Indian public and government sentiment called for a robust response after the April 22, 2025, terror incident in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 civilian lives.
Operation Sindoor, a series of precision missile and airstrikes targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Pakistan’s Punjab region, was initiated on May 7, 2025, after the Indian government threatened to take strong action against the offenders.
According to Indian sources, the operation primarily ignored civilian areas and Pakistani military locations in favor of destroying the operational bases of organizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Pakistan dramatically increased the strength of its border defenses in reaction to India’s efforts. Pakistan stepped up the deployment of troops, heavy artillery, and tanks near the border with Gujarat and Rajasthan, according to intelligence inputs and assertions made by BSF Inspector General Abhishek Pathak. High-caliber weapons and cutting-edge surveillance equipment were quickly placed at all border posts as the BSF, Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force quickly increased their own preparations.
The marshy, salty terrain and restricted movement routes in the area presented a significant challenge for the BSF’s Gujarat Frontier, which was in charge of guarding the border between Barmer, Rajasthan, and Kutch, Gujarat. This made patrols and operations particularly taxing.
Pakistan launched a series of retaliation attacks between May 7 and the end of hostilities on May 10. About 200 (about 40%) of the nearly 600 drones and missiles that were aimed at the Indian border entered Gujarati airspace, according to BSF officers.
Every attack was successfully thwarted by the Indian security services working in tandem with the Army and Air Force. While some drones were shot down, others were made to turn around, meaning that no soldiers, civilians, or military installations were harmed. No damage was recorded on the ground, and missile assaults were also prevented.
The drone and missile assault was unprecedented, Inspector General Abhishek Pathak noted, adding that every facet of the strikes was being examined to strengthen India’s reaction capabilities.
He emphasized the vital assistance from border dwellers and the Gujarat state government, as well as the smooth collaboration between the BSF, Army, Air Force, state police, and district administration. The operation established new standards for border security issues as it was the first significant drone conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Following hotline conversations between the two countries’ directors general of military operations, and with international diplomatic participation from the United States, a ceasefire was agreed upon on May 10, 2025.
Since then, the ceasefire has held, enabling the area to return to normalcy. In order to handle changing threats and guarantee the security of border communities, the BSF and other security agencies are evaluating and improving their tactics.
