Combat-clad officers expose Pakistan's failed 15-target attack, highlight India's crushing response in Lahore

Appearing in combat uniforms, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wg Cmde Vyomika Singh led a high-stakes briefing exposing Pakistan’s failed attack on 15 Indian military targets and confirmed India’s calibrated retaliation neutralising air defence in Lahore.

Image Credit: ANI

Officers—Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh—appeared in combat uniforms at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) press briefing room on Thursday evening, marking a strong image of women in uniform. Their attire sent a message as sharp as their words: India is on high alert and will not tolerate cross-border aggression.

The decision to field uniformed officers for the briefing was not symbolic alone—it signaled operational clarity, readiness, and a direct communication from the battlefield to the nation and the world. It also reflected the gravity of the situation after Pakistan launched an unprecedented missile and drone attack on Indian military bases across 15 locations on the night of May 7–8.

Colonel Qureshi, leading the briefing, stated, “During the press briefing on Operation Sindoor on May 7, India had clearly said our response was focused, measured, and non-escalatory. It was specifically highlighted that Pakistani military establishments were not targeted. However, we had also made it clear that any attack on Indian military assets would invite a suitable response.”

Scroll to load tweet…

Within hours of that statement, Pakistan attempted to strike Indian military targets in Northern and Western sectors, including Awantipora, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj. Drones and missiles were launched in a coordinated attempt to overwhelm Indian defences.

“These were all neutralised by the Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and Air Defence systems,” Colonel Qureshi confirmed. “Debris is now being recovered from multiple locations, conclusively proving Pakistani involvement.”

In a carefully calibrated counterstrike, Indian forces responded by targeting Pakistani military installations—this time with precision.

“This morning, the Indian Armed Forces targeted air defence radars and systems at multiple locations in Pakistan,” Qureshi said. “It has been reliably confirmed that the air defence system at Lahore has been neutralised. The Indian response was delivered in the same domain and intensity as Pakistan’s aggression.”

Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, also speaking at the briefing, described Pakistan’s continued escalation along the Line of Control (LoC), where it has intensified mortar and heavy artillery shelling in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri sectors.

Scroll to load tweet…

“Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children,” she reported. “India was compelled to respond to silence the hostile fire.”

The officers reiterated India’s commitment to non-escalation, provided Pakistan respects that position. However, the tone and setting of the briefing—combat fatigues included—left little doubt that India is prepared for a protracted standoff if necessary.

This press briefing, distinct in both style and content, reflects a shifting paradigm in India’s approach to strategic communication: when deterrence must be backed with clarity, the message must come straight from the frontlines.