 "A man reads news on his mobile phone after the ceasefire announcement between India and Pakistan, in Srinagar May 10. The two sides have agreed to a 'conditional' truce after four days of escalation. Reuters")
Operation Sindoor. Those are the two words Indians will remember for days to come. At 1.05 am on Wednesday, May 7, India launched airstrikes on nine targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation lasted 25 minutes, and it dismantled 21 terror camps.
A retaliatory strike by India was in the making for 15 days. It came in response to the Pahalgam terror attack , on April 22, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists.
India and Pakistan were on the brink of war. The neighbour fired drones and missiles, most of which were intercepted. It launched overnight strikes on early Saturday (April 11), targeting 26 locations , including airbases, but no heavy damage was caused. The Pakistani military even attacked Indian civilians and places of worship, violating many international laws.
Amid the escalation, Indian fighter jets bombed Pakistan airbases and destroyed terrorist launch pads close to the Line of Control.
India had the edge in this battle. However, after 100 hours of fighting, the two sides agreed to a conditional ceasefire , which was announced to the world by US President Donald Trump. Hours later, the neighbour violated the agreement, once again firing along the LoC and launching drones at border areas. India, of course, responded proportionately and issued a late-night warning. We have been tracking it all closely.
In our weekly roundup, we tell you everything that went down between the neighbours.
1. For two weeks after the Pahalgam attack, India bought its time. It was planned and plotted. And then in the wee hours of Wednesday, it took its revenge. It launched Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine sites and took out 21 terror camps . It struck at the heart of the Laskar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and Hizbul Mujahideen. Here’s how the historic mission unfolded .
Impact Shorts
More Shorts2. Pakistan escalated the situation. It launched a barrage of drones, missiles and loitering munitions across the border late Thursday. But India acted quickly. It deployed its advanced missile system; all sensitive areas went into a blackout. Here’s how Pakistan’s first round of air attacks was foiled .
3. Despite India’s warnings, Pakistan, for a second straight night, launched missiles and drones at India. It reportedly fired the Fatah-II missile, which was aimed at Delhi, but was intercepted. The neighbour also targeted four air stations but caused minimal damage. India countered with precision strikes at six Pakistani airbases. This story brings you all that happened .
4. How is India keeping Pakistan’s drones and missiles at bay? The answer lies in its advanced air defence system. It reportedly used the Russian-made S-400 Triumf and the homegrown Akash to foil the enemy’s attempts. Here’s how they work.
5. Unable to cause much damage to India, a desperate Pakistan on Saturday morning reportedly launched the Fatah-II at India. It was aimed at Delhi but intercepted a Sirsa, according to government sources. One of the recent entrants in Pakistan’s arsenal, the Fatah-II is a ballistic missile . What are these weapons? And does India have them?
6. Modern-day warfare is about aerial prowess. During Operation Sindoor, India used the Rafale jets armed with missiles and precision bombs. In Pakistan’s arsenal are the US-made F-16s. How do these two fighter jets compare?
7. Amid growing tensions between India and Pakistan, Chinese defence stocks surged. Wonder why. Beijing supplies several military equipment to Islamabad, from the HQ-9 air defence system to PL-15 missiles. Some of these were used against India. The battle provided a peek into China’s military technology .
8. Pakistan’s economy has been struggling. Despite that, Islamabad escalated attacks on India. Amid the standoff, the neighbour secured a $1 billion bailout. This is after New Delhi emphasised that the funds could be misused. Here’s how Pakistan uses this loan money against India .
9. The standoff brought back memories of the last war fought between India and Pakistan in 1971, the Bangladesh Liberation War. There were serious concerns back then that Pakistan would hit our cultural landmarks. It’s when India made the Taj Mahal “disappear” . It’s an interesting nugget from history.
10. After more than 100 hours of battle, India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire agreement on Saturday evening. It was Trump who broke the news to the world via Truth Social. So what changed after an intense overnight battle in which missiles were fired and military targets were hit? Was it India’s bombing of Pakistani airbases that forced it to agree to a pause? How did the two sides reach a deal?
That’s all from us this week. We hope the truce remains. If you are keen to know what happens next between India and Pakistan, bookmark this page .