Beijing:
India on Wednesday launched “Operation Sindoor”, hitting terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack. Reacting to the development, China has expressed concern and urged both sides to show restraint in response to a major escalation between its nuclear-armed neighbours.
A close ally of Pakistan, China shares land borders with both countries. Beijing expressed its “regret over India’s military action this morning” and said it was “concerned about the current developments”.
“India and Pakistan are neighbours that cannot be moved apart, and they are also China’s neighbours. China opposes all forms of terrorism,” a foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement.
“We call on both India and Pakistan to prioritise peace and stability, remain calm and restrained and avoid taking actions that further complicate the situation,” the spokesperson added.
India’s Action Against Pakistan
India and Pakistan exchanged heavy artillery along the borders on Wednesday, after New Delhi carried out “precision strikes at terrorist camps” at nine sites in POK and Pakistan’s Punjab. The military action was carried out two weeks after the killing of 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
Islamabad said Indian strikes had killed at least eight people, while India said Pakistani artillery fire had killed ten civilians along the Line of Control (LoC).
After the operation, the Indian army said “justice is served”, with New Delhi stressing its actions “have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature”.
“No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and the method of execution,” an official statement said.
Reports said that Indian armed forces used stand-off weapons, drones and precision munitions, besides other weapons, in the strike. The targets included Hizbul Mujahideen’s facility in Mehmoona Joya in Sialkot, Lashkar-e-Taiba’s base in Markaz Ahle Hadith in Barnala and its camp in Muzaffarabad’s Shawai Nalla. India also struck at Jaish-e-Mohammad’s Markaz Abbas facility in Kotli.