The Indian Air Force presented its Pakistan air strike plan within 48 hours of the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir in which 26 people were killed. At the NDTV Defence Summit, Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, shared exclusive new operational details about how the response to the April 22 massacre was conceived, authorised and carried out.
The Pahalgam attack triggered one of India's swiftest military-planning cycles in recent decades called Operation Sindoor.
A 48-Hour Turnaround
April 22: Pahalgam terror attack happens
April 23: A high-level meeting involving top military brass is held to plan possible options
April 24: Air Force presented its options
April 29: Targets were short-listed, planning commenced
May 5: Date and time of strikes were decided
May 6-7: Strikes conducted
Other Course Of Action
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in Saudi Arabia, cut short his trip and returned to Delhi following the Pahalgam attack. Home Minister Amit Shah travelled to Srinagar the same night, convening a late-night security review with Jammu and Kashmir's Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
The following day, India began its first retaliatory measures short of military action:
Suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty implementation, halting water-sharing arrangements with Pakistan.
Closure of the Attari integrated check post, cutting cross-border trade and travel.
Visa restrictions on Pakistani nationals, including cancellation of SAARC visa exemptions.
Expulsion of Pakistani defence advisors from Delhi within a week.
On April 25, the government briefed leaders of 15 political parties, including Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
Nine targets were finalised: seven were assigned to the Army for artillery and cross-LoC operations, while two deep-strike objectives were given to the Air Force -- the Lashkar-e-Taiba headquarters at Muridke (30 km from the international border) and the Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters at Bahawalpur (100 km inside Pakistan).
Both sites had been under surveillance, with intelligence pointing to the presence of top leadership and training facilities.
In Muridke (Lashkar HQ), four points were targeted: the administrative block, markers, and two leadership residential quarters. UAV footage confirmed direct hits, including penetration strikes that shattered structures while minimising collateral damage.
Internal video evidence later confirmed widespread destruction inside the compound.
Deeper inside Pakistani territory, Bahawalpur posed greater challenges for bomb damage assessment. Five points were selected, including leadership residences and administrative hubs. and destroyed.
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