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Good evening, Shortly after the Indian Armed Forces targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK), global leaders began to respond to the events that unfolded early this morning. US President Donald Trump expressed his hope that the hostilities would end “very quickly," while India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. India’s Operation Sindoor received endorsement from its close ally Israel, whose Ambassador to New Delhi reaffirmed support for “India’s right to self-defence (sic)." Through his spokesperson, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed "great concern" regarding the Indian strikes and urged both countries to exercise maximum military restraint. Similarly, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, called India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions and “avoid further escalations.” On that note, let’s dive in 👇🏽
📝 The Debrief Breaking down India’s targeted strikes on Pakistan’s terror infrastructure: Operation Sindoor 
Between 1:05 am and 1:30 am on the intervening night of May 6-7, India launched retaliatory strikes against Pakistan’s wide-ranging terrorist infrastructure across Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) and at the heart of the country’s Punjab province in Bahawalpur. The move marked the Indian Armed Forces’ most expansive and widespread retaliation in recent years, since the Balakot airstrikes in 2019 and the post-Uri surgical strikes in 2016. Operation Sindoor, the government said, was undertaken to deliver justice to the victims of last month’s attack in Pahalgam. High-precision: The operation is believed to have been carried out using high-precision missiles; the exact nature of the weapon systems is unknown. However, India’s Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, in media briefing, stated that these are "niche technology weapons" with "precision capability" and a “careful selection of warheads” to ensure there was “no collateral damage.” India termed these strikes as a “measured response” and “non-escalatory” in nature, with no “military installations” targeted during Operation Sindoor, while also warning Pakistan against any “misadventure.” Mapped, and hunted: The attack focused on specific facilities associated with ISI-backed anti-India terror groups or jihadi tanzeems such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), and the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) across POJK and Punjab. In POJK, India struck Kotli, home to the Markaz Abbas (JeM) and Markaz Raheel Shahid (HM), besides the Sawai Nala Camp (LeT) and Syedna Bilal Camp (JeM) in Muzaffarabad. In Punjab, the targeted facilities included the Jaish’s Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, the Lashkar’s Markaz Taiba in Muridke and strongholds such as Sarjal in Tehra Kalan (JeM), Mehmoona Joya near Sialkot (JeM), and Markaz Ahle Hadith (LeT) in Barnala. Most of these facilities, the Indian Armed Forces stated, were used for multiple attacks against India. 
The nature: Qureshi, while briefing the media, said that these sites were primarily used for the recruitment, indoctrination, training areas, and launchpads of would-be militants. Notably, the Markaz Taib is the Lashkar-e-Taiba, and is associated with Hafiz Saeed, the man behind the Mumbai attacks on 26/11. At the same time, Bahawalpur’s Markaz Subhan Allah serves as the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammad. Azhar reportedly told the BBC’s Urdu service that 10 of his family members, including an elder sister, were killed in the strike, besides four of his associates. Fallout: In its response to Operation Sindoor, Pakistan resorted to cross-border shelling across the various sectors of the Line of Control and the International Border, including the use of heavy artillery fire, killing at least nine civilians and leaving 38 others injured. One civilian died and nine others were wounded when an unidentified aircraft allegedly crashed in Akali Khurd, a village near the Bhisiana Air Force station in Bhatinda. Civilian airports in India’s north, close to the India-Pakistan border or in the vicinity of Indian Air Force bases, have been shut down for civilian operations, leading to several flight cancellations or diversions.
✍️ From our newsroom India’s challenges: As the world marks 80 years since the Allied victory in Europe, India finds itself once again drawn into confrontation with Pakistan—“a violent and aggressive cousin that must be dealt with decisively.” In his column, C Raja Mohan reminds us that despite India’s outsized contributions in both World Wars, it was denied a seat at the high table post-1945. Today, that historical injustice still casts a shadow, compounded by the unfinished business of Partition and Pakistan’s persistent use of terror as statecraft. Yet India’s economic rise, poised to overtake Japan, offers its best chance in decades to reshape its global standing. The real test, Mohan argues, lies in navigating both fronts: seizing global opportunity while neutralising the regional threat. Success in one, he writes, “will reinforce the prospects on the other.”
🔎 Need to know Historic: After years of negotiations, India and the United Kingdom announced a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Keir Starmer said it would create jobs, enhance bilateral trade, and bring investment into their countries. Take two: Friedrich Merz was elected German Chancellor on his second attempt after initially failing to secure an absolute majority in the 630-member parliament, falling six votes short. A few hours later, during a second round of voting, Merz secured 325 votes, nine more than the needed number, to ensure his election.
🎙️Expresso Playlist! In today’s Playlist, I recommend an episode of Bloomberg’s Odd Lots podcast, which examines how tariffs are already impacting the gaming industry.
✋🏽 One last thing
I’ll leave you today with a fizzy AdWeek story on how Sprite displaced Pepsi to become America’s number three soft drink.
That’s all from me today. Thank you so much for reading this edition. If you enjoy the Evening Expresso, tell your friends to subscribe to the newsletter. You can do so by signing up for the Morning Expresso. Additionally, you can reach me via email for tips and feedback or simply to say hello! 😀 Until tomorrow, Venkat Ananth |
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