Operation Sindhur: India’s Precision Strike and Pakistan’s Uneasy Response

By [RAJAT], May 2025

On the night of April 30, 2025, the Indian Army launched Operation Sindhur, a meticulously planned strike against terror training camps in Kotli Gulpur, across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Using pinpoint artillery and precision unmanned aerial systems, Indian forces obliterated multiple jihadi encampments. Official after‐action footage, released on the Indian Army’s YouTube channel, shows the camps reduced to rubble within minutes.

Embedded Video: Strike Footage

1. Mapping the Battlefield

The strike zone lay just a few kilometers from India’s Poonch district, where periodic cross-border shelling has plagued civilian life for years.

Interactive LoC Map:
View the Poonch-Kotli Gulpur region on Google Maps

Indian units targeted three terror camps—identified as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed training grounds—destroying bunkers, firing ranges, and rocket launchers. Satellite imagery shared by the Army confirms the demolition of over 20 structures in under 15 minutes.

2. Civilian Toll on Pakistan’s Side

Within hours, reports emerged of Pakistani artillery retaliating along the Poonch LoC, indiscriminately shelling nearby villages. At least 15 civilians were killed and over 40 injured, including women and children. A historic gurdwara in Poonch town also sustained damage from errant shells.

“These are clear violations of the ceasefire. Pakistan’s response has moved from military targets to the homes of innocent people,” said Lieutenant General (Ret.) Manoj Naravane, former Indian Army Chief, in a tweet hinting at further Indian counter-measures.

3. Pakistan’s Political Discord

Karachi and Islamabad presented mixed messages:

• Prime Minister’s Address: “We will respond appropriately if India’s aggression continues,” he told Parliament.

• Foreign & Defense Ministers: Advocated restraint, offering a hand to de-escalate if India ceased strikes.

• Army Commanders on the Ground: Escalated artillery fire regardless of political pledges.

This divergence underscores Pakistan’s internal tensions between diplomatic overtures and military imperatives.

4. Indian Counter-Options: Targeting Pakistani Artillery

Indian strategists are weighing options:

• Cross-Border Raids: Deploying Rafale jets or long-range BrahMos missiles to neutralize Pakistani howitzers (notably the Chinese-made SH-15 systems now deployed near the LoC).

• Precision Artillery Duels: Indian G-5 guns, with 50 km range, could pre-emptively destroy enemy batteries before they can shell civilian areas.

Image Caption: Chinese-built SH-15 155 mm howitzer unveiled at a Pakistani defense expo

5. The Propaganda Battlefield

As guns roared, a second conflict raged online. Pro-Pakistani influencers—often hiding behind Indian flags—spread doctored images claiming Indian jets were shot down. One notorious account, @TejaswiPrakash_, was recently withheld by Indian authorities after peddling false “Rafale crash” footage.

Image Caption: Minister Jitendra Singh announces measures to counter social-media propaganda

6. What Comes Next?

Analysts in Washington warn that Pakistan’s vast artillery buildup (over 200 guns along the LoC) could trigger fresh skirmishes in Rajasthan or Gujarat, drawing India into a two-front conflict. New Delhi must balance decisive retaliation with global calls to avert nuclear escalation.

Key Takeaways:

• Operation Sindhur demonstrated India’s growing strike precision.

• Civilian casualties on both sides risk international condemnation.

• Mixed political signals in Pakistan reflect deep civil-military divides.

• Digital disinformation campaigns are amplifying tensions.

India’s next moves—whether aerial raids on Pakistani batteries or tighter information controls—will shape the subcontinent’s security landscape for years to come.

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Further Reading & Resources

• Poonch District (Pakistan):

• Terror Havens of Pakistan:

Watch & Share

• Official Army footage: YouTube – Indian Army

• Map of strikes: Google Earth LoC imagery