Pahalgam Attack Cited as Root of India’s Response

India has once again underlined the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack as the initial point of escalation in the current bout of heightened tensions with Pakistan. 

In a joint press briefing held by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and senior defence officials, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofia Qureshi, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh collectively emphasised that India's recent military actions were carried out in response to continued aggression from across the border.

Foreign Secretary Misri asserted that India’s recent air operations, including Operation Sindoor, should not be construed as acts of provocation but as necessary retaliation to the Pahalgam attack. 

“First of all, there is mention on all sides of escalation. I think the first point that you have to keep in mind is that the attack in Pahalgam on April 22 was the original escalation, and the Indian Armed Forces only replied to that escalation on May 7,” Misri stated.

He further highlighted that the terrorist outfit The Resistance Front (TRF), which has direct links to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack on two separate occasions. 

“I want to invite your attention to the involvement of the group called The Resistance Front in this attack. I pointed this out yesterday that this is a group that is a known front for a well-known Pakistan-based organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba. The group has been reported earlier,” he said.

Misri also criticised Pakistan for objecting to the inclusion of TRF’s name in the United Nations Security Council’s statement on the Pahalgam incident, despite the group's open admission of guilt. 

“Pakistan's reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism is rooted in a number of instances... I don't need to remind where Osama Bin Laden was found and who called him a martyr...Pakistan is also home to a large number of UN proscribed terrorists and also to terrorists proscribed by many countries...You must have seen in the last few days, their Defence minister and former foreign minister accepted their country's involvement with such terror groups,” he remarked.

He reiterated India’s approach to the situation, stating, “Our approach is not to escalate situation, we only responded to April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.” 

He added, “Pakistan pursued cross-border terrorism against India for decades.”

Colonel Sofia Qureshi addressed media queries concerning the military response and provided specifics on the recent attacks launched by Pakistan. 

“During the press conference on May 7, it was made clear that Pakistani military sites were not targeted. But on intervening night of May 7 and 8, Pakistan targeted several military sites in North and Western India such as Awantipora, Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, etc.”

She went on to detail the extent of the attacks, noting, “On the night of 07-08 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks.”

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh underscored that the Indian Armed Forces acted with restraint and were compelled to retaliate only to halt continued aggression. “India was compelled to respond to bring Mortar and Artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt. Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military,” she stated.

Foreign Secretary Misri also condemned Pakistan for deliberately targeting civilians, particularly members of the Sikh community in Jammu and Kashmir. 

“Yesterday, Pakistan launched a targeted attack on the Sikh community of J&K—hitting a gurdwara in Poonch and hitting the Sikh community members, who came under attack. Three individuals were killed in the attacks... A total of 16 civilians have been killed in Poonch and several others have been injured,” he said.

The press briefing concluded with a reiteration of India’s commitment to non-escalation, while firmly holding Pakistan responsible for initiating the current series of hostilities and continuing to harbour and support terrorist organisations.

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