Operation Sindoor LIVE: Followed principle of Lord Hanuman, says Rajnath
Armed forces avenge Pahalgam attack with missile strikes on 9 terror targets in Pak, POK; Modi chairs Cabinet meeting; Centre plans all-party meet on May 8
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (May 7) chaired a meeting of the Union Cabinet, hours after Operation Sindoor was launched to destroy terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). He will also chair a meeting of the Cabinet Committee of Security (CCS), which will take stock of the evolving situation, PTI said.
Retaliating against the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and PoK, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's base in Muridke.
Like Lord Hanuman: Rajnath
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said later in the day, ‘Last night, our Indian armed forces displayed their valour and bravery, and scripted a new history. Indian armed forces took action with precision, alertness and sensitiveness. The targets we decided were accurately demolished at the right time with precision. Our armed forces also showed sensitivity in ensuring that civilian population is not affected at all. In a way, we can say that Indian jawans showed precision, alertness and humanity. On behalf of the entire country, I congratulate the jawans and officers. I also congratulate PM Modi for supporting the armed forces.”
He added, “We followed the principle followed by Lord Hanuman when he went into Ashok Vatika. Jinh mohi maara, tinh mohi maare. We targeted only those who killed our innocent citizens.”
In the wake of Operation Sindoor, Modi cancelled his significant upcoming tour to Europe. The three-nation visit, which included scheduled stops in Croatia, Norway, and the Netherlands, was being planned for mid-May.
The Union government is holding an all-party meet at 11 am on Thursday, May 8.
What next after India's strikes? Watch The Federal Editor's take
Midnight rampage
The Defence Ministry said in a statement at 1.44 am, "A little while ago, the Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed."
It said the actions by the Indian armed forces have been "focused, measured and non-escalatory" in nature and that no Pakistani military facilities have been targeted.
"India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution," it said.
Pak army's shelling
Pakistan army resorted to heavy artillery and mortar shelling targeting forward villages along the LoC after the strikes, leaving at least 12 people dead and many injured. The Indian Army also responded to the shelling, reportedly resulting in many casualties on the enemy side.
Also Watch: Operation Sindoor Explained
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Live Updates
- 7 May 2025 2:49 PM IST
Opposition parties in Assam laud Operation Sindoor
The opposition parties in Assam hailed the armed forces on Wednesday for striking terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, stating that they responded appropriately.
The Congress, Raijor Dal and Assam Jatiya Parishad said they were with the government for the security of the country and its people.
"#OperationSindoor #JaiHind... #IndianArmyForces is responding appropriately!" state Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah posted on X.
Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi extended full support to the government's action.
"For the safety and security of the country and its people, we will support all the decisions of the Government of India," he said.
The AJP also expressed its full support for military operations against Pakistani terrorists.
"We extend our full support to this fight against terrorism, launched for the security of the country. We have full faith and confidence in the Army of the country. We are proud of the Indian Army," AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi and General Secretary Jagadish Bhuyan said in a joint statement.
- 7 May 2025 2:45 PM IST
War not a solution, hunt down terrorists says MNS chief Raj Thackeray
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Wednesday said war was not a solution to the problem of terrorism, and the government should give priority to finding the perpetrators of terror attacks.
On a day Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, he said the government must be questioned about why a terror attack could take place in Pahalgam in the first place.
"War is no answer to a terrorist attack. In the US, they (terrorists) toppled the Twin Towers, attacked the Pentagon. The US did not wage a war. They killed those terrorists," said the MNS chief, speaking to reporters here.
"You have not found the terrorists who attacked (tourists in Pahalgam). Why there was no security in a place where thousands of tourists are going for the last many years? It is more important to carry out a combing operation inside our country and find them out. The airstrike, distracting people....this, war can not be the solution," he added.
Instead of Wednesday's planned mock drill of Civil Defence, a "combing operation" should be carried out all over the country, Thackeray further said.
Criticizing what he called a misplaced show of strength, Thackeray said, "There seems to be a desire to create a war-like situation in another country. Now we see mock drills and sirens (going off). But we need to ask the fundamental question, why did this (attack in Pahalgam on April 22 in which 26 civilians were killed) happen in the first place?" He also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his itinerary in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. "The prime minister was in Saudi Arabia when this (terror attack) happened, and he returned early, only to go to Bihar for campaigning. That was not necessary. He went to Kerala for the inauguration of Adani's port and later came to Mumbai for the WAVES function. If the situation was so grave, all this could have been avoided," said the MNS chief who had backed Modi during the 2024 general elections.
- 7 May 2025 2:28 PM IST
Govt convenes all party meeting after Operation Sindoor
The government has convened an all-party meeting on Thursday to brief them about the strike carried out by the armed forces targeting terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Riiiju posted on X about the proposed meeting.
"Govt has called an All Party leaders meeting at 11 am on 8th May, 2025 at Committee Room: G-074, in the Parliament Library Building, Parliament Complex in New Delhi," he said.
The government on Wednesday said Indian military carried out a "measured, non-escalatory, proportionate, and responsible" strike to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan to "deter and to pre-empt" any further terrorist strikes to retaliate the Pahalgam attack.
- 7 May 2025 2:25 PM IST
Operation Sindoor: Indigo cancels 165 flights
IndiGo on Wednesday said it has cancelled more than 165 flights from various domestic airports, including Amritsar and Srinagar, till early morning of May 10 due to airspace restrictions.
In the wake of the armed forces carrying out missile strikes on terror targets in Pakistan on Wednesday morning, airspace restrictions are in place and some airports have been shut temporarily.
"Due to government notification on airspace restrictions, over 165 IndiGo flights from multiple airports (Amritsar, Bikaner, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Gwalior, Jammu, Jodhpur, Kishangarh, Leh, Rajkot, and Srinagar) are cancelled until 0529 hrs. IST of 10 May, 2025," the airline said in a statement.
The airline also said that passengers whose flights are affected can reschedule the booking on the next available flight or opt to cancel their bookings at no additional cost, and a full refund will be processed.
IndiGo operates around 2,200 flights daily.
