India has successfully foiled a major missile and drone attack launched by Pakistan late Wednesday night, 7–8 May, targeting 15 cities across the northern and western parts of the country, the ministry of defence said in a press briefing on Thursday.
In a swift counteroffensive, Indian forces launched drone strikes on multiple Pakistani cities, including Lahore — where an air defence system has been confirmed to have been neutralised in the Indian strike.
According to an official communiqué from the defence ministry, “On the night of 7–8 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage several military targets in northern and western India using drones and missiles. All incoming threats were effectively neutralised by India’s Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and Air Defence systems.”
In retaliation against Pakistan’s attack, the Indian armed forces carried out targeted drone strikes, disabling Pakistani air defence radars and associated systems in several key locations, it has been reported.
"During the press conference on 7 May, it was made clear that Pakistani military sites were not targeted. But on intervening night of 7 and 8 May, Pakistan targeted several military sites in north and western India such as Awantipora, Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, etc," said Colonel Sofiya Qureshi at the press briefing.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh has emphasised, “India has always acted as a responsible nation and advocated for peaceful resolution through dialogue. But our patience should not be mistaken for weakness.”
As per reports, India deployed its Russian-made S-400 missile defence systems to intercept and destroy the incoming missiles. The drone counterattacks were aimed at degrading Pakistan’s defence capabilities, as described by Indian officials.
Despite India saying on 7 May that its attack on the terror camps on Pakistani soil was targeted and "non-escalatory", Pakistan has launched missile strikes on India, affecting civilians.
Military analysts now suggest the situation marks a sharp escalation in hostilities between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, though Indian officials maintain that the country’s response was strictly defensive and limited in scope.
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