Following the retaliatory attack on Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, India has given a strong and stern message to Pakistan. “Do not escalate”, is the message that India has sent out to Pakistan. This comes after the pre-dawn, cross-border strikes on Wednesday on Pakistan’s terror camps.
The Pakistani leadership has vowed retaliation over the strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK). However, India has categorically specified that its strikes displayed “calibrated and non-escalatory approach”.
In the early hours of May 7, India launched precision airstrikes on terror camps across the Line of Control. This retaliatory attack marks a significant but carefully measured response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir that killed 26 tourists. The Indian Defence Ministry has named the operation “Operation Sindoor”. They described it as a “precise and restrained response” to what it called a “barbaric” assault on Indian civilians by Pakistan-backed terrorist groups.
Calibrated Action Amid Rising Tensions
India emphasised that this is a non-escalatory approach, clarifying that no Pakistani military or civilian infrastructure was targeted during the operation. In a post on X the Defense Ministry wrote “…Importantly, no Pakistani military facilities were hit, reflecting India’s calibrated and non-escalatory approach. This operation underscores India’s resolve to hold perpetrators accountable while avoiding unnecessary provocation”.
The objective, officials said, was to send a strong message without inviting unnecessary conflict with the neighboring country.
Pakistan Reacts: Sharif Calls Strikes ‘Act of War’
However, Pakistan sharply condemned the Indian strikes. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the air strikes an “act of war” and vowed retaliation. IN a post on X he stated, “Pakistan has every right to give a strong response to this war imposed by India… The Pakistani nation and its armed forces know very well how to deal with the enemy. We will never allow the enemy to succeed in its malicious objectives”.
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
The treacherous enemy has launched a cowardly attack on five locations within Pakistan. This heinous act of aggression will not go unpunished.
Pakistan reserves the absolute right to respond decisively to this unprovoked Indian attack — a…— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) May 6, 2025
Furthermore, a statement from the Pakistani government alleged civilian casualties, including women and children. Pakistan warned that the strikes posed a threat to commercial air traffic in the region. A Pakistani government statement tried to give a very different narrative to the strikes and the outcome.
“India’s act of aggression has resulted in the martyrdom of civilians, including women and children. This act of aggression has also caused a grave threat to commercial air traffic.” the statement said.
Not just that, Pakistan also claimed India’s actions had brought the two nuclear-armed neighbours “closer to a major conflict.” Within days of the strike, Pakistan carried out two missile tests, further heightening tensions along the border.
India Seeks to Control the Narrative
Amidst this, India’s diplomatic machinery has been activated in full force to shape the global narrative around the strikes. The Indian Embassy in Washington DC reiterated that the operation specifically targeted terror camps. “No Pakistani civilian, economic or military targets have been hit. Only known terror camps were targeted,” a press release from the Embassy of India in Washington DC said.
Strategic Preparedness and Caution
In the meantime, anticipating possible escalation, India has increased military readiness by conducting air force and naval drills. The country is also preparing for a nationwide civil defence drill, the first of its kind since the 1971 Indo-Pak war. These mock drills indicate both preparedness and caution in the face of rising tensions.
Indian officials remain aware that the real decision-making in Pakistan lies with Army Chief General Asim Munir. Intelligence sources suggest the possibility of a limited military response orchestrated for internal power consolidation.
‘No Secret’: India Vowed Retaliation Post-Pahalgam
Following the deadly Pahalgam attack, which targeted holidaymakers and drew nationwide outrage, Indian leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had pledged a strong response. “We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth,” PM Modi had declared in his first public appearance following the Pahalgam attack.
