Pakistan's hostile actions effectively countered: India

New Delhi: India on Saturday said it has effectively blunted Pakistan's provocative action of employing multiple threats along the western border using drones, long-range weapons, fighter jets, targeting civilian areas and military infrastructure, as the conflict between the two neighbours widened further. Pakistan has been observed to be moving its troops into forward areas, indicating an "offensive intent", to further escalate the situation, the Indian military said, adding that it remains in a high state of operational readiness. As fears of a larger military conflict looms, military spokeswoman Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said the Indian armed forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistani military.

She was addressing a special press briefing along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. Misri said India has responded to the Pakistani military's "provocative" and "escalatory" actions in a measured manner and that Islamabad has resorted to a wanton campaign of targeting innocent people and civilian infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. In a "cowardly" act, Pakistan attacked a medicare centre and school premises at the air bases of Srinagar, Awantipora and Udhampur, and several "high-speed missile" attacks were noticed after 1:40 am at various air bases in Punjab, causing some damage, Qureshi said. All hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded appropriately, she added. "In a swift and calibrated response, the Indian armed forces carried out precision attacks only on identified military targets," she said.

Qureshi said the Pakistani military targets at Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian were engaged using air-launched precision weapons from Indian fighter jets and the retaliation largely focused on command-and-control centres, radar sites and weapon-storage areas. Radar sites at Pasrur and the Sialkot aviation base were also targeted using precision munitions, she said, adding that India has ensured minimum collateral damage while carrying out these responses. Singh said the Pakistani military is continuing with its "provocations", carrying out "aggressive actions" and employing multiple threat vectors all along the western border. Pakistan employed unmanned combat aerial vehicles, drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and fighter aircraft to target civilian areas and military infrastructure, she said.

The Pakistani military also resorted to air intrusions using drones and fired heavy-calibre weapons along the Line of Control (LoC), she said. Along the International Border and the LoC, air intrusions and several "harassment attacks" were also attempted from Srinagar till Naliya at more than 26 locations, the officer added.."Indian armed forces successfully neutralised these threats and the majority of the vectors. However, limited damage was sustained to equipment and personnel at the Indian Air Force stations at Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur and Bhuj," she added. The helicopter pilot said Pakistan also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign with claims of destroying the Indian S-400 system at Adampur, destruction of airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, the BrahMos base at Nagrota and artillery-gun positions at Dehrangyari and the Chandigarh Forward Ammunition Depot. India unequivocally rejects these false narratives being spread by Pakistan, she said. The officer also showed a few images of air force bases in the Punjab and Rajasthan sectors, debunking the Pakistani claims of causing destruction at these facilities. "You can also see the normalcy at these air force stations," she said, showing images of runways remaining "intact" at the Sirsa and Suratgarh air force bases.

Qureshi said Pakistan attempted multiple air intrusions using drones and conducted shelling using heavy-calibre artillery guns along the LoC, targeting civilian infrastructure and killing some civilians. Heavy exchange of artillery mortars and small-arm fire in the Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri and Akhnoor sectors continues and the Indian Army has responded effectively and proportionately, causing extensive damage to the Pakistan Army, she noted.