India-Pakistan Tensions: Saudi Minister Visits Delhi After Military Strikes
| 2025-05-08
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir
Saudi Minister Adel Aljubeir visits Delhi for talks with S Jaishankar amid heightened India-Pakistan tensions following Indian strikes on terror targets in Pakistan.
Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Aljubeir arrived in New Delhi late Wednesday and met with India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday morning, as regional tensions escalated following India’s military operations targeting militant infrastructure inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
The visit by Mr Aljubeir, which was not pre-announced by either government, is seen as part of broader diplomatic efforts to prevent further deterioration in relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
“Shared India’s perspectives on firmly countering terrorism,” Mr Jaishankar wrote on social media platform X, after the meeting. The Ministry of External Affairs did not immediately issue a formal statement on the discussions.
Strikes in Response to Pahalgam Attack
The talks came just hours after India launched a coordinated military operation named Operation Sindoor in the early hours of Wednesday, targeting nine locations identified as militant training camps. These included sites in Bahawalpur and Muridke—areas linked to groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba, which India holds responsible for attacks on its soil.
The strikes followed a deadly attack in the town of Pahalgam on 22 April, which killed 26 people and injured dozens more. Indian officials have blamed Pakistan-based militants for the assault.
At a press briefing, Indian Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said the operation was “executed with precision to avoid civilian casualties,” while Colonel Sofiya Qureshi presented video evidence of the strikes, noting that the targeted camps had links to past terror incidents including the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
India Defends Its Actions as Proportionate
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that the decision to strike was taken after Pakistan failed to act against what India describes as “terrorist infrastructure” within its territory. “There was no demonstrable step from Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack to justice,” Mr Misri said.
Indian officials have described the strikes as “proportionate” and “limited in scope,” stressing that they were aimed strictly at non-civilian targets associated with known militant groups.
Diplomatic Outreach to Regional Partners
Saudi Arabia’s intervention appears to be part of a broader attempt to engage key stakeholders in the region. Earlier this week, the Saudi envoy in New Delhi was briefed by Indian officials about the rationale behind Operation Sindoor.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also arrived in Delhi late Wednesday for previously scheduled talks, further highlighting international concern about rising instability in the region. Mr Araghchi, who visited Islamabad earlier in the week, is expected to meet both Prime Minister Droupadi Murmu and Mr Jaishankar during his stay.
India has also held consultations with the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Japan, Spain, and Qatar in recent days, underscoring its efforts to build international support for its counterterrorism stance.
Reports of Cross-Border Fire and Civilian Casualties
Unconfirmed reports of cross-border fire early Thursday morning raised further concerns, with some Pakistani media outlets claiming projectiles had landed in Lahore. Indian sources, however, dismissed reports of an attack on Amritsar, describing loud sounds as part of a military drill.
Meanwhile, India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that 13 Indian citizens were killed and 59 injured in Poonch district due to what it described as a ceasefire violation by Pakistani forces. Most of the injured are reportedly civilians.
Context: Longstanding India-Pakistan Hostilities
India and Pakistan have fought three wars since gaining independence in 1947, and skirmishes across the Line of Control—the de facto border in Kashmir—are not uncommon. However, coordinated military strikes inside Pakistan remain rare and are typically seen as serious escalations.
The latest military operation follows a similar pattern to the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, when India targeted a Jaish-e-Mohammad camp inside Pakistan in response to a suicide bombing in Pulwama that killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel.
Saudi Arabia, a key player in the Middle East with strong ties to both New Delhi and Islamabad, has previously acted as a behind-the-scenes mediator in moments of crisis between the two nations.
Mr Aljubeir’s quick visit is likely aimed at encouraging restraint and facilitating dialogue, though neither India nor Pakistan has indicated readiness to resume formal talks at this stage.
Conclusion
With military tensions rising and diplomatic channels activated, regional powers and international actors are watching closely to see whether this latest flare-up leads to prolonged conflict or opens space for de-escalation. Saudi Arabia’s involvement suggests growing concern that unresolved hostilities between India and Pakistan could have broader geopolitical implications.
The visit by Mr Aljubeir, which was not pre-announced by either government, is seen as part of broader diplomatic efforts to prevent further deterioration in relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
“Shared India’s perspectives on firmly countering terrorism,” Mr Jaishankar wrote on social media platform X, after the meeting. The Ministry of External Affairs did not immediately issue a formal statement on the discussions.
Strikes in Response to Pahalgam Attack
The talks came just hours after India launched a coordinated military operation named Operation Sindoor in the early hours of Wednesday, targeting nine locations identified as militant training camps. These included sites in Bahawalpur and Muridke—areas linked to groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba, which India holds responsible for attacks on its soil.
The strikes followed a deadly attack in the town of Pahalgam on 22 April, which killed 26 people and injured dozens more. Indian officials have blamed Pakistan-based militants for the assault.
At a press briefing, Indian Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said the operation was “executed with precision to avoid civilian casualties,” while Colonel Sofiya Qureshi presented video evidence of the strikes, noting that the targeted camps had links to past terror incidents including the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
India Defends Its Actions as Proportionate
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that the decision to strike was taken after Pakistan failed to act against what India describes as “terrorist infrastructure” within its territory. “There was no demonstrable step from Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack to justice,” Mr Misri said.
Indian officials have described the strikes as “proportionate” and “limited in scope,” stressing that they were aimed strictly at non-civilian targets associated with known militant groups.
Diplomatic Outreach to Regional Partners
Saudi Arabia’s intervention appears to be part of a broader attempt to engage key stakeholders in the region. Earlier this week, the Saudi envoy in New Delhi was briefed by Indian officials about the rationale behind Operation Sindoor.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also arrived in Delhi late Wednesday for previously scheduled talks, further highlighting international concern about rising instability in the region. Mr Araghchi, who visited Islamabad earlier in the week, is expected to meet both Prime Minister Droupadi Murmu and Mr Jaishankar during his stay.
India has also held consultations with the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Japan, Spain, and Qatar in recent days, underscoring its efforts to build international support for its counterterrorism stance.
Reports of Cross-Border Fire and Civilian Casualties
Unconfirmed reports of cross-border fire early Thursday morning raised further concerns, with some Pakistani media outlets claiming projectiles had landed in Lahore. Indian sources, however, dismissed reports of an attack on Amritsar, describing loud sounds as part of a military drill.
Meanwhile, India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that 13 Indian citizens were killed and 59 injured in Poonch district due to what it described as a ceasefire violation by Pakistani forces. Most of the injured are reportedly civilians.
Context: Longstanding India-Pakistan Hostilities
India and Pakistan have fought three wars since gaining independence in 1947, and skirmishes across the Line of Control—the de facto border in Kashmir—are not uncommon. However, coordinated military strikes inside Pakistan remain rare and are typically seen as serious escalations.
The latest military operation follows a similar pattern to the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, when India targeted a Jaish-e-Mohammad camp inside Pakistan in response to a suicide bombing in Pulwama that killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel.
Saudi Arabia, a key player in the Middle East with strong ties to both New Delhi and Islamabad, has previously acted as a behind-the-scenes mediator in moments of crisis between the two nations.
Mr Aljubeir’s quick visit is likely aimed at encouraging restraint and facilitating dialogue, though neither India nor Pakistan has indicated readiness to resume formal talks at this stage.
Conclusion
With military tensions rising and diplomatic channels activated, regional powers and international actors are watching closely to see whether this latest flare-up leads to prolonged conflict or opens space for de-escalation. Saudi Arabia’s involvement suggests growing concern that unresolved hostilities between India and Pakistan could have broader geopolitical implications.
India Says 100 Militants Killed in Cross-Border Strikes on Pakistan
India confirms 100 militants killed in precision strikes on Pakistan terror camps under Operation Sindoor, warning Islamabad against retaliation.
|2025-05-08
India Destroys Pakistan's Air Defence in Lahore Amid Cross-Border Tensions
India targets Pakistani air defence systems in Lahore following drone and missile attacks on Indian military bases; tensions rise along Line of Control.
|2025-05-08
India Strikes Terror Camps in Pakistan as Modi Highlights Space Ambitions
India conducts its largest anti-terror strike in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor following the Pahalgam attack, as Prime Minister Modi speaks on space exploration.
|2025-05-07
India Strikes Terror Targets in Pakistan; Flights Cancelled Across Region
Following India's Operation Sindoor against terror camps in Pakistan, airports in North India suspend flights while Pakistan briefly closes its airspace.
|2025-05-07
Mahindra & Mahindra Projects SUV-Led Growth Amid Strong FY25 Earnings
Mahindra & Mahindra anticipates double-digit SUV growth in FY26 after reporting a 20% profit rise in FY25, driven by robust demand and product innovation.
|2025-05-06