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India and Pakistan engaged in an intense military face-off that lasted just under 100 hours, before a ceasefire came into effect at 5 PM on May 10. The truce, which narrowly averted the risk of nuclear escalation, was brokered by United States President Donald Trump. The Trump administration facilitated overnight negotiations with New Delhi and Islamabad to de-escalate the conflict.
Flashpoint: The Pahalgam Terror Attack
The hostilities were sparked by a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, which left 26 people dead, most of them civilians. India blamed the attack on Pakistan’s deep state, citing evidence of direct links, a claim Pakistan flatly denied. India also drew connections to past attacks, notably the 2019 Pulwama bombing.
Operation Sindoor: India’s First Strike
India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7 (Wednesday), targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir with precision strikes. That same night, Pakistan retaliated with the first of three waves of missile and drone attacks.
May 10: Ceasefire Amid Civilian Fear
On the afternoon of May 10 (Saturday), civilians on both sides of the border were preparing for another night of blackouts, air raid sirens, and potential drone and missile strikes. As evening approached, reports emerged that the United States had successfully mediated a conditional ceasefire.
A key term of the ceasefire was that India would not reactivate the Indus Waters Treaty, a significant concession intended to prevent further escalation.
Accusations and Counterclaims
Just hours before the ceasefire, India said Pakistan launched attacks on 26 urban centres. These included strikes on military bases near Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, Adampur and Pathankot in Punjab, and Bhuj in Gujarat. Indian officials condemned the strikes as a “cowardly act”, highlighting that civilian infrastructure such as schools and medical facilities had been targeted.
India emphasized that its own strikes were limited strictly to military installations, in contrast to what it called Pakistan’s unacceptable change in tactics.
The death of a senior government official in Rajouri and injuries to civilians in Ferozepur, Punjab, during the night of May 9 (Friday), were flagged by the Indian military as further evidence of Pakistani provocation.
Pakistan, for its part, accused India of “unprovoked aggression” and claimed that 11 of its citizens, including a child, were killed and over 50 others injured due to Indian air strikes and artillery shelling overnight.
Both nations traded assertions of having inflicted significant damage on the other’s military assets.
May 9–10: The Third Wave and Heightened Tensions
On the night of May 9, Pakistan launched a third wave of missile and drone attacks. Most of the incoming threats were intercepted or neutralised by India’s air defence systems. However, drones were still sighted as late as 5 AM over Amritsar, Punjab, and 1 PM over Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, on May 10.
During this period, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was receiving real-time briefings from National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, amid the unfolding situation and diplomatic efforts led by the US.
May 8: Second Wave and Indian Defences
Late on May 8 (Thursday), Pakistan’s second wave included the launch of 300 to 400 drones, among them Turkish-made Asisguard SONGARs, aimed at 36 towns and cities in western India. According to reports, 50 of these drones were shot down, with several others rendered inoperative using radio frequency jamming technologies.
India credited its integrated air defence infrastructure for the success, including the counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) and the indigenous Akash missile defence system.
The First Strike: May 7 Missile Barrage
The first Pakistani retaliation on May 7 saw the firing of 15 missiles at Indian cities, eight of which targeted locations within Jammu and Kashmir. India reported neutralising these attacks and countered with the deployment of Israeli HARPY drones, which took out Pakistani air defences, including installations near Lahore.
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