On the night of May 9-10, 2025, Pakistan escalated hostilities with India by launching a series of coordinated, late-night attacks across the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB). This escalation came three days after India had conducted military strikes under ‘Operation Sindoor,’ targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

According to Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, Pakistan’s explicit objective was to “get India to its knees in 48 hours” through these aggressive manoeuvres.

The attacks began around 1 am on May 10 and were widespread, targeting 26 locations from Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir to Naliya in Gujarat. Key Indian Air Force (IAF) bases such as Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, and Bhuj were among the intended targets, along with medical centers and schools at IAF bases in Srinagar, Udhampur, and Awantipora. At 1:40 am, Pakistan escalated further by launching a high-speed missile attack aimed at airbases in Punjab.

Despite the scale and intensity of these attacks, the Indian armed forces managed to thwart the majority of them, preventing significant damage or disruption. In swift retaliation, India carried out precision strikes against Pakistani military bases, command centers, and weapons sites. Notable Pakistani airbases targeted included Rafiqui, Murid, Nur Khan, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian.

General Chauhan emphasised that Pakistan’s operations, originally planned to last 48 hours, “folded up in about eight hours” due to the effectiveness and speed of the Indian response. Realising the disproportionate cost and the risk of further escalation, Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) reached out to their Indian counterpart via hotline, expressing Islamabad’s readiness to negotiate and de-escalate. By 5 pm on May 10, both nations officially declared a ceasefire.

General Chauhan stated that Pakistan’s strategy was to bring India “to its knees” within two days by escalating the conflict through multiple attacks, targeting not only military installations but also civilian infrastructure, including medical centres and schools at Indian Air Force bases in Srinagar, Udhampur, and Awantipora.

However, India’s response was swift and decisive. The Indian armed forces successfully thwarted the majority of Pakistan’s attacks and launched precision retaliatory strikes on key Pakistani military bases and command centres, including Rafiqui, Murid, Nur Khan, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian. As a result, the conflict that Pakistan intended to prolong for 48 hours was effectively neutralised within just eight hours, compelling Islamabad to seek de-escalation and request talks via the military hotline.

General Chauhan contextualised Pakistan’s actions within a broader historical and ideological framework, tracing the roots of its hostility to the 1965 speech by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto at the United Nations Security Council, where Bhutto declared a “thousand-year war” against India.

Chauhan noted that the rhetoric and actions of Pakistan’s current military leadership, particularly General Asim Munir, echoed Bhutto’s long-standing antagonism. Munir had made inflammatory statements against India just days before the Pahalgam massacre, in which 26 civilians were killed in a brutal act of terror.

Describing the Pahalgam massacre, General Chauhan highlighted the profound cruelty of the attack, where victims were executed in front of their families in the name of religion. He emphasized that such acts triggered widespread revulsion in Indian society and revived memories of the numerous terror attacks India has endured over the years, with nearly 20,000 lives lost to terrorism.

The core principle behind Operation Sindoor, according to Chauhan, was to send a clear message that state-sponsored terrorism from Pakistan would no longer be tolerated and would be met with swift and strategic retaliation.

Despite suffering early losses in the air campaign, including the downing of some fighter jets, General Chauhan asserted that India’s professional armed forces remained unfazed and resilient. He confirmed that while there were setbacks, the focus was on outcomes rather than losses, and the Indian Air Force quickly adapted its tactics, rectified initial mistakes, and resumed successful operations targeting long-range objectives in Pakistan.

Chauhan categorically denied Pakistan’s claims of having shot down six Indian aircraft, including three Rafales, and emphasised that the actual losses were far fewer and did not impact the overall mission.

General Chauhan’s account of Operation Sindoor underscores a significant shift in India’s approach to cross-border terrorism and military provocation. By rapidly neutralising Pakistan’s escalated offensive and compelling a return to dialogue within hours, India demonstrated both its operational readiness and its resolve to counter state-backed terrorism.

The events also highlighted the enduring ideological hostility from Pakistan, rooted in historical animosities, and reinforced India’s commitment to maintaining security and stability in the face of persistent threats.

Agencies