Special briefing on Operation Sindoor (May 09, 2025)

Summary

In this gripping briefing by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Foreign Secretary Vikram Mishri, along with Colonel Sophia Kureshi and Wing Commander Vomika Singh, provided an update on Operation Sindoor, addressing the recent violations by Pakistan. On the night of May 8-9, 2025, Pakistan engaged in aggressive maneuvers, violating Indian airspace and targeting military infrastructure with drones and heavy artillery. India responded decisively, neutralizing threats while maintaining safety for civil airliners. The briefing highlighted India's vigilance and correct response amidst Pakistan's provocative actions, further exposing Pakistan's misinformation tactics. The closure of the Kartar Singh Kartpur corridor and impacts on religious sites were also discussed, showing the broader implications on regional peace and secular sentiments.

Highlights

• Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Mishri provided an important briefing on Operation Sindoor. 🇮🇳
• Pakistan violated Indian airspace with over 300 drones, prompting a strong response. 🚁
• India successfully neutralized threats, maintaining the safety of international flights. 🚦
• Debris investigation revealed drones were of Turkish origin, raising international security concerns. 🌍
• Pakistan's continued denials and false narratives were called out, showcasing their disinformation spread. 📰
• Security concerns resulted in the temporary closure of the Kartar Singh Kartpur corridor. 🚧

Key Takeaways

• India demonstrated strong resilience and strategic response against aggressive moves from Pakistan. 💪
• Multiple violations by Pakistan involved drones and heavy weapons along the Line of Control and the international border. 💥
• Despite provocations, India ensured the safety of international air traffic, highlighting responsible defense measures. ✈️
• The Indian Ministry of External Affairs exposed Pakistan's misinformation and deceptive narratives. 🕵️
• Security measures led to the temporary suspension of the Kartar Singh Kartpur corridor, affecting regional activities. 🛑

Overview

The briefing began with Foreign Secretary Vikram Mishri setting the tone by detailing the aggressive actions taken by Pakistan during the night of May 8-9, 2025. Indian airspace experienced multiple intrusions by Pakistani drones, which were largely intercepted and neutralized by the Indian armed forces using both kinetic and non-kinetic means. A forensic investigation into the debris confirmed the international aspect of these incursions, linking them to Turkish technology, thus complicating diplomatic relations further.

Mishri, along with Colonel Kureshi and Wing Commander Singh, highlighted India's measured response to these provocations, ensuring the safety of civil aviation, which was contrasted starkly by Pakistan's reckless maneuvers involving civil airliners. This pointed to a strategic and responsible stance by the Indian defense system, showcasing India’s commitment to peace even in the face of direct threats.

Additionally, the briefing addressed the repercussions on religious sanctuaries and civil areas, revealing the tragic human cost behind these military engagements. Pakistan’s actions resulted in the targeting of various religious places, leading to casualties, and the disruption of civilian life further emphasized the severity of the situation. The closure of significant corridors like Kartarpur illustrated the broader social and political impacts, underscoring the fragility of regional peace.

Chapters

• 00:30 - 01:30: Introduction and Welcome The chapter 'Introduction and Welcome' likely provides an overview of what to expect in the book or document. It may include greetings to the audience, an introduction to the main topics that will be covered, and possibly an explanation of the author's background or the purpose of the text. Without the actual transcript provided, this is a speculative summary.
• 01:30 - 06:30: Foreign Secretary's Address In the chapter titled "Foreign Secretary's Address," Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Mishri addresses a press briefing about the ongoing developments concerning operation Sindur. The Foreign Secretary is accompanied by Colonel Sophia as they present and discuss the situation. Participants are reminded to switch off their mobile phones before the briefing begins.
• 06:30 - 14:30: Details of Pakistani Acts and Indian Response The chapter begins with references to key individuals, Kureshi and Wing Commander Vomika Singh, who are likely significant figures in the context of Pakistani acts and the Indian response.
• 14:30 - 21:00: Discussion on Religious Places and Disinformation The chapter discusses religious places and how they are linked to disinformation in Pakistan.
• 21:00 - 27:30: Questions about Kartar Singh Kartarpur Corridor and Other Incidents This chapter focuses on the Kartar Singh Kartarpur Corridor, providing insights into its significance and implications. Additionally, it delves into various incidents related to the corridor and explores different perspectives and questions that have arisen due to these events.
• 27:30 - 35:00: Questions about Indus Treaty and International Conversations The chapter titled 'Questions about Indus Treaty and International Conversations' seems to delve into issues concerning the Indus Water Treaty, an essential water-distribution agreement between India and Pakistan. International conversations surrounding this treaty might be explored, possibly looking at geopolitical implications and how it influences relations between the two countries.
• 35:00 - 37:00: Discussion on Bahawalpur Attack and Conclusion This chapter discusses the Bahawalpur Attack, examining its implications and context related to various regions such as Pakistan, Jammu, Kashmir, and specific locations like Tangadar, Uri, Punch, Mandar, Rajari, Aknur, and Udampur. It mentions the use of artillery guns, suggesting a focus on military aspects of the conflict in these areas. The chapter concludes by summarizing these discussions.

Special briefing on Operation Sindoor (May 09, 2025) Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30
• 00:30 - 01:00 do switch off your mobile phones before I begin. Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I welcome you to this press briefing by foreign secretary Shri Vikram Mishri on the ongoing developments around operation Sindur. We are also joined by Colonel Sophia
• 01:00 - 01:30 Kureshi and wing commander Vomika Singh. With that I hand over the floor to foreign secretary. Sir over to you. Thank you. Namaskar. Good afternoon. Thank you sir. Namaskar.
• 01:30 - 02:00 Pakistani caliber.
• 02:00 - 02:30 And kinetics noninetics Hawaii
• 02:30 - 03:00 drone reports guard drones. Pakistan UAV
• 03:00 - 03:30 station Pakistan Jammu Kashmir, Tangadar, Uri, Punch, Mandar, Rajari, Aknur or Udampur, artillery gun.
• 03:30 - 04:00 Pakistan. Pakistan. Pakistan
• 04:00 - 04:30 Yeah. Screenshot. Punjab
• 04:30 - 05:00 sector. Punjab sector. High air defense alert application flight radar 24.
• 05:00 - 05:30 Airlines highlight Fly Aviation Air 320 Sham. Can you see
• 05:30 - 06:00 this? Sunushit K Dhanad Jahind to you all. On the intervening night of 8th 9th May 2025, Pakistan military carry out multiple violations of Indian airspace along the entire western border with an intent to target
• 06:00 - 06:30 military infrastructure. Pakistan military also resorted to firing of heavy caliber weapons along the line of control. Along the international border and line of control, drone intrusions were attempted from Lelay to Sir Creek at 36 locations with approximately 300 to 400 drones. Indian armed forces brought down a number of these drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means. The
• 06:30 - 07:00 possible purpose of these large-scale aerial intrusions were to test the AD systems and gather intelligence. Forensic examination of the drone debris is being undertaken. Preliminary reports suggest them to be of assist drone of Turkey. Later in the night, an armed UAV of Pakistan attempted to target Batinda military station which was detected and neutralized. In response to the
• 07:00 - 07:30 Pakistani attack, armed drones were launched at four air defense sites in Pakistan. One of the drones was able to destroy an AD radar. Pakistan also carried out artillery shelling across the line of control using heavy caliber artillery guns and armed drones at Tangar, Uri, Punch, Mandar, Rajari, Aknur and Udampur in Jammu and Kashmir area which resulted in
• 07:30 - 08:00 some losses and injuries to Indian army personnel. Pakistan army also suffered major losses in Indian retaliatory retaliatory fire. Additionally, Pakistan's irresponsible behavior again came to four. Pakistan did not close its civil airspace despite it launching a failed unprovoked drone and missile attack on 7th May at 8:30 hours in the evening. Pakistan is using civil airliners as a shield knowing
• 08:00 - 08:30 fully well that its attack on India would elicit a swift air defense response. This is not safe for the unsuspecting civil airliners including the international flights which were flying near IP between India and Pakistan. The screenshot we just showed and we shall share with you, it shows the data of the application flight retire 24 during a high air defense alert situation in the Punjab sector. As
• 08:30 - 09:00 you have seen the airspace on the Indian side is absolutely devoid of civil air traffic due to our declared closure. However, there are civil airlines flying the air route between Karachi and Lahore. Amongst the other civil aircraft that you can see, we have highlighted an aircraft which is Airbus 320 of Fly NAS aviation which was originated from Dham at 1750 hours and landed later at Lahore at 2110 hours in the night. Indian Air
• 09:00 - 09:30 Force demonstrated considerable restraint in its response thus ensuring safety of international civil carrier. Uh thank you Kureshi Vin Commander Singh. Um I have just a few points uh to
• 09:30 - 10:00 share in addition. um Pakistani Kureshi or Commander Singh. uh these uh provocative and escalatory actions uh that were taken by uh Pakistan last night were targeted at Indian cities uh and civilian
• 10:00 - 10:30 infrastructure in addition uh to some military uh targets. The Indian armed forces uh responded proportionately, adequately and responsibly. Uttaria. What I want to uh underline is that the official and blatantly farcical
• 10:30 - 11:00 denial of these attacks that Pakistan carried out by the Pakistani state machinery is yet another example of their duplicity and the new depths that they are plumbing in their quest for disinformation. The other point in the same uh vein is Pakistani claims that they did not target or attack uh any religious
• 11:00 - 11:30 places. You would recall that yesterday I shared with you an incident related to the attack on a guroara uh in Punch. uh instead of uh owning up to these attacks uh Pakistan made the preposterous and outrageous claim that it was the Indian armed forces and the Indian air force that was targeting cities like Amritser and trying to put the blame on Pakistan. This is nothing but a desperate attempt
• 11:30 - 12:00 by Pakistan to disown its acts of aggression. uh but it is also true to type in its effort to deceive and mislead the world. It will not succeed. The gdwara in punch in particular was attacked by Pakistan and some local members of the sik community including ragi of the gudoara lost their lives in this incident as I shared yesterday TV.
• 12:00 - 12:30 Um in addition uh that we would attack our own cities uh is the kind of deranged fantasy uh that only the Pakistani state uh can come up with. Uh perhaps they do it uh because they are wellversed uh in such uh action as their history would show. Uh the last point I wanted to make uh this evening uh is again uh this disinformation uh that is
• 12:30 - 13:00 coming from Pakistan uh about India targeting uh the Nankana Sahib Gardara through a drone attack. Uh this is again yet another blatant lie and part of Pakistan's disinformation uh campaign. uh as we saw in the Helgam attack, Pakistan is again trying desperately to impart a communal hue to the situation with an intention to create discord. Again, we are not
• 13:00 - 13:30 surprised. India's steadfast unity in itself is a challenge to Pakistan. Uh let me stop there. I have time only for a few questions and be happy to try and answer them. But first I call Sudan. Sudhan please. Hi sir. I'm Sudhan from beyond. Uh sir. So this S behind please.
• 13:30 - 14:00 The other S. Yes. Hi sir I'm Santan from CNN News8. Sir I only want to know from you the status of Kartar Singh Kartpur corridor. Is it open or not? If you can. Um I think you're all aware of the situation along the entire uh IndiaPakistan border and uh the areas uh around the line of uh control. Uh in uh view of the uh existing security uh scenario uh the services of uh the Qatar
• 14:00 - 14:30 corridor uh have been suspended uh till uh further directions. Uh we'll update you as and when there is a change in the situation. We have a question here Rishab. So good evening Rishab from times now. So you spoke about religious places being hit in Jammu. There's another religious place which is a caramalite nun church that has been hit. What do you have to say about it? If you can explain that to us. Uh actually uh we do
• 14:30 - 15:00 have uh some uh information about uh this extremely regrettable and condemnable uh incident uh during uh heavy shelling across the line of control uh in the early morning of 7th May. A shell fired from Pakistan landed just behind the Christ school run by the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate Congregation in Puj. Uh tragically uh
• 15:00 - 15:30 the shell fired from Pakistan hit the home of two students of the Christ school. Both students unfortunately lost their lives and their parents were severely uh injured. Uh another Pakistani shell struck a Christian convent of nuns belonging to the congregation of the mother of Carmel uh damaging water tanks and destroying solar panel infrastructure. Several priests, nuns, school staff and local residents uh took refuge in an
• 15:30 - 16:00 underground hall beneath the crisis school during the shelling by Pakistan. uh the school happened to be uh closed at the time fortunately uh otherwise more losses would have uh occurred. Uh again we have seen the Pakistani side targeting and shelling uh places of worship with a particular uh design. This includes gardas uh these convents and temples. Uh this is a new law even for Pakistan. Have a question here.
• 16:00 - 16:30 Sir podistreatment.
• 16:30 - 17:00 Industry. Indust treaty is in obeyance. uh and uh as such uh I have nothing
• 17:00 - 17:30 further to add to uh the decision uh that was announced by uh the cabinet committee on security bailout IMF meeting briefing.
• 17:30 - 18:00 Siddhant. Hi sir. Siddhant from Vyon. So
• 18:00 - 18:30 the the external affairs minister has spoken to many of his counterparts around around the world. Yesterday he spoke to the US secretary of state Marco Rubio. So what were the key areas of conversations during that call? Yes, he had a the minister had a conversation with the uh US uh secretary of state. As you can imagine uh the uh focus of
• 18:30 - 19:00 discussions was the terrorist attack uh in Pahelgam and the uh response that India mounted after that uh on the 7th of uh May. uh the secretary of uh uh state uh uh shared his thoughts uh on uh these developments with the minister. Uh the minister deeply appreciated uh the US's commitment to work with India in the fight against uh terrorism and uh he
• 19:00 - 19:30 also uh underlined the targeted measures that India had taken uh in connection with OP Synindor. uh we also uh the minister also underlined uh that India would firmly counter any attempts uh at escalation uh from there. Uh but uh in a followup to that as you are aware uh there have been a number of other conversations. The minister had a conversation with the UK foreign secretary uh David Lammy uh today. There too the discussion centered around
• 19:30 - 20:00 countering uh terrorism for which there must be zero tolerance. And I understand just a short while ago uh the external affairs minister has also spoken to the foreign minister of Norway Espin Bae which was also focused on recent developments stemming from the terrorist act in Paragam. One last question Sudhi. Sir Foreign Secretary thank you for doing this. Shiri Ranjan from Bloomberg. Foreign secretary uh India had struck Baha Bahabalpur the other day which is
• 20:00 - 20:30 also connected with the murder uh of one of us journalist Daniel Bal. If you could give us an understanding of what exactly are the reports that you're getting? Uh well you're right. uh Bahalpur is the uh headquarters of the Jes Mohammad terrorist group that is prescribed by the United Nations. Its leader Malana Masuda Azar is a prescribed uh individual.
• 20:30 - 21:00 Uh it is um you you brought up the connection with uh the uh tragic uh death or killing of Daniel Pearl of the Wall Street Journal. U the Jes Muhammad was uh in some way directly or indirectly responsible for the uh death of Daniel Pearl. Uh but the
• 21:00 - 21:30 real connection is through uh Ahmed Omar Sahed Shik uh the British Pakistani jihadi uh who uh was uh held uh in India uh but was uh finally uh released uh in uh as in the in in 2000. uh and uh uh he was the person who lured uh Daniel Pearl uh to uh his uh uh eventually leading to
• 21:30 - 22:00 his murder. So these are all uh obviously connected figures, connected individuals, connected institutions and uh the uh attack on uh Bahalpur on that facility uh of the Jashi Muhammad in Bahalpur uh is uh I would imagine a fitting part of this unfortunate incident. Thank you all. Thank you sir. With that we come to the closure of this press briefing. Thank you very much.