Indian Govt admits heavy damage, seeks de-escalation after Pakistani strikes

NEW DELHI: The Indian government has confirmed that four Indian Air Force (IAF) bases, Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, and Bhuj, sustained damage after Pakistan armed forces retaliated last night, according to Indian media.

During a special briefing, Colonel Sofia Qureshi, representing the Indian Army, revealed that Pakistan launched attacks on 26 strategic Indian sites, including air bases, and fired high-speed missiles at an airbase around 1:40 a.m.

India was committed to preventing further escalation if Pakistan reciprocated. “India does not intend to prolong the fight. “If Pakistan also agrees to de-escalate, we are willing to stand down,” she added.

India recognized the deaths of top personnel, including Raj Kumar Thapa, a senior administrative official, killed after a missile attack in the Rajouri sector of Indian-occupied Kashmir.

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh claimed that Indian forces “neutralised” these threats.

The Pakistani side has not issued a formal statement, but military officials in Islamabad maintained that the strikes were a “measured and proportionate response” to prior Indian provocations.

Earlier, Pakistan Armed Forces had initiated a large-scale military operation named “Operation Bunyan ul Marsoos” in retaliation for continuous Indian provocations, security sources said on early Saturday.

“The Udhampur Air Base — a major operational site — and the airfield in Pathankot have also been heavily hit,” sources said.