 "India has sent out a strong message to Pakistan after the pre-dawn, cross-border strikes on May 7. (Image: AP)")
The Indian government on Wednesday (May 7) said that the cross-border strikes on terror camps inside Pakistan were necessitated after Islamabad took no action against terror infrastructure, even as a fortnight passed following the deadly terrorist attack in India’s Jammu and Kashmir in which 26 people were killed.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told the media that India’s Operation Sindoor was launched after Pakistan continued to indulge in denials and allegations.
“You are all aware of the decisions that were announced on the 23rd of April. However, it was deemed essential that the perpetrators and planners of the 22nd April attack be brought to justice. Despite a fortnight having passed since the attacks, there has been no demonstrable step from Pakistan to take action against the terrorist infrastructure on its territory or on territory under its control,” Misri said.
Misri added New Delhi had intelligence input that these Pakistan-based terrorists were planning more attacks inside Indian territory, and thus the May 7 strikes were a part of a preemptive action.
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“Instead, all it has indulged in are denials and allegations. Our intelligence monitoring of Pakistan-based terrorist modules indicated that further attacks against India were impending. There was thus a compulsion both to deter and to pre-empt,” the diplomat added.
“Earlier this morning as you would be aware India exercised its right to respond and pre-empt as well as deter more such cross-border attacks. These actions were measured, non-escalatory, proportionate, and responsible. They focused on dismantling the terrorist infrastructure and disabling terrorists likely to be sent across to India,” said Misri.
India had announced a slew of punitive measures against Pakistan a day after the April 22 deadly attack in Pahalgam. These measures included holding the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance and revoking visas issued to Pakistani nationals among others. However, India had so far refrained from taking any military action against Pakistan. The Indian government now says it had given the Pakistani government enough time to act against the terror camps operating on the territory controlled by it.
On Wednesday, the Indian armed forces launched “Operation Sindoor”, a swift and targeted military action.
In an official statement, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that nine terror-linked sites were hit with precision. Importantly, the strikes did not target any Pakistani military facilities, highlighting that the operation was aimed strictly at eliminating terror bases and avoiding direct military escalation.