Operation Sindoor LIVE: Blasts in Jammu region; total blackout in Srinagar
Govt says Pakistan launched drones and missiles towards military bases in Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur, and India successfully foiled attacks
India has said that Pakistan military deployed around 300-400 drones, likely made in Turkey, to unleash an attack on over 25 Indian cities in the intervening night of May 8-9.
At a Ministry of External Affairs press briefing on Friday evening, the government said Pakistan did not close its airspace, and used civilian planes as shields. The govt said Pakistan launched drones and missiles towards military bases in Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur, and India successfully foiled the attacks.
An armed UAV of Pakistan also attempted to target Bathinda military station, which was quickly detected and neutralised, the govt said.
Earlier, the Border Security Force (BSF) on Friday (May 9) said it has foiled an infiltration bid from across the International Border in Jammu, killing at least seven terrorists and destroying a Pak Rangers' post.
The terrorists were engaged around 11 pm on Thursday in Samba district after a “big group” of theirs was detected by the “surveillance grid”. This infiltration bid was supported by fire from Pakistan Rangers post at Dhandhar, a BSF spokesperson said.
He said the troops neutralised the infiltration bid, killing “at least” seven terrorists and causing “extensive” damage to the Dhandhar post. Officials said there could be more terrorists, who could have been neutralised.
IPL suspended
The Indian Premier League (IPL) was on Friday suspended indefinitely due to the escalating military confrontation between India and Pakistan with a BCCI official saying that continuing the event in the current situation would not look appropriate.
A cloud of uncertainty had loomed over the future of the ongoing edition since the cancellation of Thursday's match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala midway following air raid alerts in neighbouring cities of Jammu and Pathankot.
“It does not look nice that cricket goes on while the country is at war,” a BCCI official told PTI, confirming the suspension of the high-profile league, which was to wind up on May 25 in Kolkata as per the original schedule. Twelve league matches and four knockout games are left to be played.
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- 9 May 2025 3:49 PM IST
Operation Sindoor: 4 trains cancelled, 5rescheduled in Rajasthan
The North Western Railways on Friday cancelled four trains and rescheduled five in Rajasthan in view of the ongoing military conflict between India and Pakistan.
Trains going to and from Munabao, a village close to the International Borders in Rajasthan, are among those that stand cancelled.
North Western Railway CPRO Shashi Kiran said that railways had taken this step as a precaution due to blackout and emergency conditions on the border.
Passengers are advised to get information about the status of their train from the railway website or helpline before traveling, he said.
The North Western Railways has cancelled 14895 Jodhpur-Barmer Demu Express (Jodhpur’s Bhagat Ki Kothi to Barmer), 14896 Barmer-Jodhpur Demu Express (Barmer to Bhagat Ki Kothi), 04880 Munabao to Barmer and 54881 Barmer to Munabao.
Train number 12468 Jaipur-Jaisalmer was partially cancelled in Bikaner. Jaisalmer-Jaipur 12467 was also partially cancelled on the Jaisalmer-Bikaner route and will operate from Bikaner today.
Among the trains which were rescheduled due to blackouts on Thursday night are 14661 Barmer-Jammu Tawi, 74840 Barmer-Bhagat Ki Kothi and 15013 Jaisalmer - Kathgodam (Haldwani).
The other rescheduled trains were 14807 Jodhpur-Dadar Express and 14864 Jodhpur-Varanasi Express.
As a safeguard against possible air strikes, blackouts were enforced in Barmer and Jaisalmer owing to the presence of critical infrastructure there. A blackout was also enforced in Jodhpur.
- 9 May 2025 3:44 PM IST
Escalation will not work: J-K CM to Pakistan
Warning Pakistan that continued escalation from across the border would only hurt them, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called Thursday's aerial strikes on Jammu one of the "most serious assaults" on the city since the 1971 war.
He said that Pakistan should focus on de-escalation amid the ongoing military conflict in the wake of Operation Sindoor.
The chief minister lauded the armed forces for their swift response in neutralising aerial threats and ensuring that not a single drone reached its intended target.
"The way civilians have been targeted, and the kind of attacks carried out in Jammu city—I don't think Jammu has been targeted like this since the 1971 war," Abdullah told reporters in Vijaypur during his visit to relief camps and a hospital in Jammu and Samba districts.
He added that multiple locations in Jammu, and even an ammunition depot in Anantnag, were among the targets, but all attempts failed.
Abdullah on Thursday strongly condemned the recent wave of cross-border strikes through drones, missiles and shelling in the Jammu and Poonch districts.
Clarifying the current situation, the chief minister said, "We did not create this situation. Our people were attacked in Pahalgam, and innocent civilians were killed. We had to respond." He warned that continued escalation from across the border would only hurt Pakistan.
"This continuous escalation from Pakistan’s side benefits no one. Pakistan gains nothing from this, nor will they succeed. They should silence their guns and help normalise the situation here," he said.
He further counselled them, saying they should act wisely and focus on de-escalation rather than escalation.
- 9 May 2025 3:36 PM IST
Operation Sindoor: Total balckout in Ambala from tonight
The district administration in Haryana's Ambala, which is a key air force base, on Friday issued an order to enforce blackout during night hours amid the military conflict between India and Pakistan, officials said.
"In view of the prevailing circumstances, it is imperative to ensure a complete blackout during night hours to safeguard public safety and strategic interests," an order issued by Deputy Commissioner Ajay Singh Tomer said.
Use of inverter, generator and any other power backup used for outdoor lights, billboards, street lights, etc., has been banned from 8 pm to 6 am in Ambala district till further orders, the order said.
"However, these may be used for indoor use on condition that all doors and windows are fully covered by thick curtains, so as to ensure no lights come out.
"In view of the emergent situation and shortage of time, this order is being passed ex-parte and is being addressed to the general public," it said.
Any person found guilty of violating of the order shall be prosecuted and punished as per the law under Section 223 of the BNSS, it added.
The move followed after India on Thursday night thwarted Pakistan's fresh attempts to strike military sites with drones and missiles, including in Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur, after foiling its attempts to target military installations in 15 cities in the northern and western parts of the country.
- 9 May 2025 3:29 PM IST
Operation Sindoor : Centre empowers Army chief to mobilise Territorial Army
The central government has empowered the Army Chief to call out "every officer and every enrolled person" of the Territorial Army (TA) to provide for essential guard or to be embodied to support or supplement the regular Army.
The move comes in the wake of the ongoing military conflict between India and Pakistan.
The Ministry of Defence's Department of Military Affairs issued a notification dated May 6 which says, "This order shall remain in force for three years with effect from 10 Feb 2025 to 09 Feb 2028".
The TA, raised on October 9, 1949, completed 75 years last year and has served the nation in times of war, and in humanitarian and environmental protection works through its eventful journey over the decades.
It is fully integrated with the regular Army. In recognition of nation-building efforts and contributions made during war or conflicts, numerous individuals have been honoured with gallantry as well as distinguished service awards in the TA.
"In exercise of the powers conferred by Rule 33 of the Territorial Army Rule 1948, the Central Government empowers Chief of the Army Staff to exercise the powers under that rule to call out every officer and every enrolled person of the Territorial Army to provide for essential guard or to be embodied for the purpose of supporting or supplementing the regular army," reads the notification.
The government notification also said, "out of the existing 32 Infantry Battalions (Territorial Army), embodiment of 14 Infantry Battalions (Territorial Army) for deployment in the areas of Southern Command, Eastern Command, Western Command, Central Command, Northern Command, South Western Command, Andaman and Nicobar Command and Army Training Command (ARTRAC)".
The embodiment shall be ordered provided the funds are available in the budget or have been made available by re-appropriation of the internal savings in the budget, it added.
"For units embodied at the behest of Ministries other than Ministry of Defence, the cost will be debited to the respective Ministries and will not be included in the budget allocation of the Ministry of Defence," the notification said.
- 9 May 2025 3:10 PM IST
Four arrested in Gujarat for spreading anti-national sentiments
Four people have been arrested since Thursday and four FIRs registered in Gujarat for spreading anti-national sentiments and undermining the Army's morale, officials said.
