Michael Evans

Are India and Pakistan heading for war?

Security forces in Pampore in south Kashmir (Photo: Getty)

Last night, India launched missile attacks on ‘militant’ sites in Pakistan and in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir in retaliation for the terrorist attacks two weeks ago which killed more than two dozen Indian tourists. The military action, named ‘Operation Sindoor’, raises already heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, both of whom are nuclear weapon states.

India said in a statement that it had attacked nine locations. Pakistan countered by claiming three sites had been hit and that eight civilians were killed, including a child. It has described the attacks as ‘an act of war’. India says it restricted its missile strikes to infrastructure used by militants in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and in eastern Punjab province, ‘where terrorist attacks against India have been planned.’

From early reports it seemed the missiles were fired from fighter aircraft operating inside Indian territory. Pakistan claimed none of the aircraft had entered Pakistani airspace and said early this morning that it had shot down five Indian fighter jets and a drone.

Britain’s best politics newsletters

You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.

Already a subscriber? Log in

Comments

Join the debate, free for a month

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first month free.

Already a subscriber? Log in