Tensions between nuclear neighbors India and Pakistan have reached a fever pitch over the last week. Both countries are lobbing dangerous threats of military action at one another. Indian planes shot into the sky on Friday evening after India Intelligence indicated that Pakistan was planning drone strikes targeting 26 locations including Punjab and Indian-controlled Kashmir. This latest escalation comes after months of aggressive rhetoric and tension, leading many to wonder whether the entire region is on the brink of conflict.
That was the spark that touched off the larger conflict on Thursday, when Pakistan retaliated and asserted that Indian rocket attacks on Wednesday killed 31 people. In retaliation, India claimed to have executed four cross-border drone strikes targeting Pakistan’s military defensive infrastructure. The Indian army quickly and proudly asserted that it shot down most if not all of the Pakistani drones. They acknowledged that three civilians in Ferozepur district, Punjab, were wounded during the drone strikes.
In a muscle flexing display of military might, Pakistan scrambled more than 100 fighter jets in response to what it called Indian aggression. It also claimed to have used Chinese-manufactured weapons and ground-based air defense to shoot down five Indian fighter jets. This tit-for-tat escalation has sent up red flags as to how soon direct conflict could occur.
From the outset of this conflict, India—through its naked aggression—has bombed with missiles. Nur Khan base outside Islamabad, Murid base and Shorkot base have been targeted,” says Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, a Pakistani military spokesperson.
On Thursday, Indian officials blamed Pakistan for new drone strikes. They even alleged that one of the strikes targeted a gurdwara, a Sikh place of worship, and wounded a civilian. Moreover, these reports suggested that Christian churches were being targeted as well.
Pakistan retaliated by closing its airspace and opening retaliatory strikes as part of operation Bunyan Ul Marsoos. Pakistani officials have labelled the Indian missile attacks an “act of war,” pledging to respond in kind with more “effective” means.
We cannot retreat, India inflicted great hurt on our side and they need to pay for what they did,” Chaudhry said. To date we have been defending on the defensive but they are going to receive a response in our own pace.
Wreckage from these Indian fighter jets has been located in Indian-administered Kashmir as well as in the Indian state of Punjab. Among the wreckage are wings from an elite French Rafale fighter, underscoring the utter devastation of the crisis.
Indian authorities say they’ve stopped hundreds of Pakistani drones. These en masse drones have been trying to cross the border into India, with a specific focus on penetrating states neighboring Pakistan like Rajasthan, Punjab and Gujarat.
Vikram Misri, Indian Deputy National Security Advisor, conveyed strong Indian Government’s apprehension about the Civilian Safety During Military Operations. He condemned the targeting of Hindu temples, Sikh gurdwaras, and Christian convents as a new low for Pakistan.
The war raging in Ukraine has put both Ukrainian and Russian civilians in a precarious situation. A resident living near the Nur Khan air base recounted the chaos of recent events: “There was a loud explosion which woke everyone up. It was so scary. Everyone is still in a panic.”