'Lies, Misinformation, Propaganda': India Dismisses Pakistan's Claims of Damage to Airbases, Critical Infra

New Delhi: India today (May 10) dismissed Pakistan’s claims that several Indian airbases, including an S-400 base, had been destroyed, along with other allegations of attacks on critical power and cyber infrastructure, as “completely false”.

On the fourth day following India’s airstrikes, Pakistan announced that it had launched a retaliatory operation, dubbed ‘Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos’, in the early hours of today (May 10). It claimed to have targeted military bases, air defence systems, and power infrastructure. This marked the first formal acknowledgment by Pakistan of retaliation against India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’, which was launched following the April 22 Pahalgam attack which left 26 civilians dead.

Over the past few days, there had also been a series of drone intrusions from Pakistan, which were met with Indian responses, but until now, Islamabad had not officially described them as acts of retaliation.

At a joint press briefing by the foreign and defence ministries, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said, “Pakistani claims about activities that they have undertaken continue to be heavy on lies, misinformation and propaganda — and on top of that, this is peddled by Pakistani state agencies.”

He said that claims of damage to Air Force stations at Sirsa, Suratgarh, and the S-400 radar base at Udhampur were untrue. “Claims have been made about large sections of Indian critical infrastructure, power systems, cyber systems, etc., being attacked and destroyed. Completely false,” stated Misri.

He said these actions were consistent with the Pakistani military’s “escalatory and provocative pattern” of behaviour “since the last two to three days”. “As I’ve said on numerous earlier occasions, it is Pakistan’s actions that have constituted provocation and escalation. In response – and I repeat, in response – India has defended itself and reacted in a responsible and measured manner to these provocations and escalations by the Pakistani side.”

Providing operational details, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army said that Pakistan had employed “UCAVs, drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions, and fighter aircraft to target civilian areas and military infrastructure”.

They also noted that the Pakistani military carried out “air intrusions using drones and firing of heavy calibre weapons” along the Line of Control.

In total, there were “air intrusions and several harassment attacks” at more than 26 locations along the international border and the Line of Control, from Srinagar till Naliya.

“Indian armed forces successfully neutralised these threats and the majority of the vectors. However, limited damage was sustained to equipment and personnel at Indian Air Force stations in Udhampur, Patan, Adampur, and Bhuj,” said the statement.

In addition, Pakistan had launched “several high-speed missile attacks” after 1:40 a.m. at multiple air bases in Punjab.

Listing attacks on civilian infrastructure, Wing Commander Singh said these included the Medicare centre and school premises at air bases in Srinagar, Awantipora, and Udhampur.

She added that there was heavy exchange of artillery, mortar, and small arms fire in the Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, and Akhnoor sectors, which was met with a robust Indian Army response that caused “extensive damage” to Pakistani military positions.

'Moving troops into forward areas'

She also noted the Pakistani military had been “observed moving their troops into forward areas, indicating offensive intent to further escalate the situation. “Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness,” stated that Indian defence personnel.

Stating that all hostile actions were “effectively countered and responded to appropriately”, she asserted, “Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistan military.”

India’s “swift and calibrated” response had focused only on military targets, such as technical infrastructure, command and control centres, radar sites, and weapons storage areas, noted the statement.

“Pakistan military targets at Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian were engaged using air-launched precision weapons from our fighter aircraft. Radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation base were also targeted using precision munitions. While carrying out these responses, India ensured minimum collateral damage,” she said.

She also rejected Pakistan’s claims about the destruction of India’s S-400 system at Adampur, the airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, the BrahMos base at Nagrota, RT gun positions at Dehrangyari, and the Chandigarh Forward Ammunition Depot. Timestamped images of the Suratgarh and Sirsa airfields were displayed at the briefing to show that there was no damage.

'Discord between communities'

Later, Misri said Pakistan’s actions were part of a “consistent attempt to sow discord between communities in India”.

He pointed out that Pakistani officials continued to make “ludicrous claims about India firing missiles towards Sri Amritsar Sahib”, which he had earlier described as a “deranged fantasy”.

“As I said, these lame attempts to divide India are doomed to failure,” he noted.

Misri also addressed another “totally frivolous allegation” that Indian missiles had hit Afghanistan.

“And I only want to point out that the Afghan people don’t need to be reminded about which country it is that has on multiple occasions in just the last 1.5 years targeted civilian populations and civilian infrastructure in Afghanistan,” he said.

The foreign secretary also responded to clips aired of Indian politicians and civil society criticising the Indian government, which had been presented by the Pakistani military spokesperson.

“We have also seen in some of the remarks shown on television that the Pakistani army spokesman seems to take great joy at the fact that the Indian public criticises the Government of India with regard to various issues. It may be a surprise to Pakistan to see citizens criticising their own government – that is the hallmark of an open and functioning democracy. Pakistan’s unfamiliarity with that again should not be surprising,” he stated.

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