The Indian military successfully engaged and repelled Pakistan‘s abortive attempt to use drones and missiles to attack Indian military installations in Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur in a significant military escalation. India retaliated by attacking Sialkot, Lahore, and Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
Many towns and cities in J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat had blackouts of varying lengths of time, and authorities reassured residents of their safety while issuing advisories. Separately, Indian forces successfully retaliated against Pakistan for violating the ceasefire along the Line of Control. The cross-border strike came after India’s Operation Sindoor, in which the military retaliated for the Pahalgam terror attack by destroying terrorist centers in nine different areas in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Pakistan’s provocation and India’s strong retaliation on Thursday night begs the question – are the nuclear neighbours at war? If yes, how is a war formally declared in India?
Unlike some nations with explicit legislation on declarations of war, India handles issues pertaining to such declarations through a combination of executive authority, legislative supervision, and constitutional requirements.