restraint on all sides.
In anticipation of a possible escalation or retaliatory posturing by Pakistan, the Ministry of Home Affairs directed the temporary closure of educational institutions across five border districts in Jammu and Kashmir&mdash;Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch. Similar advisories were issued for vulnerable districts in Punjab and Rajasthan.
The Strike List: Where Justice Rained Down The following sites were struck during Operation Sindoor:
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal">Bahawalpur&nbsp;&ndash; JeM HQ, ~100 km from the International Border.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Muridke&nbsp;&ndash; LeT&rsquo;s ideological and logistical base, ~30 km from IB opposite Samba.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Gulpur&nbsp;&ndash; ~35 km inside PoK, adjacent to Poonch-Rajouri sector.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Sawai Camp&nbsp;&ndash; LeT camp in Tangdhar sector, ~30 km inside PoK.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Bilal Camp&nbsp;&ndash; Key JeM launchpad.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Kotli Camp&nbsp;&ndash; LeT base, ~15 km from LoC opposite Rajouri.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Barnala Camp&nbsp;&ndash; ~10 km from LoC, also in Rajouri sector.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Sarjal Camp&nbsp;&ndash; JeM site opposite Samba-Kathua, ~8 km from IB.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Mehmoona Camp&nbsp;&ndash; HM training facility, ~15 km from IB, near Sialkot.</li>
</ol>
Strategic Significance: Calibrated Assertiveness Wednesday&rsquo;s precision strikes underline a calibrated shift in India&rsquo;s counter-terrorism doctrine. Operation Sindoor was not just about tactical retaliation&mdash;it was a strategic signal: India will no longer absorb cross-border terror passively. The use of standoff weapons, carefully curated target selection, and the diplomatic messaging accompanying the strikes represent a matured Indian response calibrated for deterrence, not escalation.
The Tricolour Holds Steady As the press conference concluded, the message was unmistakable&mdash;India acted not out of aggression, but as a sovereign nation forced to defend its citizens. With an eye firmly on international legitimacy, New Delhi reinforced its posture as a responsible regional power, while delivering a potent message to those who shelter and sponsor terror.
In the words of Foreign Secretary Misri,&nbsp;&ldquo;This operation is a reminder&mdash;not just to the perpetrators of terror&mdash;but also to the world, that India will act decisively when its red lines are crossed. We seek peace, but not at the cost of silence.&rdquo;

Col Sofia Qureshi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri,  Wing Commander Vyomika Singh

Precision strikes on 9 camps avenge Pahalgam attack; MEA, IAF confirm zero civilian harm

India Hits Terror Camps in Pak: Operation Sindoor

Precision strikes on 9 camps avenge Pahalgam attack; MEA, IAF confirm zero civilian harm

May 7, 2025 | 16:54 IST