Thursday 07 / May / 2026
The anniversary of last year's four-day military conflict between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan has highlighted competing narratives promoted by New Delhi, Islamabad and Washington over the conflict and the ceasefire that ended four days of fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
New Delhi has largely portrayed Pakistan as the aggressor in the conflict, known in India as "Operation Sindoor," which was triggered by the Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in which 26 civilians were killed, according to Indian authorities.
Pakistan, which refers to the conflict as "Marka-e-Haq" or "Battle of Truth," has cast itself as the victim of Indian aggression and said India never presented evidence linking Islamabad to the attack.
The Trump factor
Meanwhile, repeated claims by US President Donald Trump that he brokered the truth have become another point of dispute.
India has strongly denied any US mediation, with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri saying Modi told Trump the ceasefire was achieved through direct talks between the Indian and Pakistani militaries.
"Prime Minister Modi emphasized that India has not accepted mediation in the past and never will," Misri said.
India maintains a longstanding policy rejecting third-party mediation over Kashmir, the disputed region claimed in full by both countries.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, however, has publicly thanked Trump for helping secure the ceasefire, saying Washington played a "pivotal role" in ending the conflict.
Since the conflict, Pakistan has enjoyed closer relations with the US, stepping up to broker a US-Iran ceasefire, while India's trade deal came with riders involving Russian oil.
Pakistan warns of forceful response to any future attack
Pakistan's military on Thursday warned it would respond forcefully to any future attack as the country marked one year since the four-day conflict with India.
The military said any "hostile design" against Pakistan would be met with "greater strength, precision and resolve" than during last year's conflict, which Islamabad calls "Marka-e-Haq" or "Battle of Truth."
The statement by the Pakistan armed forces came even as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the "courage, precision and resolve" of the Indian armed forces during the military operation against Pakistan last year.
Modi says India remains firm in its resolve to defeat terrorism
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the country remained firm in its resolve to defeat terrorism, marking one year since the four-day conflict with Pakistan.
The military operation was sparked by gunmen attacking tourists close to the resort town of Pahalgam in India-administered Kashmir in April last year, killing 26 people, mostly Hindu men.
At the time, India accused Pakistan of backing the attackers, which Islamabad strongly denied.
This led to the worst conflict between India and Pakistan in decades. The intense four-day conflict saw military strikes on both sides, and dozens of people were killed until a ceasefire was reached on May 10.
On Thursday, Modi said in a post on X that the operation demonstrated India's "firm response against terrorism and an unwavering commitment to safeguarding national security." He also highlighted the "courage, precision and resolve" of the Indian armed forces.
"Today, a year later, we remain as steadfast as ever in our resolve to defeat terrorism and destroy its enabling ecosystem," Modi wrote.
