India defends Pakistan strikes as ‘legitimate retaliation’

India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday confirmed that recent missile strikes targeting Pakistan were a "carefully planned" operation, carried out as part of New Delhi’s "right to respond" following a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.

The Indian military claimed that the strikes destroyed nine terrorist camps linked to those responsible for last month's attack that left 26 people dead. India has blamed the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba—a UN-designated terrorist organisation—for the incident.

Pakistan, meanwhile, reported that 21 civilians were killed in the missile strikes, with an additional five fatalities resulting from subsequent cross-border gunfire. Officials in Islamabad stated that four children were among the dead, including two three-year-old girls.

Singh told reporters in New Delhi that the targets were selected with "great precision and sensitivity" to avoid civilian casualties. “We only targeted terror camps, exercising our right to respond to the attack on our soil,” he said.

He described the military action as a "calibrated response" aimed specifically at terrorist infrastructure, highlighting what he called India’s "restraint and professionalism." Singh added, “It was a display of precision, alertness, and humanity.”

India’s response had been anticipated following the April 22 attack on tourists in Kashmir. While New Delhi squarely blames Lashkar-e-Taiba, Pakistan has denied any involvement.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of using the military action to boost domestic popularity ahead of elections. Asif confirmed that Islamabad had already retaliated and warned, “We won’t take long to settle the score.”