Several months have passed since India and Pakistan fought a brief but intense conflict in May last year. However, it was not the fighting itself but the sudden announcement of a ceasefire—made not by India or Pakistan but by US President Donald Trump—that raised eyebrows.
The hostilities began after India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ to avenge the deadly Pahalgam terrorist attack, targeting terrorist camps deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Pakistan responded aggressively, launching counter-attacks using drones and missiles against civilian and military targets. However, India’s robust air defence systems ensured that these attacks were effectively neutralised.
In retaliatory strikes, India destroyed Pakistani radar facilities and inflicted heavy damage on Pakistan’s military infrastructure.
By May 10, the conflict had entered its fourth day when President Trump posted on X that New Delhi and Islamabad had agreed to an immediate ceasefire. Shortly afterwards, both countries made formal announcements. Claims were made that Trump had forced India to halt its military operations—an assertion New Delhi never accepted.
India maintained that it stopped the fighting only after the Pakistani side reached out to India’s Directorate General of Military Operations (DGMO).
Now, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi has revealed two key turning points that prompted Pakistan to approach India seeking a cessation of hostilities.
Addressing an annual press conference in New Delhi, General Dwivedi said the Armed Forces were given complete operational freedom during Operation Sindoor. He highlighted that certain orders issued to the forces unsettled Pakistan and ultimately led it to request a ceasefire.
“It took time for them to understand the situation. After that, they started attacking with whatever they had—some with stones, some with drones or missiles. It was a chaotic situation, and they did not know what was happening. Given the mismanagement on the other side, we gave a calibrated response. We did not want to take the fighting further because our politico-military objectives had been achieved,” he said.
The Army Chief stated that the first turning point came after the 22-minute strike carried out by India on terror targets in Pakistan and PoK.
“During those 22 minutes, the decision-making cycle of the opposite side was completely bewildered,” General Dwivedi told reporters.
The second turning point, he said, could not be revealed publicly, but he dropped strong hints that India was prepared for a much larger escalation if required.
“On the morning of May 10, certain orders were issued to all three services in case the fighting escalated. The message was clear about what needed to be done and was understood by those who needed to understand it,” he said, without divulging specific details.
However, General Dwivedi added that Pakistan was clearly aware of which Indian naval ships and aircraft were being moved and to which locations.
“When they connected the dots, they realised it was the right time to stop the fighting and that doing so was in their best interest,” he added.