US President Donald TrumpIndia and Pakistan have agreed to a “full and immediate ceasefire”, US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday in a post on Truth Social after a “long night” of talks mediated by the United States. “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
‘Pakistan military moving troops to border areas’: Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that Pakistan’s actions over the last few days are being seen as “provocative and escalatory”. Col Sofiya Qureshi further said during the briefing that Pakistan tried to attack air base in Punjab. Col Qureshi also said that Pakistan military is observed to be moving their troops to border areas. Apart from targeting military bases, Pakistan also targeted medical facilities in Srinagar, Avantipura and Udhampur, Qureshi said on Saturday morning.
India retaliates against Pakistan’s air raid: Pakistan Air Force jets raided Srinagar on Saturday morning, with the Indian armed forces retaliating to the raid “effectively”. This comes after Pakistan launched multiple drone attacks in Indian border districts on Friday night and Saturday morning, with India’s air defence system intercepting them. On Friday evening, explosions were heard in Srinagar’s airport area, Samba, Jammu city and Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir, Pathankot and Ferozepur in Punjab, and Barmer in Rajasthan as border areas witnessed blackouts Friday.
A planned emergency blackout drill was conducted at the Pune airport on Saturday evening amid heightened security concerns in the country, a senior official said.
The mock drill took place between 8.25 pm and 8.45 pm and was aimed at testing the airport's preparedness and response to potential power outages or other emergencies, he said.
The drill had been planned in view of the India-Pakistan military conflict. — PTI
With India and Pakistan agreeing to an immediate ceasefire, Owaisi said, truce or not, India must continue to pursue those behind the Pahalgam terror attack.
In a post on X, the Hyderabad MP said he wished Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the ceasefire rather than the President of a foreign country (US).
"#ceasefire or no ceasefire we must pursue the terrorists responsible for #pahalgam attack", he said adding as long as Pakistan uses its territory for terrorism against India, there can be no permanent peace. — PTI
A BSF trooper was killed and seven others were injured in Pakistani firing along the International Border in Jammu on Saturday, officials said.
The incident took place in the R S Pura sector, they said.
A senior Border Security Force (BSF) officer said sub-inspector Mohammed Imteyaz made the supreme sacrifice while gallantly leading from the front.
He, along with seven others, were injured in cross-border firing initiated by Pakistan. While Imteyaz succumbed to his injuries, the other personnel were admitted to a hospital, the officer said. — PTI
India and Pakistan Saturday agreed to stop firing and military action from 5 pm today after days of escalations between the two neighbouring countries. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that while an “understanding” was reached on stopping firing, India has and will always maintain a “firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism”.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister on Saturday welcomed the ceasefire announcement between India and Pakistan saying it was better late than never, shortly after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced both the countries have agreed to stop firing and military action from 5 pm today.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Saturday said students from the state studying in northern India were evacuated and brought to Delhi amid the military conflict between India and Pakistan.
"In view of the prevailing situation between our nation and Pakistan, as of this morning, about 70 students from Meghalaya who are pursuing their studies in Punjab and Haryana have been accommodated in Meghalaya House, Delhi," the chief minister posted on X. — PTI
More than 3,000 young people stepped forward with an unwavering resolve to serve as civil defence volunteers at an event here on Saturday that was held hours before the directors general of military operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan agreed on a ceasefire.
The event was held amid a military conflict between India and Pakistan. — PTI
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said India will continue to maintain its "firm and uncompromising" stance against terrorism.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsIndia and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 10, 2025
India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Director Generals of Military Operations of India, Pakistan will talk again on May 12.
Gujarat's Patan District Collector Tushar Bhatt on Saturday afternoon announced complete blackout to be enforced on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday in 71 villages of Santalpur taluka, bordering Pakistan.
Blackout will be observed in Ropar (Rupnagar) district from 8 pm to 5.30 am tonight.
Saudi Arabia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Faisal bin Farhan today spoke to both India and Pakistan to discussed efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions and ending the military confrontations underway between them.
Faisal made two phone calls, with Minister of External Affairs India S Jaishankar and Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, the Saudi Foreign Office said in a statement.
Faisal asserted the Kingdom's commitment to the security and stability of the region and its close and balanced relations with both the countries.
Markets to be closed at 6 pm in Punjab's Fazilka amid brewing tensions between India and Pakistan, says Fazilka District Administration.
Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the Haryana government shall be setting up a War Emergency Branch in the civil secretariat in Chandigarh. The decision was taken in the state civil advisory committee's first meeting held to strengthen emergency preparedness in Haryana.
Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi chaired the meeting that was attended by additional chief secretaries of Health & Family Welfare, Irrigation and Water Resources, Energy, PWD (B&R), Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, and Higher Education. Read more
After a tense Friday night marked by drone sightings at multiple locations in Punjab, residents across several districts woke up to panic Saturday. District administrations in Phagwara, Kapurthala, Barnala, and Ferozepur ordered market closures as precautionary measures, while authorities in Bathinda and Fazilka advised people to remain indoors or take shelter inside shops.
A major scare gripped Barnala town around 8.10 am when residents heard a loud explosion followed by the sound of aircraft movement. Minutes later, the deputy commissioner of Barnala ordered an immediate shutdown of all markets and instructed citizens to stay indoors. Read more
Details of 5 Pakistani terrorists killed in May 7 strikes by India
1. Mudassar Khadian Khas @ Mudassar @ Abu Jundal
Affiliation: Lashkar-e-Taiba
•In-charge of Markaz Taiba, Muridke.
•Received a guard of honour at his funeral by the Pakistan Army.
•Wreaths were laid on behalf of the Pak Army Chief and Punjab CM (Maryam Nawaz).
•His funeral prayer was held in a government school, led by Hafiz Abdul Rauf of JuD (a designated global terrorist).
•A serving Lt. General of the Pak Army and the IG of Punjab Police attended the prayer ceremony.
2. Hafiz Muhammed Jameel
Affiliation: Jaish-e-Mohammed
•Eldest brother-in-law of Maulana Masood Azhar.
•In-charge of Markaz Subhan Allah, Bahawalpur.
•Actively involved in radical indoctrination of youth and fundraising for JeM.
3. Mohammad Yusuf Azhar @ Ustad Ji @ Mohd Salim @ Ghosi Sahab
Affiliation: Jaish-e-Mohammed
•Brother-in-law of Maulana Masood Azhar.
•Handled weapons training for JeM.
•Involved in multiple terrorist attacks in Jammu & Kashmir.
•Wanted in the IC-814 hijacking case.
4. Khalid @ Abu Akasha
Affiliation: Lashkar-e-Taiba
•Involved in multiple terrorist attacks in Jammu & Kashmir.
•Engaged in weapons smuggling from Afghanistan.
•Funeral held in Faisalabad, attended by senior Pakistani Army officials and the Deputy Commissioner of Faisalabad.
5. Mohammad Hassan Khan
Affiliation: Jaish-e-Mohammed
•Son of Mufti Asghar Khan Kashmiri, operational commander of JeM in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
•Played a key role in coordinating terrorist attacks in Jammu & Kashmir.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs a high-level meeting.
The drive for civil defence volunteers at Tiranga park in Chandigarh. (Express Photo: Kamaleshwar Singh)
Ludhiana Police detain two youth for spreading fake videos on social media. The Ludhiana Commissionerate Police detained two individuals on Saturday for circulating fake videos on various social media platforms. The videos caused unwarranted panic among the public.
Amritsar gets the green signal to resume normal activities. Amritsar DC thanks people for cooperating. "Thanking you for your cooperation, the green signal has been given. We may continue our normal activities," DC's statement read.
Amid tensions escalating between India and Pakistan, Gujarat which also shares a bit of its western border border with Pakistan saw shops remaining closed and migrant workers leaving for their hometowns.
Shops closed in Bhuj
Migrant workers leaving for Bihar and UP.
Local Kutchi population sitting on road
Jodhpur district magistrate has sounded an air strike alert in the district. "Siren to be sounded. All to move inside and roads cleared," he added
After a morning rocked by explosions, two massive blasts were heard near the Srinagar airport around 11.45 am.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio spoke to India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the need for India and Pakistan to de-escalate and communicate directly. Jaishankar said, "India’s approach has always been measured and responsible and remains so."
An air attack warning has been sounded in Bathinda. All sirens on while people have been directed to stay indoors. They have been asked to take appropriate self-protection measures. While there's no order to close shops as of now those at shops are advised to should stay inside.
Foreign Secratry vikram Misri shared photographs of Air Force Stations in Sirsa and Suratgarh as he refuted claims (by Pakistan) them being destroyed. (Photos: Government of India)
AFS Sirsa
AFS Suratgarh
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says Pakistan's claims of critical infrastructure damage 'completely false'. He reiterated India's commitment to non-escalation provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistan military. Misri also refuted Pakistan's claims of missiles being fired at religious site and termed it "ludicrous".
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh too stated that Pakistan attempted malicious misinformation campaign. "Its claims of destroying our S-400 system, airfields at Surat are false," she said.
Key points from today's government briefing
🔴 Pakistan attempted air intrusions at 26 locations from Srinagar to Naliya.
🔴 Limited damage sustained to equipment and personnel at a few Indian airforce stations.
🔴 In swift response, India carried out precision attacks on identified military targets -- radar sites, technical infra and weapon storage areas -- in select bases in Pakistan.
🔴 India's response carried out ensuring minimum collateral damage.
🔴 Pakistan targeted medicare and school premises in Srinagar, Awantipur and Udhampur.
🔴 Pakistan moving troops to forward areas indicating offensive intent.
🔴 Indian government rejected Pakistan's false narratives on damages to S-400 system at Adhampur, Brahmosbase at Nagrota and airfields in Sira and Suratgarh.
In a special briefing, the Ministry of External Affairs says, "Pakistan’s actions over the last 3 days are being seen as provocative, escalatory."
Pakistan launched Byker YIHA III Kamikaze drones in Amritsar, Punjab, endangering the residential areas of Punjab. However, the attempt was thwarted by Army Air Defence guns at 5 am today, destroying the same in the air, said the defence officials. "The drone was aimed to target civilian areas and innocent civilians," they stated.
The district administration in Pathankot have asked all hotels to shut down and the guests asked to leave immediately.
As tension brewed in Punjab with frequent red alerts and blackouts, students of Panjab University (PU) and Chandigarh University (CU) began to leave campuses in large numbers this week.
Hostellers, particularly from conflict-prone and border regions, left amid mounting fears for their families, blocked roads, and what they described as a delayed administrative response.
Students from other states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were flooded with calls from worried parents asking them to return home to safety. Read more
China today “strongly” urged India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and take a path of of peaceful settlement, PTI reported.
"We strongly urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, exercise calm and restraint, return to the track of political settlement through peaceful means, and refrain from any action that could further escalate tensions," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in the statement.
“This will be important for the fundamental interest of both India and Pakistan, and for a stable and peaceful region. This is also what the international community hopes to see. China is willing to continue to play a constructive role to this end," it said.
Ludhiana rural police check Air Force station in Punjab's Halwara.
Sirens have been sounded all over Barmer. Additionally, the police teams have been despatched everywhere to urge shopkeepers to shut the shops, as part of security measures in the border city.
Indian military today destroyed a number of Pakistani drones in Amritsar and warned Islamabad against violating India's sovereignty.
The Indian Army, in a statement, said, "Pakistan’s blatant escalation with drone strikes and other munitions continues along our western borders. In one such incident, today at approximately 5 AM, Multiple enemy armed drones were spotted flying over Khasa Cantt, Amritsar. The hostile drones were instantly engaged and destroyed by our air defence units."
Meanwhile, another person died in shelling by Pakistan in Jammu's RS Pura
Ashok Kumar, son of Baldev Raj of Bidipur Jatta, was killed in Pak shelling while was moving his family to a safer place. Three other members of the family were also reportedly injured.
With this death toll in Pak shelling, drone and misssile attacks, in Jammu region overnight has risen to 5 including a senior J&K Administrative Services officer and two Bihar residents in Rajouri town.
A woman has died in Mendhar area of Poonch.
Explosions could be heard in Punjab's Pathankot. Starting off with sounds of two back-to-back blasts, the sounds tend to continue.
Civil flight operations have been suspended in 32 airports. Check list here.
➡️ Temporary Suspension of Civil Flight Operations at Select Airports and Air Routes
— PIB India (@PIB_India) May 9, 2025
➡️ The Airports Authority of India (AAI) and relevant aviation authorities have issued a series of Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) announcing the temporary closure of 32 airports across northern and… pic.twitter.com/MZEfbI1YkJ
Chief Minister J&K Omar Abdullah interacts with the people of Jammu city, where several houses, cars were damaged in overnight shelling by Pakistan.
A similar advisory has been issued in Punjab's Barnala too. Here's a look
1. Avoid large gatherings or crowd.
2. Avoid moving out in the open.
3. Avoid movement in tall buildings.
4. Markets in Barnala District are being ordered to be closed.
5. Malls and high-rise commercial buildings in rest of the district will remain closed today.
6. Stay calm. All above are precautionary measures.
7. Follow Instructions
8. Do not believe in rumours
A safety advisory has been issued by the police in Kapurthala. Here's a look
1. Avoid large gatherings or crowd.
2. Avoid moving out in the open.
3. Avoid movement in tall buildings.
4. Kapurthala City and Phagwara City markets are being ordered to be closed.
5. Malls and high-rise commercial buildings in rest of the district will remain closed today.
6. Stay calm. All above are precautionary measures.
7. Follow Instructions.
8. Do not believe in rumours.
BSF Jammu today destroyed terrorist launchpad in Pakistan's Sialkot.
According to a statement issued by the BSF, Pakistan had initiated unprovoked firing on BSF posts in the Jammu sector today.
Responding to that BSF launched a counter attack, causing widespread damage to the posts and assets of the Pakistan Rangers along the International Boundary.
"The terrorist launchpad at Looni, Sialkot district, opposite Akhnoor area was completely destroyed by the BSF. Our resolve to protect India's sovereignty is unshaken."
Pakistan's claim that its missiles fired from JF-17 fighter jets destroyed India's S-400 air defence system in Adampur is "false", an Indian military official said today.
A Pakistan's state-run TV channel had earlier reported that Pakistan Air Force's hypersonic missiles destroyed the S-400 system in Adampur.
In Mohali, the police have issued a general safety advisory, urging people to avoid moving out in the open unless necessary.
The advisory issued by DC SAS Nagar is as follows:
"Situation at the border districts is critical
Avoid large gatherings or crowds.
Avoid moving out in the open.
Residents in tall buildings to stay very alert. In case they hear the sirens, they shall immediately follow the directions.
Avoid Malls and high rise commercial buildings, in case not necessary.
Stay calm. All above are precautionary measures for our safety.
Please cooperate."
An attempted air strike by Pakistan was thwarted by the Indian military in Haryana's Sirsa, and the remnants of missile-like objects were found at two places in the fields near the Air Force station. This comes as parts of Haryana are facing blackouts at night while Pakistan continues to launch drone attacks and artillery shelling along border districts.
Three districts of Haryana including Panchkula, Ambala and Panipat witnessed complete blackouts from 7 pm onwards. Sirsa has also been included in the list and shall observe a complete blackout Saturday onwards till further orders. Read more.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistan's Army Chief General Asim Munir on Friday, urging for de-escalation between India and Pakistan amid the ongoing standoff. This comes as tensions remain heightened at the Line of Control after repeated ceasefire violations and Pakistan's repeated attempts to launch drone attacks in border districts.
A US Department Of State spokesperson said that they have also offered their assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts.
This comes after the White House said on Friday that President Donald Trump wants the tensions to de-escalate “as quickly as possible."
"The President has expressed he wants to see this de-escalate as quickly as possible. He understands these are two countries that have been at odds with one another for decades, long before President Trump was here in the Oval Office," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
DC Jalandhar said Jalandhar was on red alert all night. Many objects or drones were spotted and neutralised by armed forces. An advice to please stay calm and stay inside as much as you can today.
Hoshiarpur is also on alert, said Hossiarpur DC.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah slammed the IMF for granting a billion dollar loan to Pakistan, accusing the organisation of "essentially reimbursing" Islamabad for the ammunition used to devastate border areas of the Union territory.
Abdullah posted on X, "I'm not sure how the 'International Community' thinks the current tension in the subcontinent will be de-escalated when the IMF essentially reimburses Pakistan for all the ordnance it is using to devastate Poonch, Rajouri, Uri, Tangdhar & so many other places."
Meanwhile, Bathinda has also been out under red alert. The district public relations officer of Bathinda has issued a statement: "All residents of the district are requested to stay inside their residences/buildings and take self protection measures. Electricity won’t be cut off but all other measures remain in force."
In "security directives" to fishermen operting off the Palghar coast, the Maharashtra government has asked them to be vigilant to keep the country's maritime border safe, PTI reported.
The government there is also trying to ensure that most of the fishing boats are equipped with transponders so that their locations can be tracked.
Saudi Arabia today said it was making efforts to mitigate tensions between India and Pakistan, put an end to current military confrontations, and promote the resolution of the disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels.
The Foreign Ministry there said in a statement that upon the directives of the Saudi leadership, Al-Jubeir visited India and Pakistan on May 8 and 9 as part of the Kingdom's "ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions, end current military confrontations, and promote the resolution of all disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels".
Urging people to stay calm, DC Amritsar has said the city is under red alert. "You may hear the siren shortly- we are under red alert .You all are requested to remain indoors and stay away from windows. We will notify as soon as we can resume normal activities. Please stay calm and don't panic."
In Ferozepur too, people have been asked not to step out of the houses. Deputy Commissioner Deepsikha Sharma has appealed to the residents of the district that sirens are about to start sounding, and all residents should stay inside their homes. They should wait for the green signal from the administration.
🔴 Explosions rocked Indian cities including Jammu, Srinagar, and Pathankot early Saturday, with anti-aircraft guns firing in retaliation and local administrations placing areas on high alert.
🔴 Pakistan’s attacks extended to heavy shelling in Rajouri and multiple drone sightings along India’s northern and western borders, from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat.
🔴 Intermittent explosions were reported in Pathankot and Udhampur, with residents ordered to remain indoors as a precaution while the military responded to ongoing threats.
🔴 An armed Pakistani drone crashed in a civilian area in Ferozepur, Punjab, injuring members of a family.
🔴 The Indian Army confirmed Pakistani drones were spotted at 26 locations overnight, spanning from Baramulla in Kashmir to Bhuj in Gujarat.
Early on Saturday morning, Pakistan claimed India had fired missiles at three of their air bases, including one close to Islamabad, their capital city, but their air defences intercepted most of them, Reuters reported.
"India through its planes, launched air to surface missiles... Nur Khan base, Mureed base, and Shorkot base were made targets," Pakistan military spokesman Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said in a late-night televised statement, according to Reuters.
India repulsed a massive drone attack from Pakistan at 36 locations along its western border on Thursday-Friday night. The 300-plus Pakistani drones likely came from Turkey.
“A forensic examination of the drone debris is currently underway. Preliminary reports indicate that the drones are Turkish-made Asisguard Songar models,” Col Sofiya Qureshi and Wg Cdr Vyomika Singh said in a press briefing on Thursday evening.
A Turkish Ada class anti-submarine corvette docked at Karachi port on May 2, and a Turkish C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft, possibly carrying an arms shipment, landed at Karachi airport on April 27.
Meanwhile, what are Turkey’s interests in Pakistan?
Their shared Islamic identity has long provided the underpinnings for a strong partnership between Turkey and Pakistan. During the Cold War, Turkey and Pakistan were together in groupings such as the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) and the Regional Cooperation Development (RCD). The two countries have almost always supported each other during times of crisis. Read our explained for more
The G7 foreign ministers have issued a statement on the India-Pakistan situation at the moment. Expressing concerns about the safety of civilians amid the attacks and counter attacks between the two countries, they said: "We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, strongly condemn the egregious terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 and urge maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan. Further military escalation poses a serious threat to regional stability. We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians on both sides."
"We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome. We continue to monitor events closely and express our support for a swift and lasting diplomatic resolution," they said.
India’s “calibrated response” to Pakistan’s attempts to atatck military and civilian infrastructure in cities along the borders of the western and northern India not only included a rigorous air defence but also a measured offensive action, government officials told The Indian Express.
They said the “calibrated response” not only meant effectively thwarting the Pakistani advances with the air defence shield using the Indian Air Force’s Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) and its counter-unmanned aerial systems (UAS) grid, but also using long-range precision weapons. These include loitering munitions, to launch strikes at four air defence sites in Pakistan while destroying one.
The Ministry of External Affairs will address a press briefing at 10 am on Saturday morning, set to brief the nation on Pakistan's attack on border districts and India's retaliation amid Operation Sindoor.
This comes after Pakistan launched a barrage of attacks against India on Friday night, with all of them intercepted by the country's air defence system.
The Additional District Commissioner of Rajouri, Raj Kumar Thapa, and two other civilians were killed in shelling by Pakistan on Friday night. Thapa got critically injured when a shell fell on his house in the DC colony of Rajouri, and he succumbed to his injuries hours later.
The target of intense shelling by Pakistani troops, the border town of Poonch is deserted, its residents having moved to safer locations.
In the early hours of Wednesday, soon after India struck nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Pakistani forces began an intense bout of shelling across the Line of Control. Officials say 16 civilians, including five children, have died in the barrage of artillery fire the likes of which they haven’t witnessed since the 1971 war.
The shelling also hit a place of worship, an educational institution, a forest department office and a bus stand.
When the shelling stopped on Wednesday afternoon, the exodus began. Many of those who left went to Surankote, Mandi or far-off Jammu city. In the absence of public transport, people were seen carrying luggage on their heads and walking towards Surankot.
In view of growing cyber threats particularly from the notorious Pakistan-linked hacking group APT36 (also known as Transparent Tribe), the Chandigarh Police cyber authorities have issued a nationwide alert urging citizens and organisations to remain vigilant and adopt strict digital hygiene practices.
According to cyber officials, APT36 is a well-known cyber-espionage group with a history of targeting Indian defence personnel, government institutions, research centers, diplomats, and critical infrastructure.
“Their primary tactics include phishing emails, infected mobile apps, spyware, and embedding hidden malware on educational or research websites to gain unauthorised access to sensitive information,” said a Cyber Crime Cell official.
From advising the fishermen community not to venture into the sea to visiting the offices of multinational companies and briefing them about enhancing security, police in South Gujarat undertook a series of measures on Friday as they intensified sea vigil in the 200-kilometre coastal area amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.
On Friday afternoon, Surat Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut, accompanied by Joint Police Commissioner K N Damor and Deputy Commissioner of Police Zone 6 Rajesh Parmar ventured into the sea, travelling in a boat for an hour and a half, adhering to all safety measures.
Besides, they personally monitored all the landing areas along the coast and supervised the surveillance conducted by marine police officials. Read Full Story
India’s “calibrated response” to Pakistan’s attempts to hit military facilities and civilian infrastructure in cities along the western and northern borders using drones and missiles not only included a rigorous air defence but also a measured offensive action, government officials told The Indian Express.
The officials said the “calibrated response” not only meant effectively thwarting the Pakistani onslaught with the air defence shield using the Indian Air Force’s Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) and its counter-unmanned aerial systems (UAS) grid, but also using long-range precision weapons, including loitering munitions, to launch strikes at four air defence sites in Pakistan and destroying one.
Loitering munitions can “loiter” or hover in the air close to the designated target before self-destructing into the target. The IACCS is an automated system developed by IAF to monitor and control various air operations. Read Full Report
An earthquake measuring 4.0 on the Richter Scale struck at 01.44 am (IST) on Saturday, with an epicentre in Pakistan.
“I don’t think I can go through watching this house go down again,” said 38-year-old Babar, exhausted after two sleepless nights when shells fired by Pakistani troops landed dangerously close to his home at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
It wasn’t just the sleepless nights, but also the “memories of the past” that kept him on edge. He recalled the shelling in 1999, which reduced his house to rubble. Then, in the earthquake of 2005, the house went down again.
Thursday night saw an intense bout of artillery firing from across the Line of Control. “We had just sat down to eat when the siren rang out. We left everything as it was and ran to the neighbours’ bunker,” he said.
The shelling left a woman dead, four civilians injured and several houses damaged in Uri. Read Full Report
Punjab's Barnala, Patiala, Sangrur and Malerkotla witnessed blackouts, with Pakistan launching swarms of drones targeting military installations in multiple cities along India’s northern and western borders for the second consecutive night on Friday.
In view of growing cyber threats particularly from Pakistan-linked hacking group APT36 (also known as Transparent Tribe), the Chandigarh Police cyber authorities issued a nationwide alert urging citizens and organisations to remain vigilant and adopt strict digital hygiene practices.
According to cyber officials, APT36 is a well-known cyber-espionage group with a history of targeting Indian defence personnel, government institutions, research centers, diplomats, and critical infrastructure.
“Their primary tactics include phishing emails, infected mobile apps, spyware, and embedding hidden malware on educational or research websites to gain unauthorised access to sensitive information,” said a Cyber Crime Cell official. Read full report here
With long queues at grocery stores in Mohali and Chandigarh Friday as residents rushed to stock up on essentials, the District Magistrate of Chandigarh issued an order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, and the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, prohibiting hoarding and unauthorised stockpiling of essential commodities.
The order, in force from May 9 to July 7, 2025, mandates that all traders and stockists declare their current inventories to the Department of Food and Supplies within three days. Citizens can report violations by calling 0172-2703956. Violators will face strict action under Section 223 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The Mohali administration, which had already banned hoarding of essential goods, has reiterated its warning on stockpiling. Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal, while talking with The Indian Express, urged citizens to avoid sharing unverified information on social media.
"If anyone comes across incidents of hoarding or black marketing, they must report it to the authorities,” she said, adding that there was sufficient availability of essential commodities, and that no one should panic. Read full report here
India announced the temporary closure of airports for civilian flight operations across northern and western India till 5:29 am IST on May 15. Following India’s precision strikes at nine locations in Pakistan as part of ‘Operation Sindoor’ in the wee hours on Wednesday, New Delhi had announced closure of around 25 airports—close to the India-Pakistan border or housed at key Indian Air Force bases. However, with tensions sharply escalation between two countries, and Pakistan resorting to large-scale drone and missile attacks at Indian military installations in northern and western India, and India’s proportionate military response to Pakistan, the temporary closure of airports has been extended , with a few more airports being added to the list.
The police in South Gujarat undertook a series of measures on Friday as they intensified sea vigil in the 200-kilometre coastal area amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, advising the fishermen community not to venture into the sea and visiting the offices of multinational companies to brief them about enhancing security.
On Friday afternoon, Surat Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut, accompanied by Joint Police Commissioner K N Damor and Deputy Commissioner of Police Zone 6 Rajesh Parmar ventured into the sea, travelling in a boat for an hour and a half, adhering to all safety measures. They personally monitored all the landing areas along the coast and supervised the surveillance conducted by marine police officials. Read full report here
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel visited the State Emergency Operation Center in Gandhinagar to review the coordination with district administration and security agencies in the current situation. The CM also took stock of the actions being taken by the administration while keeping in mind possible emergencies. "Gave necessary instructions and guidance to the officials. The state administration, along with central agencies, is fully alert and actively engaged in ensuring the safety of citizens," Patel said in a post on X.
The White House on Friday said that United States President Donald Trump wants to see tensions between India and Pakistan "de-escalate as quickly as possible". "He understands these are two countries that have been at odds with one another for decades, long before President Trump was here in the Oval Office," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. She said that Trump shared "good relationships" with the leaders of both countries, adding that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in constant communication with both leaders, and was "trying to bring this conflict to an end".
The Chandigarh Administration has invited the youth of the country to join as civil defence volunteers to support emergency preparedness in the tricity. Chandigarh Deputy Commissioner (DC)-cum-District Magistrate (DM) Nishant Kumar Yadav on Friday said that people of over 18 years of age can come at Tagore Theatre for joining a civil defence enrolment and training camp on May 10 (Saturday). Following their training, the volunteers will be deployed on duties.
Drones were sighted at 26 locations along the international border and the Line of Control with Pakistan, defence officials said on Friday. "The locations include Baramulla, Srinagar, Avantipora, Nagrota, Jammu, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Lalgarh Jatta, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bhuj, Kuarbet and Lakhi Nala," the statement said, adding that the sightings included suspected armed drones posing potential threats to civilian and military targets. “The Indian Armed Forces are maintaining a high state of alert, and all such aerial threats are being tracked and engaged using counter-drone systems,” the officials’ statement said.
Explosions were heard in Srinagar's airport area and the Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday. Earlier in the evenings, explosions were heard in Jammu, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is currently in the city, saying that "intermittent sounds of blasts, probably heavy artillery" could be heard. Abdullah appealed to residents in and around Jammu to not step out on the streets. Earlier, explosions were heard near the Army’s Awantipora airbase in south Kashmir’s Pulwama.
With Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reviewing border preparedness earlier today, the Gujarat government has issued orders for activation of evacuation plans for border villages, and directing the civil supplies department to ensure availability of essential items at controlled prices and prevent stocking or hoarding. Meanwhile, Kutch and 24 villages along the Indo-Pak border in Banskantha district witnessed blackout, with Bhuj airport remaining shut. Read full report here
Deputy Commissioner Showkat Ahmad Parry said that blackout had been lifted from Bathinda, adding that there was no potential threat currently.
Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Friday responded to three people being injured in a possible drone strike in Punjab's Ferozepur. "Pakistan has once again proven that it’s a terrorist state — firing drones into civilian areas of Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan. In my own state of Punjab, innocent civilians have been severely injured. The world needs to see how Pakistan is provoking India. Shameful and cowardly!," Chadha said in a post on X.
Gujarat Chief Minister's Office on Friday said that blakouts had been imposed in the villages bordering Santalpur taluka in Patan district as a precautionary measure. "All the citizens are advised to stay away from rumours and follow the instructions issued by administration from time to time," the CMO said in a post on X.
After Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, Rajasthan experienced blackouts in its bordering districts. Souns of explosions were also heard in Barmer city.
While flagging Islamabad's poor track record, India on Friday abstained from voting on the International Monetary Fund's bailout for Pakistan. "As an active and responsible member country, India raised concerns over the efficacy of IMF programs in case of Pakistan given its poor track record, and also on the possibility of misuse of debt financing funds for state sponsored cross border terrorism," a press release by the government said.
The release stated that Pakistan was a "prolonged borrrower" of the IMD, adding that it had a poor track record of implementation and of adherence to the IMF’s program conditions. "In the last 5 years since 2019, there have been 4 IMF programs. Had the previous programs succeeded in putting in place a sound macro-economic policy environment, Pakistan would not have approached the Fund for yet another bail-out program," the statement said.
It further added that "rewarding continued sponsorship of cross-border terrorism sends a dangerous message to the global community, exposes funding agencies and donors to reputational risks, and makes a mockery of global values."
Amid the major escalation in tensions with Pakistan over the past three days, India has extended the temporary closure of 24 airports for civil aircraft operations by four days till 5:29 am India time on May 15, according to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued on Friday. Following India’s precision strikes at nine locations in Pakistan as part of ‘Operation Sindoor’ in the wee hours on Wednesday, New Delhi had announced closure of these airports—close to the India-Pakistan border or housed at key Indian Air Force bases—initially till Saturday 5:29 am.
The affected airports include Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Rajkot, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Dharamshala, Bathinda, Shimla, Kishangarh, Porbandar, Mundra, and Kandla, among others. Read full report here
A planned blackout was implemented in Jaisalmer, and bordering districts of Rajasthan on Friday.
Pakistan’s attempted drone incursion in 36 military and civilian sites between the intervening night of Thursday (May 8) and Friday (May 9) likely involved Turkish-made Asisguard Songar drones, India said on Friday. In a press briefing, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said, “A forensic examination of the drone debris is currently underway. Preliminary reports indicate that the drones are Turkish-made Asisguard Songar models.”
Designed and manufactured by Turkey-based defence company Asisguard, Songar drones were first launched in April 2019, and delivered to the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) after successful completion of their testing in February 2020. Read full report here
Residents from three border villages in Jammu and Kashmir situated near the Line of Control have been evacuated after heavy shelling by Pakistan troops, news agency PTI reported. The people residing in Bandipora, Kupwara, and Baramulla districts have been shifted to bunkers or other safe locations, PTI quoted officials as saying.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday appealed to the residents in and around Jammu to not step out on the streets. "It’s my earnest appeal to everyone in & around Jammu please stay off the streets, stay at home or at the nearest place you can comfortably stay at for the next few hours. Ignore rumours, don’t spread unsubstantiated or unverified stories & we will get through this together," Abdullah posted on X.
Explosions were heard in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir Friday. Jammu and Srinagar are currently experiencing blackout, with explosions being heard in Jammu too around 8:30 pm. "Intermittent sounds of blasts, probably heavy artillery, can now be heard from where I am," J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah posted on X.
After Jammu, Srinagar too on Friday experienced blackout. Explosions were heard and sirens sounded in Jammu, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is currently in the city, confirming the blackout. “Intermittent sounds of blasts, probably heavy artillery, can now be heard from where I am,” he said in a post on X.
Jammu on Friday witnessed blackout again as sirens sounded in the city, with explosions being heard around 8:30 am. “Blackout in Jammu now. Sirens can be heard across the city,” J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah posted on X. The CM is currently in Jammu. “Intermittent sounds of blasts, probably heavy artillery, can now be heard from where I am,” he added.
A day after Pakistan launched cross-border drones targeting multiple places in Jammu and Kashmir, apart from other parts of the country, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Friday asked it to focus on “de-escalation” and said that the continuation of hostilities will only hurt the neighbouring country.
“The back-to-back cross-border attacks on Thursday night – first around 9 pm and then again at 4.30 am – clearly show an attempt by Pakistan to escalate. However, they will be the ones to suffer the most,’’ Abdullah said. “Pakistan gains nothing from this, nor will they succeed.” India did not create the crisis, he added. “We had to respond as our people were attacked in Pahalgam and innocent civilians were killed.” Read more here
Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the Department of Financial Services (DFS) has asked banks to strengthen their internal systems to deal with any cybersecurity threats and ensure uninterrupted banking services. Banks have been asked to ensure sufficient availability of cash in their branches and ATMs, especially in the areas that are closer to the border.
On Wednesday, the Indian armed forces launched “Operation Sindoor” to strike various terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack. On Thursday evening, India’s air defence systems intercepted missiles and projectiles fired by Pakistan toward key border areas. Please read full report here
Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday chaired a high-level meeting to review secrurity arrangements in the state. "... all the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police were instructed to remain alert and sensitive and keep constant monitoring of the situation," Sukhu said in a post on X. He further issued directions to exercise special caution in regards to the photos and videos being circulated on social media "and to ensure prompt action on any misleading or objectionable content".
While speaking to the media, Sukhu said that an alert had been issued in the adjoining areas of Himachal Pradesh following Thursday's incident in Pathankot. " Officials have been instructed to impose a blackout when the siren sounds. As soon as instructions are received from the Government of India, they will be implemented immediately," he said. Pakistan had launched drone strikes focused especially on military installations in Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh held a joint briefing on Operation Sindoor on Thursday a day after the sharp escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan. Following the attack by Pakistan overnight on May 8-9, India retaliated, targeting “air defence radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan”.
A day after Pakistan's failed drone strike in Bhuj, Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi said no firecrackers or drones would be allowed for any functions or events in the state till May 15. This comes hours after Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel reviewed the border preparedness in the state, ordering the activation of evacuation plans for villages located in the state’s border districts.
“The Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation with me and obtained details of Gujarat’s preparedness as a border state and the advance planning undertaken by the state government in the current situation of tension on the border and provided necessary guidance in this regard. The Prime Minister also obtained details about the adequate steps taken by the state government for the safety and security of citizens, especially in sensitive districts like Kachchh, Banaskantha, Patan, Jamnagar, which are bordered by Pakistan,” Patel said in a post on X.
Several alleged military-grade drones passed over Jalandhar in Punjab Thursday night, alarming residents amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan. Witnesses reported seeing multiple wing-type drones flying low in the sky, possibly headed to the Indian Army depot located near Suranussi, a village near Maqsudan, before they were intercepted.
While the Jalandhar District Public Relations Office confirmed at 11.30 pm on Thursday that the drones were neutralised, no official confirmation has been given yet regarding the origin of the drones or their intended target. “All drones have been neutralised at 11.20 pm in Jalandhar as per official sources,” a message from the public relations office stated. Read full report here
During the MEA briefing on Operation Sindoor by Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, the Indian military said that India had launched drone strikes at four air defence sites in Pakistan. They added that an air defence radar system had been destroyed in one such strike.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, during the briefing on Operation Sindoor, said that the Pakistani strikes on May 9 targeted places of worship with a particular design, adding that it was "a new low even for Pakistan". Pakistan had attempted drone strikes at 36 locations, and targeted a miliatry station in Bathinda by sending a UAV, with all these attempts being thwarted by the Indian Armed Forces, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi during the briefing on Operation Sindoor said that an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle was sent by Pakistan to target a military station in Bathinda, adding that the attempt was thwarted by the Indian Armed Forces. Col Qureshi said that 300-400 drones were sent to 36 locations in India targeting military installations, from Leh to Sir Creek.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, during the briefing on Operation Sindoor, said that Pakistan had sent 300-400 drones at 36 locations in the country, adding that preliminary investigation showed that Turkey's SONGAR drones were used during the strikes. Col Qureshi added that these drones were neutralised using kinetic and non-kinetic methods.
With the sharp escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan, there were blackouts in over 15 cities in India on Thursday night -- from Chandigarh to Srinagar to Bhuj. A blackout is when all lights are turned off or restricted in a given area.
Blackout trials were also part of the mock drills conducted on May 7 in 244 civil defence districts as part of India’s strategy to ensure citizens are armed with the knowledge of what to do in case of attacks against India.
The aim is to enable people to protect themselves and physical infrastructure from enemy aircraft at night, “without incurring the discomfort of total darkness”. Blackouts make locking ground targets difficult for advanced high-speed aircraft. Read full report here
Haryana's Panchkula district will observe a complete blackout after 7 pm today as a precautionary measure, Deputy Commissioner Monika Gupta said. The district has been placed on high alert to build up emergency preparedness, after the escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan. However, the DC said that the district was completely safe, adding that there was no need for a curfew. Gupta appealed to the residents to stay vigilant and comply with the safety protocols. Read more here
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said that the state government was planning to buy anti-drone systems, in the wake of Pakistani drones and missiles' attempt to hit military targets in cities along the northern and western borders, after India's counter-offensive.
“We have six border districts. We will buy our own anti-drone system. The Border Security Force (BSF) is also supporting us. The BSF already has anti-drone systems. But we will buy more and help the security personnel. Drones will not be allowed to enter our territory and will be felled. Punjab stands with India,” said Mann. Read more here
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is scheduled to brief the media at 5.30 pm today (Friday, May 9), after India again thwarted drone attacks from Pakistan on Thursday night. The briefing comes amid escalating tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad after India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of Wednesday. This was in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians lost their lives.
The North Western Railways has cancelled 14895 Jodhpur-Barmer Demu Express (Jodhpur's Bhagat Ki Kothi to Barmer), 14896 Barmer-Jodhpur Demu Express (Barmer to Bhagat Ki Kothi), 04880 Munabao to Barmer and 54881 Barmer to Munabao.
Train number 12468 Jaipur-Jaisalmer was partially cancelled in Bikaner. Jaisalmer-Jaipur 12467 was also partially cancelled on the Jaisalmer-Bikaner route and will operate from Bikaner today.
Among the trains which were rescheduled due to blackouts on Thursday night are 14661 Barmer-Jammu Tawi, 74840 Barmer-Bhagat Ki Kothi and 15013 Jaisalmer - Kathgodam (Haldwani).
The other rescheduled trains were 14807 Jodhpur-Dadar Express and 14864 Jodhpur-Varanasi Express.
The district administration in Haryana's Ambala, which is a key air force base, on Friday issued an order to enforce blackout during night hours amid the military conflict between India and Pakistan, officials said.
"In view of the prevailing circumstances, it is imperative to ensure a complete blackout during night hours to safeguard public safety and strategic interests," an order issued by Deputy Commissioner Ajay Singh Tomer said.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday visited the Uri sector to assess the damage caused by Pakistani shelling in civilian areas over the past three nights.
Sinha directed the administration to provide immediate relief to the affected families and ensure their safety.
"Took assessment of the damage to the civilian area and residential houses caused by unprovoked shelling by Pakistan in the border villages of Lagama and Gingal in Uri. I've directed the district admin to provide immediate relief to the affected families and ensure their safety and security," Sinha said in a post on X.
In an X post, EAM S Jaishankar said, "Had a phone call with UK Foreign Secretary @DavidLammy this afternoon. Our discussions centered around countering terrorism, for which there must be zero-tolerance."
This comes hours after the Ministry of Defence issued a notification empowering the Chief of Army Staff to call up personnel from the Territorial Army (TA) under Rule 33 of the Territorial Army Rules, 1948.
In a statement after Operation Sindoor, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said, "We congratulate the central government leadership and our armed forces for decisive action “Operation Sindoor” taken against Pak-sponsored terrorists and their supporting ecosystem following the cowardly attack on unarmed tourists at Pahalgam. This action to serve justice to aggrieved families and entire country in the brutal massacre of Hindu tourists has enhanced self-respect and morale the whole country."
"We totally agree that military action being taken against terrorists, their infrastructure and support systems in Pakistan is necessary and inevitable for security of the country. In this hour of national crisis, the entire country stands with government and armed forces in spirit and action," he said.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel posted on X, "The Honorable Prime Minister Shri @NarendraModi had a telephonic conversation with me and obtained details of Gujarat's preparedness as a border state and the advance planning undertaken by the state government in the current situation of tension on the border and provided necessary guidance in this regard. The Prime Minister also obtained details about the adequate steps taken by the state government for the safety and security of citizens, especially in sensitive districts like Kutch, Banaskantha, Patan, Jamnagar, which are bordered by Pakistan."
In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said, "Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today chaired a high-level meeting at South Block, New Delhi to review the security situation along the western border and operational preparedness of the Indian Armed Forces."
The meeting, chaired by Rajnath Singh, was attended by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.
The Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh Friday issued a directive mandating the immediate cancellation of leaves of all employees, and the implementation of a round-the-clock, seven-day work schedule as tension between India and Pakistan escalated.
In a notice, Chandigarh civic body’s chief engineer emphasised the need for uninterrupted municipal operations and said all previously sanctioned leaves stand cancelled with immediate effect. No new leave applications will be entertained until further notice, stated the chief engineer's order.
According to the communication, this measure has been taken to ensure the continuity of essential civic services during this critical period. All municipal employees are required to adhere strictly to the revised schedule.
Supervisors have been instructed to disseminate the order to their teams promptly and ensure compliance. The notice also warns that any failure to follow the new directives will attract disciplinary action under the relevant service rules. (Reported by Jagpreet Singh Sandhu)
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the nation's largest oil firm, on Friday said ample stocks of petrol, diesel and cooking gas LPG are available in the country and there is no need for panic buying of fuel.
The statement comes after social media was flooded with posts and videos showing people queuing at petrol pumps to stock fuel as tensions between India and Pakistan escalated. "Indian Oil has ample fuel stocks across the country and our supply lines are operating smoothly," IOC said in a post on X. "There is no need for panic buying-fuel and LPG are readily available at all our outlets."
Amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is likely to be suspended after the Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals match was suspended midway.
The Indian Express understands that an official confirmation on this is imminent with the BCCI, following consultation with the Indian government, believes time is not right for the tournament to go ahead and wants to ensure the safety of the players isn’t compromised. Read more.
While addressing a gathering, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, "After India's action, when terrorists were killed, Pakistan's top military officers and politicians were seen attending their funerals. This shameless display should open the eyes of the world."
"Pakistan is not merely protecting terrorism - it is directly involved in it. Its involvement has now become so clear that it will have to fight even for its own survival," he added.
The Border Security Force on Friday said it has killed seven terrorists who were trying to infiltrate from across the India-Pakistan International Border in Jammu, and also destroyed a Rangers post.
The incident took place in the Samba sector on the intervening night of May 8-9 after a "big group" of terrorists was detected by the surveillance grid.
Amid the ongoing standoff between India and Pakistan, Indian Ambassador to the US Vinay Kwatra said the country is at war with the terrorists and will bring justice to victims of the Pahalgam attack by holding the “lowlifes, subhuman monsters” accountable.
“The frame and the template in which we look at is the terror template. April 22 was the most heinous terrorist act," Kwatra said in an interview to CNN on Thursday.
The siren alert issued by the Chandigarh authorities was over after an hour. “An air warning has been received from the air force station of a possible attack. Sirens are being sounded. All are advised to remain indoors and stay away from balconies,” an official statement issued by the Chandigarh administration said.
About an hour later, it said the siren for the alert was over.
The Ministry of External Affairs is scheduled to brief the media today, Friday, hours after India thwarted drone attacks from Pakistan on Thursday night.
The escalation between India and Pakistan took place a day after India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of Wednesday.
In a post on X on Thursday night, Akhilesh Yadav wrote, "We are proud of our brave armed forces. We all stand with the country." He appealed to people to remain calm and avoid spreading any unconfirmed reports, warning that such content could be part of the enemy's strategy to create unrest.
"This is a time of crisis, which demands even greater wisdom," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister posted in Hindi.
"I appeal to all fellow citizens not to believe or circulate any unverified news or information. Such rumours could be lies spread by enemies of the nation - a part of their plot or conspiracy. Do not be misled or provoked."
Bihar BJP President Dilip Jaiswal told ANI, "As per the order of central govt, the entire Bihar is on red alert. Purnia shares borders with Bangladesh, Nepal..it is a very sensitive area. Tomorrow, CM Nitish Kumar will hold a security review meeting...leaves of all officials have been cancelled, leaves of health officials, Police officials also cancelled...day after tomorrow, he will hold a meeting in Raxaul...in Bihar, preparations are underway to tackle any emergency situation"
As the tensions between India and Pakistan escalate, Indian stock market indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled in early trade on Friday.
Extending its previous day's decline, the 30-share BSE benchmark gauge tanked 424.65 points to 79,910.16 in early trade. The NSE Nifty declined 144.75 points to 24,129.05.
Air raid warning sirens were sounded in Chandigarh on Friday morning, alerting civilians on a "possible drone attack."
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsSTORY | Air siren sounded in Chandigarh
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 9, 2025
READ: https://t.co/joPkP6ZzqW
VIDEO:
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz)#indiapakistantensions #indianarmy #chandigarh pic.twitter.com/Uo190RexvT
One woman was killed and three of her family members were injured when shelling from Pakistan hit a vehicle they were travelling in on Thursday evening. The incident took place in Kashmir on Thursday, as Pakistan continued their heavy artillery fire across the Line of Control (LoC) in several border districts in Kashmir, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
The security measures at airports have been beefed up in view of the recent escalations between India and Pakistan. Enhanced security measures have been put in place at airports and some flights have been impacted due to airspace curbs, but majority of the flight operations across the country are functioning normally.
"Delhi Airport operations remain normal. However, some flight schedules may be impacted due to evolving airspace conditions and heightened security measures," DIAL said in a post on Friday.
After a night of blackouts and intercepted drone attacks, an air raid warning siren was sounded in parts of Chandigarh on Friday morning, in a warning for a "possible drone attack."
On Thursday night, multiple drone attacks by Pakistan were intercepted by the Indian air defence system.
Heavy artillery shelling was reported along Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday night, in Rajori district and Poonch.
This is the 14th consecutive night of ceasefire violation at the India-Pakistan border, as tensions remain heightened after India launched Operation Sindoor to target terrorist camps.
After tensions escalated in border districts amid India-Pakistan standoff, a total blackout for more than 7 hours was enforced in several parts of the border districts of Kutch and Banaskantha in Gujarat on Thursday night. Lights went out and electricity was cut off at around 10 pm on Thursday night, and the power came back on at 5:30 am on Friday.
Earlier on Thursday, wreckage of a 'drone-like' object was found at a remote place near Khavda village of Gujarat's Kutch district, close to India's border with Pakistan.
The Leh administration on Friday announced that all schools in the district will remain closed on May 9 and 10 in view of the prevailing tensions between India and Pakistan, according to officials.
India on Thursday night neutralised Pakistan military's attempt to hit military stations in Jammu, Pathankot, Udhampur and some other locations with missiles and drones as tensions soared between the two countries amid fears of a wider military conflict.
"All government and private schools in Leh district shall remain closed for the next two days," said Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Santosh Sukhdeva.
This step has been taken in view of the prevailing situation, he said. (PTI)
In a post on X, BSF Jammu wrote, "At around 2300 hours on 8 May 2025, BSF foiled a major infiltration bid at the International Boundary in Samba district, J&K."
This comes at the same time when Pakistan launched multiple drone and missile attacks on Indian border districts, with all the attempts thwarted by the Indian air defence systems.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah left for Jammu early Friday to take stock of the situation following last night's failed drone attack by Pakistan.
India on Thursday night neutralised Pakistan military's attempt to hit military stations in Jammu, Pathankot, Udhampur and some other locations with missiles and drones as tensions soared between the two countries amid fears of a wider military conflict.
"Driving to Jammu now to take stock of the situation after last night's failed Pakistani drone attack directed at Jammu city & other parts of the division," Abdullah said in a post on X.
He also said the government will review the decision to shut schools on Monday.
The situation at the time will determine if the closure is extended and, if so, for how long, the chief minister said. (PTI)
The X handle of Indian Army posted, " Pakistan Armed Forces launched multiple attacks using drones and other munitions along entire Western Border on the intervening night of 08 and 09 May 2025. Pak troops also resorted to numerous cease fire violations (CFVs) along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. The drone attacks were effectively repulsed and befitting reply was given to the CFVs."
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsOPERATION SINDOOR
— ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) May 9, 2025
Pakistan Armed Forces launched multiple attacks using drones and other munitions along entire Western Border on the intervening night of 08 and 09 May 2025. Pak troops also resorted to numerous cease fire violations (CFVs) along the Line of Control in Jammu and… pic.twitter.com/9YcW2hSwi5
US Vice President JD Vance, in a television interview, said that the escalation between India and Pakistan is "not out business," while continuing the calls for de-escalations.
"We can’t control these countries. Fundamentally, India has its gripes with Pakistan. Pakistan has responded to India. What we can do is try to encourage these folks to de-escalate a little bit," he said.
After Pakistan attempted to engage military targets in northern and western India, including sites in Rajasthan, Punjab and Gujarat, these border states Thursday took precautionary measures, including increasing patrolling at the borders, preparing evacuation plans, and cancelling leaves of police personnel.
In Punjab, which shares a 553-km border with Pakistan, seven police districts have been asked to maintain strict vigil along the border. The state police and administration are maintaining close coordination with the Border Security Force and Army, a government official told The Indian Express.
Border villages have been put on high alert, and evacuation plans have been put in place in case of an emergency. Mock drills have been conducted in several areas.
The Punjab Police cancelled the leave of all its personnel until further notice and told those on leave to report back to work. The health department has also cancelled the leaves of all its officials and doctors. Read Full Report
US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday said that the India-Pakistan conflict is ‘fundamentally none of our business’. In an interview with Fox News, Vice President Vance said that the US can try to encourage both nations to deescalate the situation but won't "get involved" in a war that is not their business and has "nothing to do with America's ability to control it".
"You know, America can't tell the Indians to lay down their arms. We can't tell the Pakistanis to lay down their arms. And so, we're going to continue to pursue this thing through diplomatic channels. Our hope and our expectation is that this is not going to spiral into a broader regional war or, God forbid, a nuclear conflict. We are worried about these things. The job of the cooler heads in India and Pakistan is to make sure that this doesn't become a nuclear war, and if it happens, it will be disastrous, but right now we don't think it is going to happen," Vance said.
If they (Pakistan) will go further, we will not stop…we will go till the very end.” That’s the unequivocal message from New Delhi Thursday, according to the Government’s top security official who has been closely associated with Operation Sindoor.
This came on the day the Ministry of Defence said that Indian armed forces had “neutralised” Air Defence radars and systems at “a number of locations” in Pakistan, including Lahore, as a retaliation to Pakistan’s attempts to escalate.
Speaking to The Indian Express, the official said there was nothing “absolute” in the current military stand-off between India and Pakistan, and that India’s responses would depend on whether and how quickly Pakistan climbed the escalatory ladder. “We are prepared for the best but we are also ready for whatever happens,” the top official said.
This reflects the Government’s assessment that it has repeatedly underlined the “non-escalatory” nature of its action and it’s up to Pakistan to take the first step back. Click here to read full report
India’s flagship surface-to-air missile systems — S400 Triumf, Barak 8 MRSAM (Medium Range Surface to Air Missile) and the indigenous Akash — played a key role as the IAF activated its Integrated Counter UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) Grid and other air defence systems to thwart the attacks by Pakistan on 15 military bases and several cities Thursday.
Sources told The Indian Express that the air defence shield set up by the IAF, using guns, radars, missiles and the counter-UAS grid to jam and spoof UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), prevented the Pakistani drones and missiles from reaching Indian military installations.
The sources said Pakistan launched a swarm of drones and missiles between 1 am and 1.30 am Thursday morning, with India’s air defence systems immediately tracking the threats and destroying them. The debris is now being recovered from several locations. Read full Report
Given its unique position as the only state in India to share a land as well as a sea border with Pakistan, Gujarat is undertaking a series of measures to ramp up security in the state in light of escalating tensions between the two countries.
On Wednesday, Gagandeep Gambhir, the IG of Police Administration in the state, issued an order cancelling the leave of all police officers and ordering others to return to duty.
Notably, Gujarat’s Bhuj was among the places where Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.
While Gujarat’s international land border, mostly made up of desert (Rann of Kachchh) and marshes, is approximately 512 km long, the state also has the longest coastline in India, which, according to revised estimates released in April, now stands at 2,340 km.
Ever since the attack in Kashmir on April 22, joint patrolling of the BSF and Police have only intensified in Kutch, which not only has the largest border — both land and sea — with Pakistan, but is the largest district in India, in terms of area, with sparse population and a hostile terrain. Read Full Report
On Wednesday, Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar Sharma called his wife on the phone. The call didn’t go through. The next his wife heard of him was several hours later, when a fellow solider called to say the 32-year-old Sharma had gravely hurt his neck. Moments later, the family in Palwal, Haryana, got the news of his death in Pakistani shelling in Poonch.
Sharma was among the 13 who were killed – 12 of them civilians – when Pakistan, in a sharp escalation on Wednesday, targeted areas near the Line of Control with intense artillery fire. Late Wednesday night, the Indian Army confirmed Sharma’s death in the shelling in Poonch.
On Thursday morning, a sea of people flocked to Gulawat village in Palwal to mourn and mark their respects to the fallen soldier. Read Full Report
Amid a flurry of misinformation online following ‘Operation Sindoor’, Elon Musk-owned social media platform X has said that it received executive orders from the Indian government requiring the company to block over 8,000 accounts in India, including those belonging to “international news organisations and prominent X users”.
The company said that falling foul of the executive orders could subject the company to potential penalties including significant fines and imprisonment of its local employees.
“To comply with the orders, we will withhold the specified accounts in India alone. We have begun that process. However, we disagree with the Indian government’s demands,” the company said in a post on its Global Government Affairs handle. —Read Full Report
Even as their militaries face off, India and Pakistan are in touch through their National Security Advisors, Ajit Doval and Lt Gen Asim Malik, and their High Commissions.
The Indian Express has learnt that the diplomatic channels are open, although they are in crisis mode. The Indian charge d’affaires in Islamabad, Geetika Srivastava, has been in touch with key interlocutors in Islamabad. She was summoned Wednesday by the Pakistan Foreign Ministry to protest against the Indian strikes on nine terror locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Sources said the two sides have been in touch after US NSA and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken to Doval. A top Indian official, however, said: “Being in touch doesn’t mean being in talks” — downplaying the contact between the two sides. Read our full story here
A total blackout has been enforced in the Jammu region after loud explosions were reported near the Line of Control (LoC).
The West Bengal government has cancelled leaves of all its employees, citing the need to maintain public services amid the escalating tensions with Pakistan.
A notification dated May 7 and circulated on Thursday stated: “In view of the prevailing situation and in the interest of maintenance of public services, it is hereby ordered that all leave sanctioned to the employees of the Government of West Bengal, except leave on medical grounds, stand cancelled with immediate effect. No official shall leave their headquarters without the written permission of their respective Heads of the Departments.”
“This order is being issued in the public interest and shall remain effective until further orders,” the notification added.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee warned traders not to raise prices of essential items by taking advantage of the current situation in the country. Read the full story here
The administrations of border districts in Rajasthan on Thursday night sounded a red alert with blackout in several cities, in view of the rising tensions along the Line of Control.
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma too held a high-level meeting with top officials in light of the prevailing situation along the International Border (IB). The CM, who said he will now review the situation every day, gave instructions to cancel the holidays of all government personnel. As an emergency measure, he also gave instructions for issuing Rs 5 crore each to Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner and Sriganganagar districts. The CM also gave instructions for deployment of additional RAC forces, SDRF units, fire brigades and ambulances to the border districts.
After thwarting Pakistani attacks on several Indian targets overnight, India on Thursday morning targeted air defence systems in a number of locations in Pakistan.
“It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised,” the Army said in a press release. “[The] Indian response has been in the same domain, [and of the] same intensity as Pakistan,” the release said.
Controlling the skies is of paramount importance in modern warfare. As such, air defence systems are a vital cog in any nation’s defensive infrastructure.
Read about the system that's key to India thwarting Pakistani aerial attacks along the western border has been the success of Indian air defences.
The unprecedented blackout on the western front Thursday cast a long shadow on the Indian Premier League.
Around 9.35 pm, the match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala, about 90 km from Pathankot which saw aerial attacks from across the border, was called off after 10.1 overs. Then, the BCCI went into a huddle to decide the future of the tournament.
Click here to find out what happened next
India has not revealed what weapons were used in Operation Sindoor early on Wednesday morning (May 7). The official statement said that the Indian Armed Forces carried out precision strikes, hitting terrorist infrastructure deep inside Pakistan and in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Twenty-one terror camps across nine locations were hit as part of the operation launched in retaliation for the attack by Pakistani terrorists on innocent civilians in Pahalgam last month.
During Wednesday’s official briefing, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, a helicopter pilot with the IAF, said niche-technology weapons with carefully selected warheads were used to avoid collateral damage.
Read full report here
The Opposition – cutting across ideological shades – has declared it was in sync with the government.
While the Opposition had earlier too declared unconditional support to the government in whatever actions it took against the perpetrators of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and their handlers, the Congress had flagged the issue of “security and intelligence lapses” in subsequent days.
It had sought fixing of accountability in a time-bound manner, and said it was time “for demonstrating our collective will as a nation to teach Pakistan a lesson and curb terrorism decisively”.
Why is this so and what was it like the last couple of times India was attacked? Read the full story here
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) urged India and Pakistan to resolve the ongoing conflict through dialogue and said the two nuclear powers could not “afford a war”.
In a special online meeting of its office bearers on Thursday, a day after Operation Sindoor, the AIMPLB passed a resolution expressing “great concern” on the increasing tension on the India-Pakistan border.
Read the full story here
In view of the escalating tensions with Pakistan, security at all Indian airports has been stepped up to the highest level with the aviation security regulator ordering secondary pre-boarding checks for all passengers and all flights, banning entry of visitors at airport terminals, and deployment of required number of air marshals in line with the increased threat perception, among several other measures, all of which shall be in place at least till May 18.
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) on Thursday ordered 100 per cent secondary ladder point checking, which essentially means that passengers and their cabin bags will go through an additional round of security screening just before boarding the aircraft, it is learnt.
Random checking of passengers’ baggage prior to their entry into the airport and physical screening of cargo and its verification with documents has also been ordered.
Passenger and staff ID checks at airports are also going to get stricter, and enhanced surveillance of airport ground handling staff has been ordered.
Here's the full list of measures
A day before the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is set to review the financing facilities extended to Pakistan, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday said the Fund’s Board should look “deep within” and take into account the facts before generously bailing out the country.
He questioned the efficacy of several bailout packages extended to Pakistan over the last three decades and raised questions on its utilisation by the country.
What all did he say? Read here
Multiple airports across northern India have been shut down with additions made to the list on Thursday as hostilities between New Delhi and Islamabad intensified.
Kishangarh, Bhuntar (Kullu), Ludhiana have been added to the list of airports closed.
Here's the full list
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js#breakingnews | Kishangarh, Bhuntar (Kullu), Ludhiana added to list of Airports closed by #notam.@tapasjournalist @MoCA_GoI #operationsindoor #indiapakistan #indiapakistantensions #indiastrikesterroristan #indiastrikesback pic.twitter.com/sn1o7ve8Dd
— DD News (@DDNewslive) May 8, 2025
The administration has decided to restore power supply in Ludhiana, Mohali, and Chandigarh after consultations with defence authorities.
In Kapurthala district, on the other hand, the blackout period has been extended until 4:00 AM, according to the District Public Relations Officer (DPRO).
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsAfter discussion with the Defence authorities, electricity Supply has been restored in Ludhiana.
— Deputy Commissioner Ludhiana (@LudhianaDC) May 8, 2025
Warm regards
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"We are now clear to restore the power supply. We thank our armed forces for their brave fight today and forever."
— DC Mohali (@dcmohali) May 8, 2025
Also we request the citizens to stay safe and alert. ‼️
Kind request to all to not spread rumours and follow the directions.
District Magistrate
S A S Nagar
As drone attacks were reported in Jammu and along the International Border via Pakistani drones on Thursday, the leaves of all government officials in Delhi have been cancelled.
In an order, the Services department said: “In view of the prevailing situation and preparedness for the emergency response system, the Competent Authority has directed that no leave shall be granted to any Officer/Official of the Government of NCT of Delhi, till further orders.”
Who all does it include? Read the full report here
Punjab’s Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains Thursday ordered the closure of all educational institutions across the state for the next three days amid what officials described as a “devolving situation”.
The directive applies to all government, private, and aided schools, colleges, and universities.
This came as eight missiles from Pakistan were directed towards parts of Jammu and Kashmir, and a blackout was enforced in several districts of Pakistan and Chandigarh.
Click here to read further details
Schools, colleges, universities in J&K have been closed for two days given the current situation on the Pakistan front.
Underlining that it was a precautionary measure, J&K Education Minister Sakina Itoo told PTI: "All schools, colleges and universities in Jammu and Kashmir will remain closed for two days on Friday and Saturday,"
Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday also spoke to CISF DG and asked him to take stock of the airport security situation.
The military action between India and Pakistan has increased in the past couple of days.
India has also tightened air security amid border tensions with Pakistan. All flyers have been asked to arrive at airports 3 hours before departure.
Taking a flight? Read more about the airport directive here
Following Pakistan’s fresh attempts at targeting military stations in India, Home Minister Amir Shah speaks to Director Generals of border guarding forces in Rajasthan and Punjab to take stock of the border situation.
Eight missiles fired at Jammu were intercepted while cities from Punjab and Rajasthan were dipped in blackout.
Drones and missiles from Pakistan targeted military stations at Jammu, Pathankot & Udhampur along the International Border in J&K on Thursday.
While no casualties or material losses were reported, the Ministry of Defence said the threats were swiftly neutralised using "kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities in line with established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)".
"India remains fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and ensure the safety of its people," it added.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsMilitary stations at Jammu, Pathankot & Udhampur were targeted by Pakistani-origin #drones and missiles along the International Border in J&K today.
— Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) May 8, 2025
The threats were swiftly neutralised using kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities in line with established Standard Operating…
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke on Thursday with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and reiterated his calls for Pakistan to take concrete steps to end any support for terrorist groups.
Emphasising on the need for immediate de-escalation, Rubio expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications, according to a readout of their call put out by the US.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio amid growing military attacks between India and Pakistan.
Jaishankar took to social media platform X to "deeply appreciate US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism".
"Underlined India’s targeted and measured response to cross-border terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation," Jaishankar said.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsSpoke with US @SecRubio this evening.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 8, 2025
Deeply appreciate US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism.
Underlined India’s targeted and measured response to cross-border terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation.
🇮🇳 🇺🇸
Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains has said schools, colleges and Universities in Punjab will stay shut due to the military actions being taken by India and Pakistan.
"In view of the devolving situation, it is hereby ordered that all Schools, Colleges, and Universities — Government, Private, and Aided — across entire Punjab shall remain completely closed for the next three days," Bains posted on X.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took to social media platform X to share that he discussed the ongoing developments with Kaja Kallas, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on Thursday.
"India has been measured in its actions. However, any escalation will get a firm response," Jaishankar wrote echoing previous statements made by Indian administration.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsDiscussed ongoing developments with EU HRVP @kajakallas .
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 8, 2025
India has been measured in its actions. However, any escalation will get a firm response.
🇮🇳 🇪🇺
The Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff says that Military Stations of Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the International Boundary, in Jammu & Kashmir have been targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones.
There have been no losses and the threats were neutralised by Indian Armed Forces "as per SoP with kinetic & non-kinetic means," according to a post on social media platform X.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsMilitary Stations of Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the International Boundary, in Jammu & Kashmir targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones.
— HQ IDS (@HQ_IDS_India) May 8, 2025
No losses.
Threat neutralised by #indianarmedforces as per SoP with kinetic & non-kinetic means.#opsindoor… pic.twitter.com/TZlU9BSR9U
Asking people to remain calm, the Jalandhar District Commissioner has called on people to support the armed forces.
"You are aware of what is going on. But this is the exact situation we practised for in the last 3 days. Our armed forces are taking care of most things and they have neutralised most of the drones," the official said.
The DC has also batted for a prevention of spread of fake news. "We all should support them and help in adhering to the protocol of black out as well as prevention of fake news/videos/msgs that can spread panic amongst common people. Civilian population is not being targeted as per official information. So plz dont worry and be calm."
A complete blackout has been announced in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district for an indefinite period, following directions from the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain issued the order Thursday night, directing that all forms of lighting – including household lights, street lights, generator-powered and inverter-based lights – remain switched off across the district until further notice.
Jain clarified that this was a precautionary measure and urged residents not to panic. “The blackout has been ordered as a security measure based on inputs from the Indian Air Force. It will remain in force until further instructions are issued,” she stated.
Read full story here
The Indian Premier League (IPL) game between the Punjab Kings and the Delhi Capitals has been abandoned after 10.1 overs in the first innings.
There was a “significant technical failure at the HPCA stadium in Dharamshala," the official broadcasters quoted BCCI as saying.
“Due to a power outage in the area, one of the light towers at the HPCA Stadium malfunctioned,” a BCCI statement said.
The Union government has “advised” all OTT (over-the-top) and streaming platforms to immediately remove content originating from Pakistan — including shows, films, songs and podcasts — “in the interest of national security”.
An advisory by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Thursday, a day after Operation Sindoor, referred to the “cross-border linkages” of terror attacks in India, including the Pahalgam attack.
The advisory, addressed to OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries, said: “In the interest of national security, all OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries operating in India are advised to discontinue the web-series, films, songs, podcasts and other streaming media content, whether made available on a subscription based model or otherwise, having its origins in Pakistan with immediate effect.”
Full report here
Pointing out that "deeply disturbing reports are emerging from Jammu, where air strikes have reportedly hit certain areas," PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti issued an urgent "appeal to all sides for restraint and for an immediate de-escalation".
"My heart goes out to the people of Jammu especially those living along the borders who are once again caught in the terrifying uncertainty of conflict. In this critical moment, my prayers for their safety and strength,".
"Too many lives have already been disrupted , peace must not be allowed to slip further away," Mufti added.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsDeeply disturbing reports are emerging from Jammu, where air strikes have reportedly hit certain areas. My heart goes out to the people of Jammu especially those living along the borders who are once again caught in the terrifying uncertainty of conflict.
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) May 8, 2025
In this critical…
A civil defence mock drill held across Mohali on Wednesday evening exposed critical gaps in the city’s emergency response systems, as public sirens failed to sound in several areas and many residents remained unaware that any drill was underway.
Part of a larger initiative by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the drill was intended to simulate a city-wide blackout and emergency scenario to test urban preparedness amid rising climate risks and security threats.
Read the full report here
After India’s Operation Sindoor, Pakistan on the night of May 7-8 attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India, using drones and missiles, including three locations in Rajasthan, the Indian government has said.
These are Nal in Bikaner, Phalodi, and Uttarlai in Barmer. As per the Press Information Bureau, these attempts were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems, and debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations.
All three locations targeted by Pakistan in Rajasthan have Air Force Stations. Already in a state of alert since the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, Rajasthan is currently taking several measures to ensure its preparedness in case of any eventuality.
These include shutting schools, conducting mock drills, cancelling flights, preparing evacuation plans, monitoring social media, ensuring availability of medicines and doctors, and cancelling leaves. Top officials are also keeping a close eye on the 1,037-kilometre International Border.
Find out what else is happening by clicking here
Jammu locals are saying they can hear sirens blaring in multiple places.
Officials are indicating that missile interception systems are active.
Jammu airport appears to be a target, according to sources.
A large-scale attack of drones along the International Border is also witnessed.
A day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has dispatched a number of additional battalions to Jammu & Kashmir to strengthen border outposts.
This is also done to help police maintain law and order across key locations, it is learnt.
Shah had on Wednesday directed heads of all paramilitary forces to strengthen such outposts in states and Union Territories that border Pakistan and Nepal.
A senior CRPF official said that some of the battalions were already on their way.
Read the full report here
Hours after India struck nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Wednesday (May 7), Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said during a briefing that Pakistan was known to “wilfully mislead” the world on terrorism, citing the case of Sajid Mir.
What is known of Sajid Mir’s terror activities, and what is the sequence of events that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri spoke of in the Operation Sindoor briefing?
Click here to find out
Domestic stock market indices Sensex and Nifty ended in red after a volatile trading session on Thursday as investors rushed to book profits amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.
The BSE’s 30-share Sensex lost 0.51 per cent, or 411.97 points, to close at 80,334.81. The Nifty50 declined 0.58 per cent, or 140.6 points, to settle at 24,273.8.
The India VIX, an indicator of the market’s expectation of volatility over the near term, surged 10.21 per cent to 21.01 per cent, indicating growing investor anxiety.
The government on May 8 announced that the Indian Armed Forces had “neutralised” an air defence system of Lahore.
The situation is rapidly developing, with the government sharing information at regular intervals.
What does it mean that an air defence system at Lahore has been neutralised? What is an “air defence system” generally, and how does it work?
Read this piece by our Explained Desk to find out
Punjab’s Gurdaspur will see a district-wide blackout starting Thursday night as tensions are rising between India nad Pakistan.
Deputy commissioners in six Punjab border districts have imposed a ban on the use of fireworks.
The deputy commissioner of Gurdaspur issued an order on Thursday, saying that a blackout will be held in the district from 9 pm to 5 am, starting tonight, until further orders. However, no blackout will be conducted in cantonment zones or military areas.
Read full report by Raakhi Jagga and Kamaldeep Singh Brar here
The media briefing led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has ended.
Misri said more information will be shared in due course.
Pakistan's lies began with the birth of the nation as it lied even to the United Nations when it claimed that it wasn't part of attack on India, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
'Pak persistent refusal to enter govt negotiations on Indus Waters Treaty a violation', says Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
Says situation evolving, askes media to be considerate, says won't be possible to share operational details.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says claims of targeting Neelum-Jhelum dam in Pakistan a 'blatant lie'.
If Pak uses it as a pretext for attacking India, Islamabad will be solely responsible for the consequences, Misri says.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri repeats that original escalation was seen in Pahalgam, and that India is responding in restrained manner.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says Pakistan attacks have killed 16 civilians, 59 others hurt.
Says nefarious design won't be allowed to succeed.
People around the world have condemned these attacks (by Pakistan).
Strikes were on locations connected with terrorism.
Pak using religious sites as cover for and to train terrorists.
Pak launched a targeted attack on Sikh community yesterday, says Misri.
India provided extensive information to Pakistan in case of 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, says Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. Cases were filed but haven't progressed.
India have unprecedented access to Pak team to Pathankot terror site, DNA data was shared, addresses of terrorists were presented against Jaish-e-Mohammad and the handlers of the terrorists was shared, but there has been no movement.
Experience hasn't been positive, doesn't give confidence in Pak assertion of joint investigation.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says Pak home to UN-proscribed terrorists such as Hafiz Saeed and Masoor Azhar among others.
Pakistan's Defence Minister and former Foreign Minister done a more eloquent job in describing their country's role in supporting terrorism, Misri says.
Saying several terror attack around the world has Pakistan's fingerprints, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misry said Pak's reputation as terror epicentre is rooted in concrete evidence.
Pakistan opposed the mention of The Resistance Front (TRF) in UN Security Council's statement, says Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
This was after TRF claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack twice.
Saying that there has been a swell of misinformation, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday said that pahalgam attack that claimed 26 lives was the original escalation.
India says 16 Indians have been killed in Pakistan firing.
India has been compelled to respond, it says.
Asserting that Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan, an air defence system in Lahore has been neutralised.
Pakistan has increased the intensity of unprovoked cross-border shelling using mortal and artillery.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi says Pak tried to hit many Indian cities overnight which were netralised and the rubble recovered.
Earlier, a government statement had said: “During the Press Briefing on Operation Sindoor on May 7, India had called its response as focused, measured and non-escalatory. It was specifically mentioned that Pakistani military establishments had not been targeted. It was also reiterated that any attack on military targets in India will invite a suitable response”.
“On the night of May 7-8, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks,” it said.
Taking another action after the Pahalgam terror attack, the government has asked all OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries operating in India to discontinue the web-series, films, songs, podcasts and other streaming media content, whether made available on a subscription based model or otherwise, having its origins in Pakistan with immediate effect.
The decision is taken in the interest of national security.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh will address the media again.
The media briefing comes after India revealed that Pakistan "attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India", using drones and missiles.
While these were intercepted, India attacked and neutralised an air defence system in Lahore in retaliation.
Reliance Industries on Thursday issued a statement saying it has no intention of trademarking Operation Sindoor, "a phrase which is now a part of the national consciousness as an evocative symbol of Indian bravery".
The statement by the conglomerate came after media reports that many companies, including RIL, had filed applications to trademark 'Óperation Sindoor'.
"Jio Studios, a unit of Reliance Industries, has withdrawn its trademark application, which was filed inadvertently by a junior person without authorisation," the statement added.
"Reliance Industries and all its stakeholders are incredibly proud of Operation Sindoor, which came about in response to a Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Operation Sindoor is the proud achievement of our brave Armed Forces in India's uncompromising fight against the evil of terrorism. Reliance stands fully in support of our Government and Armed Forces in this fight against terrorism. Our commitment to the motto of 'INDIA FIRST' remains unwavering."
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says the contribution and importance of quality was on display yesterday (referring to Operation Sindoor).
"The precision with which Op Sindoor was executed is commendable. We destroyed 9 terrorist camps and a sizeable number of terrorists were killed.
"The way the Op was executed, without harming any civilians, without any collateral damage, was possible because our formidable and professionally trained Armed forces had high-quality equipment."
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says if anyone takes "advantage of our patience, they will have to face quality responses like yesterday’s," referring to Operation Sindoor.
In overnight military strikes, India hit nine terror sites inside Pakistan and PoK.
The government revealed on Thursday that 100 terrorists were killed in the strikes.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will brief the nation on Operation Sindoor at 5.30 pm today (Thursday, May 8).
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, speaking at the National Quality Conclave on Thursday, says dependence on importing defence equipment will mean outsourcing our defence, and will lead to gaps.
Yesterday we saw an example of what role quality plays.
The precision with which 'Operation Sindoor' was executed was unimaginable.
In this, 9 terrorist camps were destroyed and a large number of terrorists were killed.
The way this operation was carried out without harming any innocent person, with minimum collateral damage, was possible because our formidable and professionally trained Armed Forces had high quality equipment.
The U.S. Consulate General in Lahore, Pakistan, has directed its staff to shelter in place amid reports of drone explosions, downed drones and possible airspace incursions, the country's State Department said on Thursday.
The consulate said it has also received initial reports that authorities may be evacuating some areas adjacent to Lahore's main airport, according to a statement.
The move comes as Pakistan said on Thursday it shot down 25 drones from India in its airspace while India said it had "neutralised" Pakistan's attempt to engage military targets using drones and missiles, as the latest conflict between the two nuclear-powered neighbours intensified. (Reuters)
Leaders across the political spectrum attending an all-party meeting convened by the government on Thursday were united in support of Operation Sindoor, targeted at terrorist sites inside Pakistan, and congratulated the armed forces for the decisive action.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed the leaders about the action taken by the armed forces, but refused to share details about Operation Sindoor saying the action was still "ongoing".
"There were some queries from the opposition, but the Raksha Mantri said since this was an ongoing operation there cannot be a separate briefing on every incident," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told reporters after the 90-minute meeting.
"This meeting was to evolve a broad political consensus. All the leaders have shown maturity at a time when the nation was faced with big challenges," he said. (PTI)
Metal debris was found scattered at some places in a village in Amritsar district on Thursday, with some locals claiming them to be parts of a missile.
Police said the objects can be identified only after an investigation.
The villagers said they found the metal parts in some open fields and houses at Jethuwal village in the district.
No damage was caused to any property, they said.
Upon finding the debris, the locals contacted the police, who further informed the Army.
The Amritsar district administration carried out a blackout drill in the early hours of Thursday, urging residents to remain indoors and not panic. (PTI)
During the press briefing on Operation Sindoor on Thursday, the Indian government said that Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles.
However, the Indian armed forces neutralised these attempts.
"Today morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised," India's statement says.
EAM Jaishankar, after meeting Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi, said, "You are visiting India at a time when we are responding to a particularly barbaric attack on 22nd April in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. This attack compelled us to respond on 7th May by striking at the cross-border terrorist infrastructure. Our response was targeted and measured. It is not our intention to escalate the situation. However, if there are military attacks on us, there should be no doubt that it will be met with a very very firm response. As a neighbour and close partner, it is important that you have a good understanding of the situation."
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor told ANI, "All countries have called for restraint. That's normal. No one wants to see an escalating war between two nuclear powers. Russia, France, and Israel are the only ones that have specifically shown understanding publicly for India's right to defend itself against terrorism. America, in principle, should have said something, given that they are the one that reacted the most strongly against Afghanistan after 9/11. Surprisingly, China did not take as much of a pro-Pakistan stand... What China has said is suggestive that they are not oblivious of the fact that relations with India were warming. The Indian market is all the more important to China today in the Trumpian world of high tariffs. China needs India in a way that it never needed them before... If there were a real war, they would have been supporting Pakistan. But to prevent a war, China will take a constructive approach in my view."
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, after the all-party meeting on Thursday, said that at least 100 terrorists were killed in the strikes carried out by Indian armed forces under Operation Sindoor in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
This comes a day after Indian forces carried out strikes against 9 terror camps in Pakistan in the wee hours of Wednesday, May 7.
Concerned over the “escalating hostilities” between India and Pakistan, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) president Philemon Yang on Thursday urged the neighbours to exercise restraint and initiate steps to defuse the tension.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) president Yang also advocated “dialogue and diplomatic solutions in line with the UN Charter and international law” for lasting peace.
“I am deeply concerned about the escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan. I call for both sides to exercise maximum restraint and for an immediate de-escalation,” the UNGA president wrote on X.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said after the all-party meeting, "In the moment of crisis, we are with government."
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said, "We have extended our full support to the government. As Mallikarjun Kharge ji said, they (the government) said that there are a few things that we don't want to discuss."
Amid soaring tension between India and Pakistan, all schools in six border districts of Punjab remained shut on Thursday, officials said.
The schools were closed in Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran districts, they said.
Tensions escalated after Indian armed forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's base in Muridke, in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam.
The Tarn Taran deputy commissioner issued an order that said all schools in the district will remain closed from May 8 till 11. (PTI)
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said, "In the CWC meeting and several other times, the party has expressed support to the Indian Armed Forces and Government of India for taking action against the terrorists and those who supported them."
Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, Israel has updated the existing travel advisory for its nationals urging those in the Kashmir region to “leave immediately”.
The revised advisory came on Wednesday after the Indian military carried out strikes against terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan's Punjab province earlier in the day. Pakistan army carried out one of the most intense artillery and mortar shelling in years targeting forward villages along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry called on Israelis to avoid visiting the Jammu and Kashmir region, with the exception of Ladakh. (PTI)
The government is briefing an all-party meeting on Thursday on the success of "Operation Sindoor" and its aftermath, as top government functionaries and opposition leaders met for a second time in a fortnight amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.
Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, S Jaishankar, J P Nadda and Nirmala Sitharaman represented the government, while Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge from the Congress, Sandip Bandyopadhyay of the Trinamool Congress and DMK's T R Baalu were among the leading opposition figures in the meeting.
While speaking to reporters, AAP MP Sanjay Singh said, "We will be informed about the action taken by the Indian Army in the meeting... The way they attacked nine terrorist hideouts under Operation Sindoor yesterday, after which Masood Azhar was seen wailing and saying that he will issue a threatening press release, shows that the Indian Army has taught a big lesson to the terrorist organisations funded and nurtured inside Pakistan... I bow my head in salute to Dinesh Sharma's supreme sacrifice. The Indian Government and Army are capable of giving a befitting reply to such a cowardly act by Pakistan."
A day after Operation Sindoor, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a meeting with his Saudi Arabian counterpart Adel Aljubeir.
S Jaishankar posted on X, " A good meeting with @AdelAljubeir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia this morning. Shared India’s perspectives on firmly countering terrorism."
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsA good meeting with @AdelAljubeir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia this morning.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 8, 2025
Shared India’s perspectives on firmly countering terrorism.
🇮🇳 🇸🇦 pic.twitter.com/GGTfItZ3If
US President Donald Trump has said he wants India and Pakistan to “stop” what he described as “tit for tat” actions, saying if he can do anything to “help”, he will be there.
Trump's remarks came after the Indian military carried out strikes against terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan's Punjab province on Wednesday. Pakistan army carried out one of the most intense artillery and mortar shelling in years targeting forward villages along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Oh it's so terrible. My position is I get along with both. I know both very well and I want to see them work it out. I want to see them stop and hopefully they can stop now. They have gone tit for tat, so hopefully they can stop now. I know both, we get along with both the countries very well.
“Good relationships with both and I want to see it stop. And If I can do anything to help, I will be there,” Trump said in response to a question on the “war” between India and Pakistan. (PTI)
Union Ministers JP Nadda and Amit Shah, among other political leaders arrived in the Parliament complex for the all party meeting today, following India's Operation Sindoor against terror camps in Pakistan and PoK.
The government has convened an all-party meeting on Thursday to brief them about the strike carried out by the armed forces targeting terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Riiiju posted on X about the proposed meeting.
"Govt has called an All Party leaders meeting at 11 am on 8th May, 2025 at Committee Room: G-074, in the Parliament Library Building, Parliament Complex in New Delhi," he said.
