In an attempt to avenge Pahalgam, India carried out Operation Sindoor in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Reactions of Indian leaders across the political board have continued pouring in on social media and otherwise. Uniting against Pakistan-based terror infrastructures, ministers across political parties hailed the successful execution of the counter-terror operation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, unleashing proud cries of “Jai Hind.”
World leaders, on the other hand, turned into mediating links, hoping for aggressive matters between India and Pakistan to de-escalate as soon as possible. While the majority denounced terrorism, particular countries also resorted to picking sides.
Ultimately, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif spoke out in the aftermath of the military strikes, which destroyed nine Pakistan-based terror camps. Expressing the country’s willingness to back down and avoid further complications, he said in an interview with Bloomberg Television, “We have been saying all along the last fortnight that we will never initiate anything hostile toward India. But if India attacks, we’ll respond… If India backs down, we’ll definitely wrap up these things… These are not hostile acts — we are just defending our territory.”
Here’s how other nations responded:
From US to China, world leaders react to India’s Operation Sindoor
- United States: President Donald Trump was the first world leader to react to Operation Sindoor. Hoping that the current sense of hostility between India and Pakistan ends “very quickly,” he told reporters, “It’s a shame. We just heard about it, they’ve been fighting for a long time.” After the attack, he even mentioned that he was “very close to India,” while simultaneously stating America’s “very close” ties to Pakistan as well.
Consequently, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement via his X account, divulging that he was closely monitoring the situation between the two nuclear powers. “I echo POTUS‘s comments earlier today that this hopefully ends quickly and will continue to engage both Indian and Pakistani leadership towards a peaceful resolution,” he wrote on social media.
As a follow-up, the American Department of State released the statement: “Earlier this afternoon, @SecRubio spoke to the national security advisors from India and Pakistan. He urged both to keep lines of communication open and avoid escalation.”
- China: The Chinese Foreign Ministry outrightly called the escalation between India and Pakistan “regrettable.” However, the fellow Asian country also noted that it was against all forms of terrorism. The official statement released earlier today also called upon both countries to assume aggressive stances at the moment to prioritise peace and stability.
“India and Pakistan are and will always be each other’s neighbours. They’re both China’s neighbours as well. China opposes all forms of terrorism. We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation,” stated the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson.
- Turkey: In a rare move, Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan expressed outright solidarity with Pakistan against India’s Operation Sindoor. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan shared in an official tweet: “FM of Türkiye @HakanFidan called DPM/FM @MIshaqDar50 to express Türkiye’s solidarity with Pakistan against India’s unprovoked aggression violating Pakistan’s sovereignty and killing innocent civilians. He expressed concern over the deteriorating regional security situation. Both leaders agreed to remain in close coordination on the evolving situation.”
- Israel: Contrarily, Israel put its support behind India, following as several terror infrastructures were reduced to rubble in Pakistan. “Israel supports India’s right to self-defence. Terrorists should know there’s no place to hide from their heinous crimes against the innocent. #OperationSindoor,” Israel Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, wrote on X.
- United Nations: A spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted, “The world cannot afford a military confrontation between Indian and Pakistan.” In an official statement, the UN chief’s serious concerns regarding the aggressive escalation became the prime focus: “The Secretary-General is very concerned about the Indian military operations across the Line of Control and international border. He calls for maximum military restraint from both countries.”
- Qatar: The State of Qatar expressed deep concern in light of the continuing escalation between the neighbouring countries, urging them to exercise maximum restraint. “…give priority to the voice of wisdom, respect the principles of good neighbourliness, and resolve the crisis through diplomatic means,” read the official statement released on May 7.
It added, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasises the urgent need to keep communication channels open between India and Pakistan to defuse tensions and address unresolved issues between them through constructive dialogue, ultimately leading to comprehensive, consensual, and sustainable solutions. It also reiterated the State of Qatar’s full support for all regional and international efforts aimed at promoting security, peace, and stability in the region.”
- Russia: Denouncing all forms of terrorism, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said, “We are deeply concerned about the intensifying military confrontation between India and Pakistan after the terrorist attack near the city of Pahalgam,” as per news agency TASS. Hoping that differences between the two countries would be resolved without any hostility, the spokesperson added, “We hope that the differences between New Delhi and Islamabad will be resolved through peaceful, political and diplomatic means on a bilateral basis in accordance with the provisions of the Simla Agreement of 1972 and the Lahore Declaration of 1999.”
- United Kingdom: UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, in a statement, urged India and Pakistan to show “restraint” as this way, he believes, “nobody wins”. “Current tensions between India and Pakistan are a serious concern. The UK government is urging India and Pakistan to show restraint and engage in direct dialogue to find a swift, diplomatic path forward,” read the statement.
It added, “The UK has close and unique relationships with both countries. I have made clear to my counterparts in India and Pakistan that if this escalates further, nobody wins. The UK was clear in its condemnation of the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam last month. We need all sides to work urgently to see regional stability restored and ensure protection of civilians.”
“The safety of British nationals in the region will always be our priority. The FCDO continues to monitor developments closely and stands ready to support any British nationals 24/7. Any British nationals in the region should follow the FCDO’s travel advice for the country they are in, along with the advice of the local authorities,” it further said.
- Rishi Sunak: Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sided with India on Operation Sindoor, adding that “there can be no impunity for terrorists”. He took to X and wrote, “No nation should have to accept terrorist attacks being launched against it from land controlled by another country. India is justified in striking terrorist infrastructure. There can be no impunity for terrorists.”
- Malaysia: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed his “full understanding of the difficult circumstances Pakistan is facing,” while hoping for the situation to de-escalate swiftly. “I strongly condemned any form of violence and affirmed Malaysia’s support for an independent and transparent investigation to identify those responsible,” he said in a post on X. In addition to extending sympathies with Pakistan, Malaysian PM attempted to boast neutrality by assuming a stance to mediate between India and Pakistan if needed, he added, “We believe our close ties with both Pakistan and India place us in a position to support efforts towards regional peace and stability.”
More reactions will be added.