Saturday evening’s surprise announcement of the stoppage of military hostilities came just hours after signs had emerged of a possible escalation.
India and Pakistan had begun moving troops towards the border after a night of heavy aerial attacks on military installations deep inside each other’s territories.
Sources in India’s military establishment said the border mobilisation had been prompted by Pakistan’s escalatory actions and was meant to keep the forces in a “high state of operational preparedness to deal with the evolving situation”.
After foreign secretary Vikram Misri made the brief 6pm announcement about the cessation of military action, the defence ministry conducted a media briefing to say the armed forces would remain vigilant, prepared to give a decisive response to “every future escalation”.
Earlier in the day, government sources had said that India had decided to consider any future act of terror as an act of war against the country, and to respond accordingly.
“There has been an understanding that has been reached to stop all military activities at sea, on the air and on the land,” Commodore Raghu R. Nair, who was accompanied by Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh at the evening briefing, said.
“Indian army, Indian navy and Indian air force have been instructed to adhere to this understanding.”
However, the armed forces will remain prepared, vigilant and committed to defending the sovereignty and integrity of the country, Nair said.
“Every misadventure by Pakistan has been met with strength and every future escalation will invite a decisive response. We remain fully operationally ready to launch whatever operations may be required in defence of the nation,” he said.
The briefing implied that Pakistan had taken the heavier losses in the run-up to the understanding to hold down fire.
Qureshi and Singh detailed the destruction that India had inflicted on Pakistan’s military infrastructure over the past few days and rebutted Pakistani allegations about India targeting mosques and suffering serious damage to its military installations.
“Over the past few days we have seen Pakistan has suffered very heavy and unsustainable losses after it has given us an unprovoked attack on our installations,” Singh said.
“It has suffered losses on both land and air. There has been extensive damage to crucial Pakistani airbases like Skardu, Sargodha, Jacobabad and Bholari. In addition, loss of weapon systems and radar made the defence of Pakistani airspace untenable.”
Besides, “extensive and precise damage” has been inflicted on “the military infrastructure, command control centres and logistic installations” across the Line of Control, she added.
Singh said India’s operations had been aimed exclusively at the terrorist camps and facilities being used for anti-India activities, and that no religious sites were targeted.
Qureshi, too, denied that India had targeted mosques, saying: “I want to make it very clear that India is a secular nation and our army is a very beautiful reflection of the constitutional values of India….”
She also rejected Pakistan’s claims about damaging S-400 air defence systems and Brahmos missile storage sites with its JF-17 jets.
“Secondly, it (Pakistan) also ran a misinformation campaign that our airfields in Sirsa, Jammu, Pathankot, Bhatinda, Nalia and Bhuj were damaged,” she said.
“Thirdly, according to Pakistan’s misinformation campaign, our ammunition depots in Chandigarh and Vyas were damaged, which is also completely wrong. In the morning briefing we showed you images of these facilities (proving they were undamaged)....”
At a media briefing at 10.30am, India said Pakistan had attacked 26 sites, including airbases and military headquarters, with long-range weapons, drones, loitering munitions and fighter jets.
India accused Pakistan of targeting hospitals and schools at the Srinagar, Awantipora and Udhampur airbases.
In retaliation, Indian armed forces “took a swift and calibrated action and targeted technical installations, command and control centres, radar sites and arms stores, (and) Pakistani military bases at Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian through air launch, precision ammunition and fighter jets”.
Radar sites at the Masroor and Sialkot aviation bases too were targeted using precision munitions while ensuring minimum collateral damage, the government said.
“I have said on numerous occasions, it is Pakistani actions that have constituted provocations and escalations,” Misri said at the morning briefing.
“In response India has defended and reacted in responsible and measured fashion to these provocations and escalations by the Pakistani side. Earlier this morning we saw a repeat of this escalatory and provocative pattern.”
Troop movement
At the morning briefing, Qureshi and Singh said Pakistan was mobilising ground troops and that this indicated an offensive intent.
“Pakistan military has been observed to be moving its troops towards forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalation,” Singh said.
“Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness, and all hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded appropriately. Indian armed forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistan military.”
Qureshi said the Pakistani army had been continuously attacking Indian military sites along the entire length of the western border.
“India neutralised many dangers, but Pakistan tried to infiltrate via air at more than 26 places and they damaged our equipment and also harmed personnel at air force bases in Udhampur, Bhuj, Adampur, Pathankot and Bhatinda,” she said.
“They used high-speed missiles at 1.40am in an attempt to target a Punjab airbase…. As a condemnable and unprofessional act, Pakistan targeted hospitals and school premises at the airbases in Srinagar, Awantipora and Udhampur.”
Contesting Pakistani claims, Singh showed time-stamped images of undamaged Indian airbases.
She dismissed Pakistani claims of destroying India’s S-400 system at Adampur, airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, Brahmos storage centre at Nagrota and the forward ammunition depot in Chandigarh.
“India unequivocally rejects these false narratives being spread by Pakistan,” Singh said.
LoC shelling
Singh said Pakistan had attempted multiple air intrusions across the Line of Control using drones and heavy-calibre artillery, targeting civilian structures and killing several civilians.
“Heavy exchange of artillery motors and small arms fire in the Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajauri and Akhnoor sectors continued. The Indian army has responded effectively and proportionately causing extensive damage to the Pakistan army,” she said.