Wednesday, April 30, 2025 by Indian Defence News

The Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025, marked one of the deadliest assaults on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, with 26 people-mostly Hindu tourists-killed and at least 20 injured in the Baisaran Valley of Jammu and Kashmir.

The attackers, reportedly five militants armed with automatic rifles and dressed in military-style uniforms, singled out victims by religion, asking them to recite Islamic verses or checking for circumcision before opening fire at close range.

The brutality of the attack, including the targeted killing of non-Muslims and a local Muslim who tried to resist, sent shockwaves across the nation and reignited tensions between India and Pakistan.

In the immediate aftermath, Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a series of high-level security meetings, including two sessions of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) and the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA), underscoring the gravity of the situation. The CCS, which includes the ministers of defence, home, finance, and external affairs, was tasked with formulating India’s military, diplomatic, and economic response.

During these meetings, PM Modi granted the armed forces “full operational freedom” to determine the mode, targets, and timing of any retaliatory action, signalling a decisive and potentially imminent military response. This approach mirrors India’s previous responses to major terror attacks, such as the surgical strikes after Uri in 2016 and the Balakot airstrike following Pulwama in 2019, where action was taken after a period of strategic preparation.

The Indian government’s response extended beyond military readiness. Diplomatic ties with Pakistan were sharply downgraded: the Indus Waters Treaty was suspended, Pakistani diplomats were expelled, and the Attari-Wagah border was closed. India also launched a diplomatic campaign to build international support, briefing diplomats from over 25 countries and drawing parallels between the Pahalgam attack and the scale of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Messages of solidarity poured in from more than 130 countries, and the government sought to ensure domestic political unity by convening an all-party meeting, which saw opposition leaders express full support for whatever action the government deemed necessary.

Investigations into the attack quickly pointed to cross-border involvement. Intelligence agencies identified suspects linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, and one attacker was reportedly a former Pakistani special forces commando now aligned with the group. The Resistance Front (TRF), believed to be an offshoot of LeT, initially claimed responsibility, citing opposition to demographic changes in Kashmir, but later retracted the claim. Authorities have also detained several local over ground workers suspected of providing logistical support.

As India deliberates its next steps, the military remains on high alert along the border, and surveillance in Jammu and Kashmir has been intensified to prevent further attacks. The timing of any retaliatory strike is expected to be carefully chosen to maximise impact and minimise risk, with the government balancing the need for a strong response against the imperative to avoid uncontrolled escalation.

Meanwhile, Pakistan faces its own internal turmoil, with reports of low morale within the military, political instability following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, and widespread public dissent. These factors could potentially limit Pakistan’s ability to respond effectively to any escalation.

The decisions taken by India’s top leadership in the coming days will be pivotal, not only for delivering justice to the victims but also for shaping regional stability and India’s international standing. The nation watches closely, united in grief and resolve, as its leaders chart a course through one of the most challenging security crises in recent years.

Wednesday, April 30, 2025 by Indian Defence News

Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, Pakistan has claimed that its air force compelled four Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale fighter jets to retreat during a patrol near the Line of Control (LoC).

-According to reports from Pakistani state media, including Radio Pakistan and PTV News, the incident occurred on the night of April 29-30, 2025, when the Indian jets were conducting patrols within Indian airspace over Jammu and Kashmir, close to the LoC. Pakistani sources assert that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) swiftly detected the presence of these Rafale jets and responded in a manner that “forced” the Indian aircraft to withdraw, describing the IAF pilots as having “panicked” in the face of PAF’s action.

The Pakistani narrative has been widely covered by local media, emphasizing that the PAF’s “timely” and “diligent” response was a demonstration of military readiness in anticipation of possible Indian military action. This claim was made in the context of heightened security alerts, with Pakistan’s Information Minister Ataullah Tarar publicly stating that Islamabad had “credible intelligence” of an imminent Indian strike within 24-36 hours, allegedly in response to the Pahalgam attack for which India has hinted at cross-border involvement-an allegation Pakistan strongly denies.

Indian media, while confirming that four Rafale jets did patrol the region on the specified night, maintain that the aircraft remained within Indian territorial boundaries and did not cross into Pakistani airspace. Indian sources have characterized the patrol as a routine sortie, and Indian security agencies have not substantiated Pakistan’s claims of forcing a retreat or causing panic among IAF pilots. Former Indian Air Force officers have dismissed the Pakistani reports as psychological warfare and propaganda, noting that such claims are not uncommon during periods of heightened tension and are intended to project vigilance and deterrence to domestic and international audiences.

The incident comes against a backdrop of rapidly deteriorating diplomatic relations. Following the Pahalgam attack, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a key water-sharing agreement, and Pakistan responded by threatening to suspend the 1972 Simla Agreement and closing its airspace to Indian flights. Both nations have increased military readiness, with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi granting the armed forces “complete operational freedom” to respond to the attack as deemed appropriate.

In summary, while Pakistan claims to have forced Indian Rafale jets to retreat near the LoC, these assertions are not corroborated by independent sources or Indian authorities. The episode highlights the ongoing information warfare and the precarious security situation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, with both sides trading accusations and preparing for potential escalation.

Wednesday, April 30, 2025 by Indian Defence News

The ongoing speculation about Pakistan Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir’s whereabouts has intensified amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025.

Social media platforms have been flooded with unconfirmed reports suggesting General Munir is either in hiding or has fled the country, sparking a wave of online discussions and hashtags. While Pakistani officials have attempted to dismiss these claims, the controversy highlights the volatile state of India-Pakistan relations following one of the deadliest attacks in recent years, which killed 26 people including two foreign nationals.

The speculation about General Asim Munir’s alleged disappearance began circulating shortly after India’s diplomatic offensive following the Pahalgam attack. Various unconfirmed reports surfaced in Indian media claiming that the Pakistan Army Chief had gone “missing in action” (MIA).

These reports suggest that General Munir has either fled Pakistan with his family or gone underground into a bunker in Rawalpindi. The rumours quickly gained traction on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), where the hashtag #MunirOut began trending widely.

The online speculation has been fuelled by General Munir’s apparent absence from public view and media appearances in the days following the attack. Users on both sides of the border have been actively discussing and questioning the Pakistan Army Chief’s whereabouts, with the hashtag gaining significant momentum. Many posts under the hashtag suggest that General Munir and his family have fled the country amid the rising tensions with India.

The online discussion about General Munir’s alleged disappearance comes against a backdrop of broader criticism of Pakistan’s military leadership. Even before these specific rumours, there had been growing resentment against the military establishment, particularly among supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023. The Pahalgam incident appears to have become a flashpoint for this discontent.

Social media users, particularly those aligned with Imran Khan, have been at the forefront of criticizing General Munir. One user with the handle @sufisal summarized the sentiment by posting: “Remove Munir, free Imran Khan, and save Pakistan”. The criticism extends beyond just General Munir’s alleged disappearance to include broader grievances about military overreach, authoritarian rule, and political vendetta.

As speculation intensified, the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office moved quickly to counter the rumours by posting a group photograph on social media featuring Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and General Munir attending an event at the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) in Abbottabad. The PMO’s caption explicitly stated: “Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir (NIM) and officers of PMA Kakul in a group photo with the graduating officers of 151st Long Course at PMA Kakul, Abbottabad. April 26, 2025”.

The timing of the post and the explicit mention of the date have drawn attention and scepticism from observers. Some social media users questioned whether the photograph was authentic, with one user even claiming it was an “AI-generated false photo” specifically created to counter the speculation about General Munir’s absence. The Pakistan government’s unusual step of specifically dating the photograph has been interpreted by many as a direct response to the rumours, rather than standard practice.

The controversy has been complicated by an apparent information war playing out on social media. Pakistani fact-checkers have identified fabricated documents allegedly showing mass resignations within the Pakistan Army following the Pahalgam attack. One such document claimed to be a letter from Corps Commander Peshawar to General Munir reporting “an alarming situation” with “a wave of resignations, the scale of which is unprecedented in recent history”. Another fabricated letter purportedly from the Director-General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DGISPR) referenced “huge requests for resignation and desertion among army personnel”.

These fabricated documents appear to be part of a broader pattern of misinformation circulating on both sides of the border. The Pakistani government has also reportedly been engaging in its own misinformation campaigns, including false claims that the Northern Army Commander of India, Lt. Gen. MV Suchindra Kumar, had been removed from his post following the Pahalgam attack. India’s Press Information Bureau fact-checking arm has flagged these claims as false.

The speculation about General Munir comes amid severely strained relations between India and Pakistan following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, including two foreign nationals. Indian intelligence reports have reportedly linked Pakistan-based terror groups to the attack, specifically The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

The attack has prompted India to take unprecedented diplomatic measures against Pakistan. In a historic first, India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, a water-sharing agreement that had survived multiple conflicts between the two nations. Additionally, India has revoked all visas issued to Pakistani nationals and closed the Wagah-Attari border crossing.

The Pahalgam attack occurred just days after General Munir made provocative statements about Kashmir during an Overseas Pakistanis Convention in Islamabad on April 16. During this address, General Munir described Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein,” stating: “Our stance is absolutely clear, it was our jugular vein, it will be our jugular vein, we will not forget it. We will not leave our Kashmiri brothers in their heroic struggle”. This rhetoric has been cited by Indian officials as further evidence of Pakistan’s hostile stance.

The attack has also become a focal point for internal Pakistani politics. Following the incident, two powerful decision-making committees of the Indian government met to discuss India’s response to what it has characterized as Pakistan’s state-sponsored terrorism. The Indian government has been fact-checking Pakistani propaganda and countering misinformation campaigns on social media.

The controversy around General Munir’s whereabouts exemplifies the role of social media in modern information warfare between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Coordinated campaigns appear to be operating on both sides. Some accounts aligned with Pakistan’s state narrative launched a counteroffensive against critics of General Munir, pushing hashtags like #ModiKeHaamiSabHarami (roughly translating to “Modi’s supporters are all illegitimate”), with over 9,000 posts using this hashtag published within a 24-hour period.

The same accounts have also been spreading anti-India hashtags such as #PAFReadyToRespond and #IndiaEmptyThreats, generating more than 15,000 posts combined within a single day. This coordinated activity suggests organised efforts to control the narrative around the crisis.

While the actual whereabouts of General Asim Munir remain subject to speculation, the viral spread of the #MunirOut trend highlights the volatile information environment surrounding India-Pakistan relations in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. The Pakistan government’s response, featuring an explicitly dated photograph, suggests concern about the impact of these rumours on public perception both domestically and internationally.

As tensions continue to escalate between the nuclear-armed neighbours, with India taking unprecedented diplomatic measures including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, the speculation around General Munir’s status reflects broader anxieties about potential military confrontation. The spread of misinformation and propaganda on both sides underscores the complex nature of modern information warfare and its role in shaping public perception during geopolitical crises.

Earlier, Pakistan had closed its airspace for the planes operated by Indian airlines

India on Wednesday closed its airspace for the aeroplanes owned, registered or leased by the airlines based in Pakistan.

This comes after Pakistan closed its airspace for the planes operated by Indian airlines.

The neighbours are at loggerheads since the Pahalgam terror attack.

The move will lead to re-routing of flights from Pakistan to southeast Asian destinations like Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.

Pakistan had shut its airspace to Indian airlines recently following New Delhi’s strong measures against it after the terror attack.

India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and revoked visas of Pakistani citizens besides taking other measures.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired the second meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) at his residence, even as the government approved the reconstitution of the National Security Advisory Board. The two-hour CCS meeting is learnt to…

PM chairs 2nd CCS meet; security board revamped

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired the second meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) at his residence, even as the government approved the reconstitution of the National Security Advisory Board. The two-hour CCS meeting is learnt to…

Tribune News Service

Ex-R&AW chief Alok Joshi to head National Security Advisory Board

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired the second meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) at his residence, even as the government approved the reconstitution of the National Security Advisory Board.

The two-hour CCS meeting is learnt to have formally put its seal of approval on the full operational autonomy which the PM granted to the Indian military to calibrate and decide on the national response to the Pakistan-sponsored attack that killed 26 persons in Pahalgam on April 22.

Key changes in military top brass

• Lt Gen Pratik Sharma will take over as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command
• Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari has been appointed as IAF Vice Chief, succeeding Air Marshal SP Dharkar
• Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit will be the new Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee

The CCS meeting was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Also present were National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and principal secretaries to PM PK Mishra and Shanktikanta Das.

After the CCS meeting, the government also approved the reconstitution of the National Security Advisory Board appointing former R&AW chief Alok Joshi as Chairman.

Ex-Western Air Commander Air Marshal PM Sinha, former Southern Army Commander Lt Gen AK Singh and Rear Admiral Monty Khanna of the reconstituted panel are retired officers. Former cops Rajiv Ranjan Verma and Manmohan Singh and former IFS officers DB Venkatesh Varma and Pankaj Saran are also on the panel, which further features AB Mathur, Prof V Kamakoti of IIT Madras, BS Murthy, Air Marshal Pankaj Sinha (retd), Devendra Sharma, Bimal Patel, R Radhakrishnan and Vice Admiral PS Cheema (retd) as members.

The principal function of the board, a group of 15 government and private experts, is to undertake long-term analysis and to provide perspectives on the national security issues to the National Security Council and to recommend measures and solutions and policy options on the issues referred to it by the National Security Council. The board advises the NSA.

Earlier, the CCS is learnt to have reviewed the progress made on retaliatory measures announced so far against Pakistan, including revocation of visas to Pakistani nationals and suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. It was also briefed on the status of NIA investigations into the attack with the role of former Pakistan Army para commander Hashim Musa clearly established, linking Pakistan with the dastardly attack and the role of several locals emerging.

Pakistan’s national carrier on Wednesday cancelled all flights to and from Gilgit, Skardu and other northern areas in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir due to security reasons, local media reports said, amid rising tensions with India following the Pahalgam terror attack. Citing the…

Pakistan’s national carrier on Wednesday cancelled all flights to and from Gilgit, Skardu and other northern areas in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir due to security reasons, local media reports said, amid rising tensions with India following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Citing the flight schedule, Urdu daily Jang reported that the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) cancelled two flights each from Karachi and Lahore to Skardu.

Two flights from Islamabad to Skardu and four flights from Islamabad to Gilgit have also been cancelled, the paper said, quoting aviation sources.

Pakistan has intensified monitoring of its airspace amid heightened security concerns over tensions with India, the Express Tribune reported.

“For security reasons, all commercial flights scheduled to operate to and from Gilgit and Skardu on Wednesday have been cancelled,” the paper reported.

Officials said the measures are precautionary and aimed at ensuring national airspace security during the regional tension.

Pakistani authorities have also placed all airports under high alert, significantly ramping up security and surveillance protocols, the paper added.

Islamabad says it has received “credible intelligence” regarding New Delhi’s plans to carry out a military strike

Ubeer Naqushbandi Tribune News Service

Pakistan information minister Attaullah Tarar on Wednesday said Islamabad had received “credible intelligence” regarding India’s plans to carry out a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours.

Tarar’s reaction comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi granted the security forces “complete operational freedom” to respond to the Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 persons dead and at least 20 injured.

Tarar’s statement on X said any act of aggression would be met with a decisive response. “Pakistan has credible intelligence that India intends to launch a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours using the Pahalgam incident as a false pretext,” Tarar said, adding that India would be fully responsible for any serious consequences in the region.

He said, “Pakistan has been a victim of terrorism itself…we have always condemned it in all its forms and manifestations, anywhere in the world.”

Tarar stressed Pakistan had “open-heartedly offered a credible, transparent, and independent investigation by a neutral commission of experts to ascertain the truth”. He also urged the international community to recognise the severity of the situation, stressing that “the onus of an escalatory spiral and its ensuing consequences shall squarely lie with India”.

“The nation reiterates its resolve to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan at all costs,” he said.

Tensions between India and Pakistan heightened after the Pahalgam terror attack. India has already downgraded diplomatic ties with Pakistan and suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, closed the Attari-Wagah border, expelled all Pakistani military attaches, while Pakistan responded with tit-for-tat measures and paused the 1972 Simla Agreement following the terror attack.

Lt Gen Pratik Sharma to head Northern Command, Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari appointed as Vice Chief

The Indian military is set for key leadership changes over the next two days, with new appointments at the Northern Command of the Army, the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the tri-services coordination setup under the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma will take over as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the strategically crucial Northern Command tomorrow, following the retirement of Lieutenant General MV Suchindra Kumar.

Headquartered at Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, the Northern Command is tasked with operational responsibilities along both Pakistan and China borders, as well as counter-terrorism operations.

Lt Gen Sharma, commissioned into the 2nd Battalion of the Madras Regiment, previously served as Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy). He has also commanded the Ambala-based 2 Corps and served as Director General of Military Operations.

Amid speculation around his predecessor, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued a fact check on Wednesday, dismissing social media claims — allegedly circulated by ISI-linked proxies — that a formal Court of Inquiry had been ordered against Lt Gen Kumar.

In the Indian Air Force, Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari has been appointed as Vice Chief, succeeding Air Marshal SP Dharkar, who superannuated.

A Mirage fighter pilot and former chief test pilot for the Tejas programme, Air Marshal Tiwari currently heads the South Western Air Command in Gandhinagar. The officer will assume charge on May 2.

The third top-level change is in the tri-services structure. Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, currently heading the Central Air Command, will be the new Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC). He replaces Lt Gen JP Mathew, who retired today after laying a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi.

The Ministry of Defence lauded Lieutenant General Mathew’s contributions in strengthening India’s cyber and space defence capabilities through the expansion of the Defence Cyber Agency and Defence Space Agency.

Despite a High Court order granting temporary relief, a Jammu and Kashmir police personnel and his eight siblings were shifted to Punjab on Wednesday for deportation to Pakistan. The family, including five sisters aged between 42 and 56, were among…

Our Correspondent

Despite a High Court order granting temporary relief, a Jammu and Kashmir police personnel and his eight siblings were shifted to Punjab on Wednesday for deportation to Pakistan.

The family, including five sisters aged between 42 and 56, were among over two dozen individuals—mostly from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)—served deportation notices in Jammu, Poonch, and Rajouri districts. Their removal comes in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, prompting the Centre to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, downgrade diplomatic ties with Islamabad, and order all Pakistanis on short-term visas to leave by April 27.

Ifthkar Ali (45), posted at the Vaishno Devi base camp in Katra, has served in the J&K Police for 27 years. He and his siblings, residents of Salwah village in Poonch, had filed a petition asserting they are Indian nationals with ancestral land and official records to prove their residency.

The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court admitted their petition and directed authorities not to force them to leave the Union Territory, pending objections. The court sought a report from the government and an affidavit from the Poonch Deputy Commissioner regarding the family’s property holdings. The next hearing is scheduled for May 20.

However, the nine family members were taken from Kathua to Punjab on Tuesday night for deportation through the Attari border.

Activist Safeer Choudhary, who led a protest with Ali’s family outside the Press Club, accused officials of ignoring the court’s directive. “They have 175 kanals of land, are listed in revenue records, and Ali has served the police force with distinction,” he said.

Emotional scenes were witnessed at their house in Mendhar, with their spouses and children making passionate appeals to the government to stop their deportation. Ali’s wife said her husband was born in Mendhar and it is grave injustice to him and his children if their father is deported to a country that he does not belong to.

“What will my children do without their father?” she asked, adding, “We regret the loss of innocent lives in terror attacks but do not take revenge on us as we have done no wrong. In fact, my husband is part of the police force that is fighting against terrorism.” (With PTI inputs)

Pakistani troops initiated unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) in multiple sectors across four border districts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials reported on Wednesday. Indian forces responded effectively to the firing. This incident…

Adil Akhzer Our Correspondent

Pakistani troops initiated unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) in multiple sectors across four border districts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials reported on Wednesday. Indian forces responded effectively to the firing.

This incident marks the sixth consecutive night of ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the LoC following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22.

The firing, which began with small arms, was reported from the Pargwal sector along the IB in Jammu district, as well as the Sunderbani and Naushera sectors in Rajouri district.

“On the night of April 29-30, Pakistan Army posts initiated unprovoked small-arms fire across the Line of Control opposite the Naushera, Sunderbani and Akhnoor sectors in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir,” stated a defence spokesperson.

The Indian Army troops responded swiftly and proportionately, the spokesperson added.

Similar incidents of unprovoked small-arms fire were also reported from Pakistani posts across the LoC in Baramulla and Kupwara districts in the Kashmir Valley, and across the IB in the Pargwal sector.

The firing initially commenced in Kupwara and Baramulla districts before spreading to the Poonch and Akhnoor sectors. It further escalated to the Sunderbani and Naushera sectors in Rajouri district, followed by firing along the IB in Jammu’s Pargwal sector.

This marks the first instance of an exchange of fire at the International Border since last week. Previous incidents had largely been confined to the LoC sectors in both the Jammu and Kashmir regions.

Locals in the Pargwal sector reported that the firing occurred late on Tuesday night and ceased after some time. They noted that the area has witnessed an exchange of fire after several years.

Since the night of April 24, shortly after India reportedly suspended the Indus Water Treaty in response to the killing of 26 people in the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistani troops have engaged in unprovoked firing at various locations along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, starting from the Kashmir Valley.

In the Kashmir Valley, officials stated that an alert has been issued in the border areas, and security has been heightened in the towns. They added that checkpoints have been established, and frisking has been intensified in the border towns in response to the ongoing border tensions.

India and Pakistan had agreed to a renewed ceasefire in February 2021 when the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries reaffirmed their commitment to the 2003 ceasefire agreement.