Operation Sindoor: India’s Precision Strikes on Terror Camps (May 2025)

On May 7, 2025 India launched Operation Sindoor, a coordinated aerial strike against nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The strikes were carried out by the Indian Armed Forces as a direct response to the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 civilians (25 Indians and one Nepali). The Ministry of Defence announced that “the Indian Armed Forces launched ‘OPERATION SINDOOR’, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir”. Altogether, nine sites were targeted, all of which were identified as training and planning bases for jihadi groups. The government emphasized that no Pakistani military facilities were struck – the action hit only terrorist-linked infrastructur.
Targets and Conduct of the Strikes
The selected targets were camps run by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) – the terrorist blamed for the Pahalgam attack. For example, army briefings showed that the strikes “targeted key infrastructure of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) [and] Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM)”. The Defence Ministry stressed that the operation was “focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature”. In its press release the MOD noted that India “specifically avoided targeting any Pakistani military installations”. Military commanders described the strikes as “precise, calculated and [maintaining] a non-escalatory approach”. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh (IAF) explained that each target was chosen on “credible intelligence” and struck so as to “avoid damage to civilian infrastructure and loss of any civilian lives”. The operation was announced with the resolve that those behind the Pahalgam outrage “will be held accountable”.

Official Statements and Media Briefing
In the hours following the strikes, government spokesmen took pains to underline restraint and clarity of purpose. The Defence Ministry and Armed Forces spokesmen repeatedly described the raids as a defensive measure. For example, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters that India “defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion” to repeated Pakistani provocations. A detailed media briefing on May 10 in New Delhi featured Colonel (Sofiya) Qureshi of the Army and Wing Commander V. Singh of the Air Force, who updated the press on the operation. (Foreign Secretary Misri himself opened the briefing, noting that Pakistani actions had been “provocative” and that India’s response was measured.) The Ministry of Defence later released full details, confirming that all nine targets were jihadist training camps. The Indian Army summed up the mood on social media: in an official post on X it declared “Justice is served. Jai Hind!”.

Amid international diplomacy, India and Pakistan agreed to a full ceasefire from 5 PM on May 10, 2025. However, the ceasefire was fragile. Within hours Pakistani forces were violating the agreement, pointing to renewed shelling along the Line of Control. Hindu­stan Times reported that “Pakistan’s troops violated the ceasefire with shelling and drone raids” in several Indian border sectors.

DGMO Joint Press Briefing (May 11, 2025)
On May 11, 2025, India’s Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) from the Army, Navy, and Air Force held their first joint press briefing following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s directive giving the armed forces complete freehand to retaliate against cross-border terrorism. Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai detailed Operation Sindoor, noting over 100 terrorists were killed in the May 7 strikes as a decisive response to the Pahalgam atrocity. The briefing underscored PM Modi’s freehand directive, granting full operational autonomy on mode, timing, and targets of retaliation to enable swift, preemptive actions. It also acknowledged recent ceasefire violations by Pakistan and affirmed that Indian commanders now have authority to respond proportionally at their level. Satellite imagery shared during the briefing highlighted significant damage to Pakistani air bases and terror infrastructure caused by Indian missile strikes. The joint session emphasized unified coordination among the Army, Navy, and Air Force, marking a new phase of India’s counter-terrorism strategy under full government backing.

Investor Sentiment (May 11, 2025)
Financial markets in India showed only a mild reaction after Operation Sindoor. As one market report observed, the benchmark Nifty 50 dipped modestly – from about 24,346 on May 2 to 24,008 on May 9 – a weekly fall of roughly 1.3%. Importantly, the index remained above the 24,000 mark, suggesting short-term stability. Overall investor sentiment was cautious but firm. Analysts noted that the “precision” strikes were quickly discounted by traders, and that “Operation Sindoor had minimal impact on Indian stock markets”. In other words, equity investors stayed focused on economic fundamentals and capital flows rather than geopolitical fears.