India on Tuesday (May 12) responded to the reports claiming China extended support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, saying countries attempting to shield terror infrastructure must consider the reputational cost of such actions.
The remarks followed reports claiming Beijing had extended technical support to Pakistan during the May 2025 military escalation triggered by the Pahalgam terror attack.
Responding to queries during the weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have seen reports that corroborate what was known earlier.”
In an indirect but pointed message, Jaiswal added, “It is for nations that consider themselves responsible to reflect on whether supporting attempts to protect terrorist infrastructure affects their reputation and standing.”
He also highlighted that Operation Sindoor was launched solely as a counter-terror action following the killing of 26 civilians in Pahalgam on April 22 last year. Officials described the operation as a focused military response designed to hit terror facilities operating from Pakistan territory.
“Operation Sindoor was a precise, targeted, and calibrated response to the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam, aimed at destroying state-sponsored terrorist infrastructure operating out of Pakistan,” Jaiswal stated.
Pahalgam attack and escalation
The crisis began after heavily armed terrorists attacked tourists in the Baisaran meadow area near Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, killing 26 civilians and injuring several others after reportedly identifying victims on the basis of religion
India blamed Pakistan-backed terror groups for orchestrating the attack, calling it one of the deadliest strikes on civilians in Kashmir in recent years.
In response, India launched Operation Sindoor in May 2025, carrying out precision strikes on what it described as terrorist launch pads and infrastructure across the Line of Control and in Pakistan-occupied territories. Pakistan responded with retaliatory shelling and drone activity, leading to several days of heightened military exchanges between the two neighbours.
India also announced a series of diplomatic measures after the Pahalgam attack, including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty review mechanism with Pakistan
India marks one year of Operation Sindoor
Marking a year of Operation Sindoor, during a joint press conference held in Jaipur on May 7, 2026, senior officials from India’s three armed forces–Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai (Indian Army), Air Marshal A.K. Bharti (Indian Air Force), and Vice Admiral A.N. Pramod (Indian Navy)–provided a first-hand account of Operation Sindoor and India’s coordinated military response to the Pahalgam terror attack. The briefing brought out how the seamless integration of military preparedness, strategic diplomatic messaging, and counter-terror cooperation had significantly strengthened India’s overall security posture in the aftermath of the attack.
Notably, these were the same officers who had jointly addressed the nation during back-to-back press briefings at the National Media Centre in New Delhi while Operation Sindoor was actively underway in May 2025, providing real-time updates on the tri-service military action.