India-Pakistan conflict: Fragile peace, talks in sight

India will respond fiercely to ceasefire violations "if repeated tonight, subsequently or later," Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen. Rajiv Ghai said at a rare press briefing by DGMOs of India's air, land and naval forces.

"We have earlier today sent another hotline message to my counterpart highlighting these violations of the understanding between the DGMOs on 10th of May, and our firm and clear intent to respond to these fiercely," Lt Gen. Ghai said, adding the Chief of Army Staff has granted full authority to the army commander for counteraction in case of any ceasefire violation.

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On Sunday, India's top military brass produced photographs and videos of India's strikes on terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, terming Operation Sindoor a "thumping victory". India agreed to pause fighting after the Pakistani side reached out for a ceasefire, Indian officials said.

DGMOs for the army, navy and air force—Lt Gen Ghai, air marshal A.K. Bharti and vice-admiral A.N. Pramod, respectively—attended the briefing. India has also neutralized several advanced enemy fighter jets during the recent combat, air marshal Bharti said.

No choice left

“Pakistan left us with no choice but to retaliate and our retaliation was precise, calibrated," air marshal Bharti said. He said the operation killed over 100 terrorists including high-value targets such as Yusuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf and Mudasir Ahmed. India has claimed striking 11 air bases in Pakistan.

Lt Gen. Ghai said he has told his Pakistani counterpart that the ceasefire should be respected in full. India will wait to see if attacks along the international border and Line of Control (LoC) continue on Sunday night, before finalizing details regarding the longevity of the ceasefire. Forces will remain in high alert on Sunday night. The combat killed 35-40 enemy personnel and five Indian soldiers, the officials said.

Lt Gen. Ghai said India had opened a communication line with Pakistan to alert it about terror bases, but the neighbour merely promised a stern response. Pakistan then attacked Indian civilian and military targets, indicating an erratic response, he added.

Air marshal Bharti said India had neutralized "a few" high-tech enemy fighter aircraft, but did not disclose the exact number as the debris was not on the Indian side. He did not disclose the damage to Indian fighter jets and other assets, but said all Indian pilots were accounted for. He also provided details about the targets of various air strikes that the Indian Air Force conducted over the last four days. He also provided details of Pakistan's offensives across international borders and the LoC.

Vice admiral Pramod said the Indian navy, including submarines, was deployed immediately into the northern Arabian sea, and was stationed at "credible deterrent positions" throughout the combat. “Our response has been swift, coordinated and calibrated," he said.

The Indian Navy maintained seamless maritime domain awareness throughout the duration and was entirely aware of the location and movement of Pakistani units. Vice-admiral Pramod added that the response from the Indian side had been measured, proportionate, non-escalatory, and responsible right from day one. The Indian navy's forward position in the northern Arabian Sea had forced the Pakistani forces to maintain defensive posture, he added.

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Lt Gen. Ghai said the present situation was like a war, with continuous violations of sovereign airspace and damage to military infrastructure as well as targeting of civilians. “We are always prepared to face any eventuality...Whatever has to be done will be done," he said.

On Sunday, leaders of opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding an immediate special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor and the latest developments in cross-border firing.

Sunday's briefing came after four days of combat on India's north and north-western frontier. Indian armed forces officials maintained their stance that India had only targeted military infrastructure and not breached sovereign airspace, whereas Pakistan had continued to target civilian and military infrastructure and invaded Indian airspace using drones and UCAVs multiple times.

Discussions held

Earlier on Sunday, prime minister Narendra Modi met officials of the armed forces as well as national security advisor Ajit Doval and defence minister Rajnath Singh in his residence to discuss the conflict.

Separately, defence minister Rajnath Singh said the might of Operation Sindoor was felt even in Rawalpindi, where the headquarters of the Pakistani Army is located. “This operation is a demonstration of India’s strong will against terrorism and also the capability and determination of the military power," he said.

US president Donald Trump on Sunday offered to work with India and Pakistan to achieve a “solution" for Kashmir region. “I will work with you, both to see if, after a ‘thousand years,’ a solution can be arrived at concerning Kashmir," Trump posted on social media.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the move, describing it as a “positive step". Pope Leo XIV too welcomed the ceasefire on his first Sunday address as the head of the Catholic church, praying to grant the world the “miracle of peace."

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Meanwhile, the Indian Premier League (IPL) which was suspended on 9 May is likely to resume on 16 or 17 May, PTI reported. BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said the board is still working on a suitable schedule.

In an address to late Saturday night, Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said the “path of peaceful negotiations" should be adopted to solve the longstanding issues between India and Pakistan, including the sharing of water resources and the Kashmir issue.

Pakistan said it was “committed" to faithful implementation of the ceasefire, asserting its forces are handling the situation with “responsibility and restraint". “We believe that any issues in smooth implementation of the ceasefire should be addressed through communication at appropriate levels," a foreign office statement said. Defence minister Khawaja Asif said Kashmir, the Indus Waters Treaty and terrorism remain major issues with India.

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