In May 2025, escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan reached a critical juncture following a major terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in significant casualties.

In response, India initiated Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting nine terrorist training camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) using a combination of loitering munitions and precision-guided missiles from the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) executed a series of deep strikes, notably destroying high-value military assets including a SAAB-2000 airborne early warning aircraft, a C-130J transport, a JF-17 fighter, and two F-16 jets, some as far as 315 kilometers inside Pakistani territory.

On the night of May 9–10, Indian forces escalated their offensive with four coordinated precision missile strikes, employing advanced weaponry such as SCALP and BrahMos missiles to hit strategic targets at Muridke, Bahawalpur, and key air defence systems in Lahore and Karachi.

The Indian Navy, meanwhile, had mobiliSed significant strike assets—including warships, submarines, and aircraft—positioned 260 miles off the Makran coast and stood ready to launch a massive missile barrage on the Karachi Naval Port. According to reports, the Navy was prepared to unleash up to 200 missiles on the Karachi Naval Dockyard, with the intention of incapacitating Pakistan’s key maritime hub.

The scale and precision of India’s response left the Pakistan military on the defensive. The Pakistan Navy was largely confined to harbor, unable to contest Indian maritime superiority, while the Army and Air Force struggled to mount an effective counter-offensive.

Facing the imminent threat of a crippling strike on Karachi Port, the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of Pakistan urgently reached out to his Indian counterpart on May 10, pleading for an immediate cessation of hostilities and proposing a no-fire pact. This request came after Pakistan’s own limited retaliatory operation, codenamed Bunyan al-Marsoos, failed to achieve its objectives and was called off within hours.

Subsequent diplomatic efforts, with mediation from the United States, led to a rapid de-escalation. Both countries agreed to halt all firing and military action from land, air, and sea effective from 5 pm on May 10, as confirmed by Indian and Pakistani officials.

The ceasefire understanding was reaffirmed in a DGMO-level meeting on May 12, with both sides committing to refrain from any aggressive or inimical actions. However, reports indicated sporadic violations by Pakistan soon after the agreement, though the ceasefire pact itself remained in effect with no set expiry date.

Operation Sindoor demonstrated a significant shift in the strategic calculus of the region, underscoring India’s ability to conduct deep, coordinated strikes across multiple domains and compelling Pakistan to seek de-escalation under the threat of overwhelming force.

The episode reinforced India’s resolve to respond decisively to cross-border terrorism, while highlighting the vulnerability of Pakistan’s critical military infrastructure in the face of modern, integrated Indian military capabilities.

Based On Agencies Report