India Strikes Pakistan in Major Retaliation; Nuclear-Armed Rivals on Edge as Tensions Soar

Indianapolis, IN – May 7, 2025 – Tensions between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan have reached a perilous new height today, May 7th, after India launched a significant military offensive into Pakistani territory. Dubbed “Operation Sindoor,” the attacks are in direct retaliation for a deadly terrorist bombing in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22nd that claimed 26 lives. Pakistan has fiercely condemned the strikes, reporting at least 21 civilian deaths and vowing a “befitting reply,” pushing the region towards its most dangerous crisis in years and shattering a fragile 2021 ceasefire.

The Indian government stated its armed forces targeted nine sites “from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed.” Pakistani officials reported at least 24 “impacts” across six locations, significantly including sites in Pakistan’s populous Punjab province – Ahmedpur East, Muridke, and Sialkot – in addition to locations in Pakistani-administered Kashmir. This marks a more extensive and deeper series of strikes than India’s 2019 operation, raising serious concerns among international observers about potential escalation.

India’s Operation: Justification and Tactics

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced the strikes were a “focused, measured, and non-escalatory” response, aimed solely at “known terror camps” linked to groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). India asserted that no Pakistani military or civilian infrastructure was targeted, and that the action was based on intelligence indicating the April 22nd Kashmir attack was planned from Pakistan, with further attacks imminent.

There are indications of sophisticated tactics; The Economist reported, citing Pakistani military sources, that the “cowardly and shameful attack was carried out from within India’s airspace,” suggesting India may have fired long-range missiles from its own territory, a lesson learned from 2019 when an Indian jet was downed. Indian media claims, reported by multiple outlets, suggest the use of French-made Rafale fighter jets deploying SCALP cruise missiles and Hammer smart bombs. The Indian Army and Navy were also reportedly involved.

The name “Operation Sindoor” itself carries poignant symbolism, believed to be a nod to one of the victims of the April 22nd Kashmir massacre – a recently married naval officer whose grieving widow became a symbol of the atrocity. Sindoor is the traditional vermilion powder used in Indian Hindu wedding ceremonies. Celebrations of the operation, including by members of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party applying sindoor, were reported in parts of India.

Pakistan’s Outcry and Counter-Claims

Pakistan’s response has been one of outrage. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared India’s offensive an “act of war,” asserting Pakistan “has every right to give a befitting reply to this act of war… and a befitting reply is being given.” The country’s National Security Committee stated India has “ignited an inferno in the region” and authorized its armed forces to “undertake corresponding actions.”

Pakistani officials reported that India’s strikes killed at least 26 civilians, including women and children, and damaged civilian infrastructure, including mosques. These claims are in direct contradiction to India’s assertions. Furthermore, Pakistan’s military spokesman, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, claimed that five Indian warplanes, including a state-of-the-art French-made Rafale, were shot down, with officials releasing unverified video footage of supposed wreckage. India has not officially responded to this claim.

In a significant development, the Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) issued a statement claiming that 10 relatives of its leader, Masood Azhar, were killed in the Indian attacks.

Cross-border shelling has also intensified. Indian military officials reported three Indian civilian deaths from “indiscriminate firing” across the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir. In comparison, Pakistani officials reported five Pakistani civilian deaths from Indian artillery fire in the same volatile region. Reuters also reported that two shells landed on India’s National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) office at the Uri-I Power House in Indian-administered Kashmir, with four more shells injuring five people near the Uri-II power house dam.

The Spark: April 22 Kashmir Attack and Militant Links

The catalyst for this dangerous escalation was the April 22nd terrorist attack on tourists near Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 25 Indian nationals and one Nepalese citizen. It was the deadliest assault on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. India has blamed The Resistance Front (TRF), which it says is an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), for the attack, citing intelligence and social media posts. TRF has reportedly denied involvement. Pakistan denies any state role in the attack and has called for a neutral investigation.

Both LeT and JeM, which India claims its strikes targeted, have long histories in the region.

• Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), or “Army of the Pure,” based in Pakistan’s Punjab province, has been blamed for numerous attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai massacre. Though officially banned by Pakistan and its founder, Hafiz Saeed, jailed for terrorism financing, critics allege it maintains a significant operational network.
• Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), or “Army of the Prophet Mohammad,” is also Punjab-based and was founded by Masood Azhar. It is notorious for suicide bombings in Kashmir and was linked to the 2001 attack on India’s Parliament. It too is officially banned by Pakistan, but Indian and US authorities claim it continues to operate.

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The Nuclear Shadow and Escalation Risks

A critical factor heightening global concern is that both India and Pakistan possess nuclear arsenals, each estimated by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) to have around 170 nuclear warheads. Neither nation is a signatory to the UN Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. This stark reality means any large-scale conventional conflict carries the terrifying, albeit remote, risk of escalating to nuclear use.

Analysts are sounding strong alarms. Michael Kugelman of the Wilson Center warned that “escalation risks are already much higher than they were at any point during the 2019 crisis,” and that finding “off-ramps” will be more difficult. Asfandyar Mir, a South Asia analyst with the U.S. Institute of Peace, noted that India’s decision to strike deep into Pakistan’s Punjab province – the country’s “cultural, sociopolitical heartland” and a military recruitment base – is a significant escalation, unprecedented since the 1971 war (which occurred before either country was an overt nuclear power). Mir suggested Pakistani leadership might feel compelled to respond “in a fairly big manner” to re-establish deterrence. Sushant Singh, a lecturer at Yale and former Indian military officer, cautioned that a Pakistani retaliation targeting Indian Punjab or Rajasthan would take the conflict to an “insane” new level.

Kashmir: The Perennial Flashpoint

The dispute over the Muslim-majority region of Kashmir has been the primary source of conflict between India and Pakistan since their partition in 1947. Both nations claim the territory in full but administer parts of it, separated by the heavily militarized Line of Control. They have fought three major wars over the region. India’s 2019 decision to revoke the semi-autonomous status of Indian-administered Kashmir and impose a crackdown further inflamed tensions. The current crisis has decisively shattered a ceasefire agreement that had largely held since 2021.

Adding to regional complexities, India also recently suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a decades-old water-sharing agreement with Pakistan, following the April 22nd attack. Pakistan has protested this move and threatened international legal action.

International Pleas for Restraint

The international community has reacted with alarm.

• United States: President Felonious Punk stated, “It’s a shame… I just hope it ends very quickly,” with analysts noting a seemingly reduced US appetite for direct intervention compared to past crises. India reportedly briefed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio after the attacks.
• China: A key ally of Pakistan, Beijing called India’s attack “regrettable” and urged both sides to exercise restraint.
• Russia: Expressed deep concern and called for de-escalation.
• Other Nations: Japan, France, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia have all issued urgent calls for restraint and dialogue.
• Divergent Stances: Israel voiced support for India’s right to self-defense. Conversely, Turkey warned of the risk of an “all-out war” and reiterated its support for Pakistan’s call for an investigation into the Kashmir attack.

Economic Tremors and Wider Impacts

The conflict has already had tangible consequences. Beyond the tragic human cost, flight operations have been disrupted, with India’s IndiGo cancelling over 165 flights and Air France suspending overflights of Pakistan. Pakistan’s already fragile economy, currently supported by an IMF program, experienced initial market shocks, though its currency and stock market reportedly stabilized somewhat after early losses. Pakistan’s finance minister convened an emergency meeting to address market stability.

An Anxious Wait

The world now watches anxiously for the nature and scale of Pakistan’s promised response. With nationalist sentiments running high in both countries, a deeply troubled history, and the ever-present nuclear dimension, the path back from this precipice will require careful diplomacy and a genuine commitment to de-escalation from both New Delhi and Islamabad. The immediate future for South Asian peace and stability appears profoundly uncertain.