In the aftermath of the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, the Indian government launched a decisive counter-terror operation and simultaneously initiated a diplomatic offensive to communicate its position to key global powers.
Government sources revealed on Sunday that India made it explicitly clear to several major world capitals, including Washington D.C., that its retaliatory military actions targeting terror camps inside Pakistan were deliberate, justified, and non-negotiable.
India’s Posture: Clarity, Precision, and Resolve
Following the launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7, Indian officials conveyed a clear and uncompromising stance to the international community: any military action by Pakistan would be met with a response from India that would be significantly more powerful and damaging.
These communications were made through diplomatic channels to ensure that global powers understood India’s position and the rationale behind its actions.
In one significant development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a conversation with U.S. Vice President JD Vance on May 9.
This came at a time when tensions between India and Pakistan were reaching a critical point. According to officials familiar with the discussion, Vance had reached out to Modi amid the escalating situation. The Prime Minister reportedly told him in clear terms:
“If the Pakistanis do anything, please be assured they will receive a response that is more forceful, stronger, and more devastating than anything they do. They must understand this.”
Sources noted that this firm articulation of India’s policy was consistent across all its international engagements following the Pahalgam attack.
“From day one, our message was clear: We will respond to terrorists. There will be consequences. We were very, very firm,” said a senior government source. “They fire, we fire. They stop, we stop. That was our principle.”
Operation Sindoor: Targeted Military Response to Escalation
The military dimension of India’s response was swift and strategic. On the night of May 9 and 10, Pakistan attempted to launch coordinated attacks on 26 Indian military and strategic targets, including key air force stations in Udhampur, Pathankot, and Adampur.
In response, the Indian armed forces executed a large-scale counter-offensive in the early hours of May 11, targeting multiple Pakistani military facilities with high-precision weaponry and coordinated air and missile strikes.
Among the critical sites hit were Pakistani airbases and command installations in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian.
India also struck important radar stations located in Pasrur and the Sialkot aviation base, reportedly causing severe infrastructural damage and disrupting key military capabilities.
Sources emphasized that the precision strikes utilized a range of advanced weapon systems, including long-range missiles and smart munitions, and were designed to minimize collateral damage while achieving maximum tactical impact.
Diplomatic Impact and the Call for De-escalation
The scale and effectiveness of India’s military response reportedly stunned the Pakistani leadership, leading Islamabad to quickly seek a cessation of hostilities.
Within hours of the Indian strikes, Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) reached out to his Indian counterpart and initiated dialogue to halt further military action.
Subsequently, an agreement was reached between the two sides to immediately cease all hostilities—on land, in the air, and at sea. This understanding was publicly announced by India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who confirmed that both nations had agreed to end all forms of firing and military operations.
U.S. Involvement and International Diplomacy
As the situation intensified, diplomatic activity accelerated. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, conveying that Pakistan was seeking an “off-ramp” to defuse tensions.
This suggested Islamabad’s willingness to de-escalate after the devastating Indian strikes.
Officials also revealed that the initial contact between Indian and U.S. leadership happened soon after the April 22 terror attack.
Prime Minister Modi, who was visiting Saudi Arabia at the time, received a call from then-U.S. President Donald Trump, who expressed strong solidarity with India and extended full support.
New Delhi maintained consistent communication with Washington and other global allies, firmly reiterating that any attempts to draw equivalence between India—the victim of terrorism—and Pakistan—the perpetrator—would not be acceptable.
“We told our interlocutors clearly: equating the victim and the aggressor is not going to work anymore. This policy of even-handedness is no longer tolerable,” emphasized one source.
A Strategic Message to Terror Groups and Sponsors
Through Operation Sindoor, India not only sought to retaliate for the Pahalgam massacre but also to send an unambiguous message to terror groups operating from Pakistani soil and their sponsors within the state apparatus.
Indian officials stressed that “no place is safe” for those who plot violence against India, and that the Indian military now has the capability and will to strike deep within Pakistan’s mainland, not just in border areas or along the Line of Control.
This shift marks a significant evolution in India’s counter-terrorism doctrine, reflecting a more assertive and proactive approach that integrates military, diplomatic, and intelligence responses.