‘Clear case of response to aggression by Pakistan’: Former Indian envoy to Pak G Parthasarthy on ‘Operation Sindoor’

NEW DELHI: Former Indian envoy to Pakistan G Parthasarthy said on Wednesday that India’s military action under ‘Operation Sindoor’ was not a large-scale invasion but measured airstrikes on places which were terrorist havens. He said that India’s military action in Pakistan was “clearly a case of a response to aggression by Pakistan.”

Parthasarthy said that the Indian government had to respond as terrorists based in Pakistan targeted tourists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22.

On India’s military action under ‘Operation Sindoor’, he said, “The fact of the matter is, it was not a large-scale invasion by us. We did not use land forces. We used measured airstrikes on places which were terrorist havens. So, you know the battle against Pakistan for long has been a battle against terrorism. And when terrorists from Pakistan kill tourists, Indian tourists in the heights of the Himalayas, government has to respond and respond it has done. So, this is clearly a case of a response to aggression by Pakistan and that is only natural.”

“Now we’ll have to look further as to what Pakistan has to say. They will have their own version. But, we couldn’t have done anything else when our territory is violated and frankly we have Pakistan, a new army chief, who is a rabbit. I have known Pakistani army chiefs and even talked to them when I was there during the Kargil conflict. It generally used to be a civilised and correct conversation. It was tough but correct. The present army chief is a bit of a, if I may say, loony and you’ll have to treat him as such,” he added.

His statement comes as India’s defence forces carried out precision strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

When asked how he sees the future, Parthasarthy responded, “Well, let’s wait and see, because, this whole thing flows from Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and as long as Pakistan sponsors terrorism, such reactions will come.”

The Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday shared details about ‘Operation Sindoor’, a targeted strike mission to destroy terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

Addressing a press briefing in Delhi on Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh outlined the objectives of the operation and provided details on destroyed terrorist camps. Four of the nine targeted terrorist camps are in Pakistan, and the remaining are in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh informed that a total of nine terror sites were targeted and successfully destroyed. She asserted that the locations were selected so that there was no damage to civilians and their infrastructure.

The strikes, executed between 1:05 am and 1:30 am on Wednesday, involved a coordinated effort by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, targeting key facilities like the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) bases in Pakistan and PoJK. (ANI)