'Totally prepared': India monitoring out-of-the-ordinary movements of men and material across border

India effectively thwarted an extensive Pakistani attack on the intervening night of May 9-10 that comprised armed drones, long-range weapons, including several high-speed missiles, loitering munitions and fighter aircraft, ostensibly part of Operation “Bunyan al-Marsous” (Iron Wall) that Islamabad announced on Friday.

In a restrained retaliation focused on minimising collateral damage, the Indian forces hit important military installations including technical infrastructure, command and control centres, radar sites and weapon storage areas in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian using air-launched precision weapons from fighter aircraft.

Pakistan’s military installations and airbases at Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Pasrur and Sialkot and Chunian are understood to have suffered sufficient damage.

The Pakistani attack came in two waves—one from about 1 am-2 am and the other from about 4am-5 am—as an indiscriminate attack took place targeting 26 locations including Indian military installations and civilian infrastructure in a sweep of area from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat.

But these waves of attacks were effectively thwarted by an alert air defence system that used both kinetic and non-kinetic weapons to neutralise the offensive. The main weapons used were shoulder-launched Man-Portable Air Defence Systems, ZU23 and L70 guns.

However, the attacks caused limited damage at Indian Air Force stations at Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur and Bhuj while civilian infrastructure was damaged in Srinagar, Awantipora and Udhampur.

Of significance is the fact that the Pakistani army has begun mobilising.

Addressing a press briefing, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said: “Pak military has been observed to be moving their troops into forward areas, indicating offensive intent to further escalate the situation. Indian Armed Forces remain in a high state of operational readiness”.

A military source told THE WEEK: “We have the Pakistan military’s movements under observation all the time. These are out of the ordinary movements of men and material. But we are totally prepared”.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held a meeting at his residence with defence minister Rajnath Singh and the three service chiefs.

In what it lacked or was unable to effect on the war fighting front, Islamabad unleashed a massive disinformation campaign.

Urging all not to be misled by the propaganda being peddled by Pakistan, Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri said: “The claim about the Air Force Station in Sirsa being destroyed, completely false… The claim about the Air Force Station in Surat being destroyed, completely false again. There is a claim that has been made that the S-400 base at Adampur was destroyed, completely false, once again.”

“Claims have been made about large sections of Indian critical infrastructure, power systems, cyber systems, etc. being attacked and destroyed, completely false.”

More details are expected at a press briefing to be held in the evening.

Defence