India-Pakistan Tensions: India Responded To Pakistan’s Provocation With Measured Action, Says Vikram Misri

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Saturday said that Pakistan’s actions in the last three days are being seen as “provocative and escalatory" as they tried to hit air base stations in Punjab and even attacked civil infrastructure such as medical centres and school premises in Srinagar, Awantipora and Udhampur and killed some civilians along the western border. Yet, India responded with "measured" action, ensuring minimum collateral damage.

"It is Pakistani action that has constituted provocation and escalation," Misri said at the briefing, which was also attended by Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. "In response, India has defended and reacted in a responsible and measured fashion. Earlier this morning, we saw a repeat of this escalatory and provocative pattern."

The briefing comes hours after India launched retaliatory strikes as Pakistan fired a wave of drones and missiles at targets in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.

Misri added that Pakistan had attacked 26 locations in India, and the Pakistan military has started moving the troops to the forward areas, indicating offensive intent to further escalate the situation.

"The Pakistani army is continuously attacking the western borders," Qureshi said. "It has used drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and fighter jets to attack India's military sites... India neutralised many dangers, but Pakistan tried to infiltrate via air at more than 26 places, and they damaged our equipment and personnel at air force bases in Udhampur, Bhuj, Pathankot, and Bathinda. They used high-speed missiles at 1:40 am to target Punjab's air base. They even attacked health facilities and schools, revealing their irresponsible tendency of attacking civil infrastructure."

After Pakistan deliberately targeted air bases, Indian armed forces carried out retaliatory attacks only on identified military targets, which include technical infrastructure, command & control centres, radar sites and weapon storage areas, she said. Pakistan military bases at Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian were targeted through air launch, precision ammunition and fighter jets. Radar sites in Pasrur and an aviation base in Sialkot were also targeted with precision ammunition. "During these actions, India ensured minimum collateral damage."

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh stated that Pakistan attempted a malicious misinformation campaign, calling its claims of destroying India's S-400 system and airfields at Surat false. "In a swift and calibrated response, Indian armed forces carried out a precision strike only at identified military targets... Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of the destruction of the Indian S-400 system, destruction of airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, and the Chandigarh forward ammunition depot with heavy damages to other military stations being propagated on social media... India unequivocally rejects these false narratives being spread by Pakistan," she said.

Misri also corroborated, adding that Pakistani claims about the activities that they have undertaken continue to be "heavy on lies, misinformation, and propaganda". "On top of that, this is peddled by the Pakistani state agencies; the claims that they have made about attacking and destroying various military installations in the country are completely false," he said.

The claim about the air force stations in Sirsa and Suratgarh being destroyed is false. The claim about the S-400 base in Adampur being destroyed is false, Misri added. Claims about large sections of Indian critical infrastructure, power systems and cyber systems being destroyed are also false. Claims that Indian missiles have hit Afghanistan are "totally frivolous allegations".

Pakistan continues with its "execrable and wanton campaign" of targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, especially in the states of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, Misri said.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh confirmed that the Indian Armed Forces remain in a high state of operational readiness and have effectively countered all hostile actions. She added that the Indian Armed Forces are committed to non-escalation, provided the Pakistan side reciprocates.