Venkat Raman
Auckland, May 11, 2025
Even as India and Pakistan announced an immediate ceasefire ending four days of hostilities that destroyed the homes of terrorists in Pakistan, some people are sceptical citing earlier violations of such ceasefire agreements by Islamabad.
India’s airstrikes followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pledge at a public rally in Madhubani, Bihar on April 24, 2025, two days after terrorists killed 26 Non-Muslims including a Nepali in Pahalgam in the Kashmir Valley.
Giving a clarion call for justice, unity, resilience and India’s undying spirit in the face of terrorism, he condemned the terrorist attack and outlined a resolute response to those threatening India’s sovereignty and spirit.
“Today (April 24, 2025), on the soil of Bihar, I say to the whole world, India will identify, trace and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth. India’s spirit will never be broken by terrorism. The brutal killing of innocent citizens has left the entire nation in pain and sorrow. From Kargil to Kanyakumari, our grief and outrage are one,” he said, and extended solidarity to the affected families. The government is making every effort to support those injured and under treatment. I express the unified resolve of 1400 million Indians against terrorism. This was not just an attack on unarmed tourists but an audacious assault on India’s soul,” he said.
Mr Modi also expressed gratitude to the various countries, their leaders and the people who have stood by India in its hour of grief, emphasising that “everyone who believes in humanity is with us.”
He carried out his vow with Operation Sindoor.
Operation Sindoor
Operation Sindoor was named to symbolise the tragic loss suffered by the women whose husbands were killed in the Pahalgam attack.
In the Hindu tradition, Sindoor, or vermilion, is applied by married women as a mark of their marital status. The attack left twenty-five women widowed, many of them newly married, as their husbands were executed in front of them based on their religion.
The name was chosen to reflect the emotional and cultural trauma inflicted by the attack.
Mr Modi personally approved the name, ensuring that India’s military response carried a message of justice and remembrance. The operation targeted nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, aiming to dismantle the infrastructure responsible for cross-border terrorism.
The symbolism of Sindoor also extends to warriors, as it is traditionally worn by soldiers heading into battle. By naming the operation Sindoor, India conveyed a message of protection, honour, and retaliation, ensuring that the attack on its citizens would not go unanswered.
Operation Sindoor was launched May 7 2025 in response to the Pahalgam attack, which as mentioned, was a brutal act of terrorism that claimed the lives of 26 tourists in Jammu and Kashmir. The attack, carried out by five armed militants, targeted Hindu tourists, though a Christian tourist and a local Muslim were also killed.
The attackers, armed with M4 carbines and AK-47s, entered the tourist spot in Baisaran Valley, a picturesque location surrounded by dense pine forests. Survivors recounted harrowing moments when the militants singled out men, asking for their religion before executing them. Some victims were forced to recite the Islamic Kalima, a Muslim declaration of faith, to identify Non-Muslims. Among the deceased were several newlywed couples, with husbands shot point-blank in front of their wives.
One survivor, Sangita Gunbote, whose husband was killed, recalled, “We immediately removed our bindis and started chanting ‘Allahu Akbar,’ hoping we would be spared. But they still killed my husband, his friend, and another person sitting nearby,” she said.
The attack intensified tensions between India and Pakistan, as India accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism. In retaliation, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, expelled Pakistani diplomats, and closed its borders. Pakistan rejected these claims and retaliated by suspending the Simla Agreement, restricting trade, and closing its airspace. The diplomatic standoff escalated into direct military conflict on May 7, 2025, when India launched airstrikes on Pakistan territories, targeting terrorist camps.
She was later trolled for “not saying what she was supposed to say.” (Screen Grab)
War on Terrorists
India deployed Rafale jets equipped with SCALP missiles and AASM Hammer bombs, BrahMos cruise missiles, and SkyStriker loitering munitions, aiming to neutralise terrorist infrastructure without escalating into a broader war. Reports indicated that over 100 terrorists, including key figures within the targeted organisations, were eliminated.
Pakistan responded with Operation Bunyan Al Marsus, targeting Indian military installations in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan. This retaliation included airstrikes, drone attacks, and artillery shelling across the Line of Control, leading to casualties and infrastructure damage.
Pakistan claimed to have downed several Indian aircraft, a claim contested by India.
The military confrontations had significant repercussions for civilians, with reports indicating at least 15 civilian deaths and over 40 injuries in Jammu and Kashmir due to Pakistani shelling. Pakistan reported about casualties, including civilians and militants, with additional injuries. The destruction of homes, schools, and places of worship on both sides of the border exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, prompting urgent calls for de-escalation from international communities.
The emotional response in India was one of grief and outrage.
Thousands gathered at the Vaikunth crematorium in Pune to bid farewell to two friends killed in the attack, Kaustubh Gunbote and Santosh Jagdale. State and national leaders visited the families, offering condolences and vowing justice.
Maharashtra’s Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil said, “What the terrorists did was inhuman. India’s reaction must send a message to the world that we will not tolerate extremism.”
International condemnation
The attack also sparked international condemnation, with the United Nations urging both nations to exercise “maximum restraint.”
US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire on social media, stating that after a long night of talks mediated by the United States, India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire. The announcement followed fears that both countries’ nuclear arsenals might come into play, as Pakistan’s military indicated that a top body overseeing its nuclear weapons would meet. However, the Pakistani defence minister later clarified that no such meeting was scheduled.
On 10 May 2025, after four days of escalating strikes and counter-strikes, India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire mediated by the United States.
The Director General of Military Operations of Pakistan called his Indian counterpart at 3:30 pm (IST, and both sides agreed to cease all firing and military action on land, in the air, and at sea with effect from 5 pm (IST).
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed the agreement, stating that instructions had been given on both sides to implement the understanding. The Directors General of Military Operations were scheduled to speak again on 12 May to ensure compliance. Officials from both sides showed a willingness to step back following the day’s exchanges, while the civilian death toll on both sides of the border mounted to 66.
The ceasefire marked a tactical pause, but lasting peace depended on how both sides navigated the political and military fallout of the Pahalgam attack. While the immediate conflict subsided, the broader geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan remained unresolved. The international community continued to monitor the situation closely, urging both nations to engage in diplomatic dialogue to prevent future escalations. The events surrounding Operation Sindoor underscored the fragile nature of peace in the region and the critical role of international mediation in defusing crises between nuclear-armed neighbours.
