Destroying Lahore air defence base to condemnation of Poonch killings: 10 key points from MEA presser on Op Sindoor

In response to the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir which claimed 26 lives, India launched 'Operation Sindoor' in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) to target nine terror camps associated with terror outfits including - Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen.

 May 8, 2025

Earlier today, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and security forces held a joint press conference to brief the nation on the ongoing 'Operation Sindoor'. Here are some key points to grab from the media briefing. 

1. Indian Armed Forces successfully neutralised Pakistan military's attempts of a large-scale drone and missile attack on multiple Indian military installations across Northern and Western India including including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj on the night of May 7. 

2. Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised by India's Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. 

3. Foreign secretary Vikram Misri emphasised that Pakistan esclatated on April 22 with the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam and that India is merely responding to the escalation. "Pakistan escalated on April 22, we are only responding to escalation," Misri said.

4. Misri pointed out that while talks were going on about the Pahalgam attack at UNSC, Pakistan dismissed the involvement of the role of The Resistance Front (TRF) - a proxy for Lashkar-e-Taiba. "This is after TRF claimed the responsibility of the attack not once, but twice... Col Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh clearly said yesterday as well as today, that India's response is non-escalatory, precise, and measured. Our intention is not to escalate matters and we are only responding to the escalation. No military targets have been targeted; only terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan has been hit," said the foreign secretary. 

5. Vikram Misri also condemned the killings of innocent civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch after Pakistan's artillery firing.

6. He further highlighted that Pakistan's reputation as centre of global terrorism is rooted in various terrorist attacks across the globe. "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 said. 

7. The foreign secretary also slammed Pakistan for organising state funerals for terrorists who were killed in 'Operation Sindoor' on May 7. "Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, ".. As far as we are concerned, the individuals eliminated at these facilities were terrorists. Giving terrorists state funerals, maybe a practice in Pakistan..." he said. 

8. Colonel Sofia Quraishi reiterated that any attack on military targets in India will lead to a suitable response. "During the press briefing on operation Sindoor on 07 May 2025, India had called its response as focused, measured and non-escalatory. It was specifically mentioned that Pakistani military establishments had not been targeted. It was also reiterated that any attack on military targets in India will invite a suitable response", she said. 

9. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said that India was compelled to respond to the artillery firing by Pakistan, which claimed 16 innocent civilians' lives. “Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using Mortars and heavy calibre Artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. 16 innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing. 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 said. 

10. Foreign secretary Vikram Misri said that any further escalation by Pakistan will be met with an appropriate response from India. “Now if there is an attempt at further escalation by Pakistan, it will be responded to in an appropriate domain and therefore the choices entirely that of Pakistan to make,” said Foreign Secretary.