CEASEFIRE VIOLATION: Response will be fierce and punitive, India warns Pakistan

New Delhi: In a strong message to Pakistan, less than a day after ceasefire violation, India has reaffirmed its commitment to respond with ‘fierce and punitive force’ to any future violations.

The emphatic assertion was made by Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) at a media briefing on Sunday. It came after ‘Operation Sindoor’—a tri-services military operation – was undertaken on May 7, nearly a fortnight after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, in which 26 people were killed.

India’s warning came after multiple violations of the ceasefire understanding reached on Saturday during a hotline talk between both countries’ DGMOs.

The truce was meant to reduce tensions and restore peace along the Line of Control, but within hours, it was breached when Pakistan launched unprovoked cross-border firing and drone intrusions.

Lieutenant General Ghai pointed out that India had registered a protest and made it categorically known that future incursions would attract stern repercussions.

“Both sides had agreed on an immediate ceasefire during the hotline conversation at 3:35 p.m. on May 10. A second discussion was to be held on May 12 to discuss long-term peace mechanisms. But within hours of the agreement, Pakistani troops resumed hostile

operations, and India gave ground commanders full operational freedom to act,” the DGMO said.

Giving details, he said Indian armed troops struck nine terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab province, eliminating over 100 terrorists, including top-value targets like Yusuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf, and Mudassir Ahmed.

One of the major targets was Muridke, which had been described for years as the nerve centre of the Lashkar-e-Taiba’s operations. Highlighting the accuracy of the operation, DGMO stated there was no collateral damage and the operation had taken down the terrorist infrastructure to a significant extent without touching civilian targets. In the air space, precision strikes on top terror enclaves at Bhawalpour and Muridke were delivered by the Indian Air Force.

He added that India is determined to defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the security of its people. He also paid tribute to the Indian soldiers and civilians who had lost their lives in the military operation, calling their sacrifice enduring and honoured by a grateful nation.

The three D-G operations of their respective militaries stated that ‘Operation Sindoor’ itself was a major operation aimed at providing a measured yet robust response to the Pahalgam terror attack, suspected to have been planned by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.

Air Marshal A.K. Bharti, the Director General of Air Operations, explained that the strikes targeted only terrorist camps and infrastructure and not the Pakistani military.

Equipped with high-technology air-to-surface guided munitions, the IAF made precision strikes and made no attempts at civilian casualties. The Air Force had been placed on high alert after drone and aircraft intrusions on May 9 and 10 and was ready at all times to strike back. Air Marshal Bharti added that the enemy was taken aback by the surprise and successful counterattack by the Indian Air Force.

He attributed the success of the operation to a mix of legacy air defence systems such as the Pechora and advanced systems such as the Surface-to-Air Missile for Assured Retaliation (SAMAR), which successfully counteracted swarms of drone attacks on several IAF bases.

He disclosed that very early on the morning of May 8, Pakistani unmanned aerial vehicles and combat aerial vehicles had attacked key air bases such as Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Udhampur, and several others. The IAF responded with utmost preparedness, having deployed Garud commandos and sniper units apart from its air defence capabilities. In retaliation, Indian forces launched precise attacks against Pakistani command and control facilities at Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sargodha, Jacobabad, and the Sukkur UAV hangar.

The attacks were tailored to miss civilian infrastructure and were designed to make a point without wreaking indiscriminate havoc. “We might have pushed harder,” Air Marshal Bharti said, “but we exercised restraint—to deter, not to escalate.”

He reaffirmed that India’s military strikes were only against terror networks, not the Pakistani army or its citizens. At sea, the Indian Navy staged a series of operations in the Arabian Sea that strategically squeezed Pakistan’s naval resources.

Vice Admiral A.N. Pramod, Director General of Naval Operations, stated the Navy had rapidly deployed its carrier battle group, submarines, and surface ships to demonstrate complete combat preparedness.

In less than 96 hours of the attack on Pahalgam, India had undertaken several live weapon firings and gained commanding maritime awareness in the Northern Arabian Sea. These moves, the Navy said, were essential in persuading Pakistan to request for a ceasefire.

The coordinated tri-services operation demonstrated India’s capacity for swift, strategic, and precise military action. Despite provocations, the top officials emphasised that the response was measured and proportionate—driven by a commitment to national security rather than retaliation for its own sake. All three military branches echoed the same message during the briefing: India does not seek conflict, but any threat to its sovereignty or citizens will be met with clarity, resolve, and overwhelming force.