Two major military powers, India and Pakistan, have begun exchanging attacks using heavy weapons. India and Pakistan, both of which have acquired nuclear weapons capabilities, began exchanging attacks with heavy weapons at a time when India had launched a ballistic missile attack on Pakistan. India has said that under Operation Sindoor, it attacked nine areas in Pakistan in response to an armed attack on a tourist area in Indian Kashmir on April 22, which killed 26 civilians. India suspects that terrorists affiliated with armed groups supported by Pakistan were behind those attacks.
Although India said its missile attacks were aimed at militant positions, Pakistan has said that civilians were killed in those attacks. Pakistan has said that 26 people were killed and 46 were injured in those attacks. Videos showing damage to civilian homes and mosques in India’s attacks have been made public. After India’s missile attack, the Indian government said it had retaliated for the attack on its tourists. The Indian government has also said that India prioritized attacking militants directly without confronting the Pakistani military, in order to defend against potential future attacks by such militants.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has condemned India’s attacks in the strongest terms. He described it as a very cowardly act. And he announced that the Pakistani military was retaliating. The Pakistani military has shot down five Indian warplanes in the first hour of retaliatory attacks and begun attacking Indian military positions with heavy weapons. In response, India has also begun confronting Pakistan using heavy weapons. India has said that 10 civilians were killed and 48 were injured in Pakistan’s attacks.
Airlines traveling to India and Pakistan are canceling flights. Qatar Airways has also temporarily suspended flights to Pakistan after the country closed its airspace. Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet have also suspended flights to some areas. India has suspended implementation of an important water-sharing agreement with Pakistan. In response, Pakistan has banned Indian-affiliated aircraft from entering Pakistani airspace. In addition, both countries have now downgraded diplomatic relations, banned trade, and temporarily suspended issuing visas to each other’s citizens.
In preparation for a potentially prolonged confrontation, India and Pakistan have taken many steps over the past two to three days. Pakistan has tested new missiles twice. And India has carried out security preparations in various states of the country. India and Pakistan have fought four wars so far. Three of those wars were fought over the Kashmir issue.
