In the aftermath of Rahul Gandhi's allegations that the Indian government, specifically External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, had "informed Pakistan" ahead of Operation Sindoor, a detailed clarification emerged from both the military and diplomatic leadership.

Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), addressed the issue directly, stating that India attempted to communicate its compulsion to strike terror bases to his Pakistani counterpart in the immediate wake of Operation Sindoor.

This outreach was not a prior warning but an attempt to explain India's actions after the commencement of the operation. According to Lt Gen Ghai, the Pakistani side brusquely rejected the communication, responding with a warning of severe retaliation, for which India was prepared.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also refuted Gandhi's claims, labelling them as a misrepresentation of facts. The MEA clarified that EAM Jaishankar had stated India warned Pakistan at the start of the operation, which refers to the early phase after Operation Sindoor began, not before its initiation. The MEA emphasised that presenting this as a prior warning was incorrect and called out the mischaracterisation.

Operation Sindoor itself was launched on May 7, 2025, in response to a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 civilians. The Indian Armed Forces targeted terror infrastructure deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, eliminating over 100 militants associated with groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. 

Following these strikes, Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling and drone attacks. In response, India conducted a second wave of coordinated airstrikes, damaging key military infrastructure at 11 Pakistani airbases. Hostilities ceased after both sides reached an understanding on May 10.

The Indian side's communication with Pakistan occurred after the operation had commenced, aiming to explain the rationale behind the strikes rather than to provide advance warning. The Pakistani response was hostile, and the MEA has strongly rejected any suggestion that India compromised operational secrecy or national security by informing Pakistan beforehand.

Based On ANI Report