India Says 100 Militants Killed in Cross-Border Strikes on Pakistan
| 2025-05-08
Rajnath Singh was chairing the all party meeting in Parliament.
India confirms 100 militants killed in precision strikes on Pakistan terror camps under Operation Sindoor, warning Islamabad against retaliation.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told an all-party meeting in New Delhi that the Indian military had carried out “precise” attacks on nine terrorist hideouts across the border, resulting in the deaths of approximately 100 militants. The offensive, codenamed Operation Sindoor, is in response to a terror attack in Pahalgam last month that left 26 people dead, most of them civilians.
Singh stressed that the operation was ongoing and that further technical details could not be disclosed at this stage. “We do not wish to escalate the matter. But if Pakistan chooses to do so, we will not back down,” he reportedly told political leaders.
The meeting was attended by representatives from across India’s political spectrum. Leaders including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and opposition figure Rahul Gandhi extended their support to the government's counter-terrorism efforts. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju described the mood of the meeting as united and mature, with “broad political consensus” on the need to back the armed forces.
Precision Strikes on Terror Camps
According to government sources, the strikes were carried out using high-precision weaponry, including SCALP missiles and HAMMER bombs, in a synchronised 25-minute assault. The targets were identified as facilities linked to the militant groups Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed—both of which India accuses of orchestrating attacks on its soil, including the 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing and the recent Pahalgam massacre.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army said the attacks were based on credible intelligence and aimed at dismantling terrorist infrastructure without harming civilians. She noted that no Pakistani military installations were targeted. The operation, she added, was carefully timed to minimise collateral damage.
Indian Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, also present at a press briefing, said the military remains prepared to respond to any retaliation by Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Response and Cross-Border Shelling
Following the strikes, Pakistan reportedly responded with artillery fire along the Line of Control (LoC), particularly in the Poonch-Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir. According to Indian sources, 15 civilians were killed in the shelling.
Loud explosions were also heard in Lahore and other Pakistani cities on Thursday, according to reports from local media and Reuters. However, Islamabad has not issued an official statement about the Indian operation or the explosions.
Tensions have escalated steadily since the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which Indian authorities claim was carried out by operatives linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba. Victims of the attack included a 70-year-old retiree and a Nepali national. Several were shot at point-blank range, prompting condemnation from foreign governments and calls for accountability at the United Nations.
Islamabad has denied involvement and called for an international investigation. However, India has accused Pakistan's intelligence services of supporting cross-border terrorism, an allegation New Delhi has raised repeatedly at international forums.
Diplomatic Fallout and Regional Ramifications
In addition to the military response, India earlier suspended specific visa categories for Pakistani citizens and paused its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)—a bilateral agreement that governs water sharing from the Indus River system. The move was described by Pakistani officials as “an act of war.”
In retaliation, Pakistan announced it was placing the 1972 Simla Agreement—which defines the Line of Control—on hold.
Since the Pahalgam attack, daily ceasefire violations have been reported along the LoC, particularly in northern areas such as Uri, Kupwara, and Baramulla. Indian authorities said 13 people, including a soldier, have died so far in the continued shelling.
India maintains that its response remains proportionate and focused on dismantling terrorist infrastructure. Officials have reiterated that while escalation is not the intent, the country is prepared for any further threats.
Context:
Operation Sindoor comes at a time of heightened regional tension between India and Pakistan, two nuclear-armed neighbours with a history of conflict over the disputed Kashmir region. The use of precision weaponry and the scale of the strike reflect a shift in India’s counter-terrorism posture, following earlier limited strikes such as the 2016 “surgical strikes” and the 2019 Balakot air raid.
While military actions have drawn domestic political consensus in India, they also raise concerns about broader geopolitical stability in South Asia, especially given the potential for escalation between the rival nations.
As both sides continue to issue warnings and counter-warnings, international observers have urged restraint and renewed diplomatic dialogue to prevent further deterioration in regional security.
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