On Thursday too, the ministry said it had thwarted attempts by Pakistan to target Indian military installations in the northern and western sector using missiles and drones the previous night. This came a day after India launched Operation Sindoor, hitting nine terrorist complexes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the deadly Pahalgam attack. India also neutralised an air defence system in Lahore early Thursday.
6.30 pm: Amid rising India-Pakistan tensions, officials in the state health administration in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab and Delhi told ThePrint Friday that they have been taking stock of available resources, assessing requirements, anticipating possible medical emergencies and working on creating a real-time database on available health resources in every district.
Read the full story by Sumi Sukanya Dutta .
6.20 pm: On the intervening night of 8-9 May, Pakistan attempted drone intrusions at 36 locations along LoC and international border with 300-400 drones, says MEA, adding that India brought down drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means.
The possible purpose of these “large-scale intrusions” was to test India’s air defence and gather intelligence, it said. While forensic examination of drone debris is being undertaken, preliminary reports suggest they are of Turkish origin.
6.05 pm: Pakistan did not close its civilian airspace despite using it airspace to launch attacks at India. It used civilian airliners as a shield: MEA briefing
6.00 pm: In view of the existing security situation, the services of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor to stay closed till further notice, Indus Waters Treaty remains in abeyance: Misri
5.55 pm: 2 children killed, families injured after shell fired by Pakistan landed behind Christ school, run by Carmelite order, in Poonch, J&K on 7 May, according to the MEA.
5.50 pm: Foreign Secretary Misri says, “These provocative and escalatory actions taken by Pakistan last night were targeted at Indian cities and civilian infrastructure in addition to some military infrastructure.”
5.45 pm: In response to the Pakistani attacks, armed drones were launched at four sites in Pakistan and was able to neutralise an air radar. Pakistan army suffered major losses in India’s retaliatory fire, MEA says in press briefing.
5.40 pm: MEA says Pakistan military carried out multiple attacks along western borders, used heavy calibre artillery along the LoC on the intervening night of 8-9 May.
5.30 pm: Special briefing by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Randhir Jaiswal, official spokesperson for the MEA, set to begin shortly.
5.25 pm: Northern Railway announces special train one-way from Jammu to New Delhi on Friday to manage the extra rush. The train is scheduled to depart Jammu Tawi station at 7.10 pm and arrive at the New Delhi Railway Station at 4 am Saturday.
will run one-way reserved special train no. 04620 (TOD) from to on 09.05.2025 to manage extra rush.
Departs JAT: 19:10
Arrives NDLS: 04:00
📍Stops: Samba, Pathankot Cantt, Jalandhar Cantt, Ludhiana, Sanahwal, Ambala Cantt, Panipat.
— PIB in Punjab (@PIB_Jalandhar)
5.20 pm: The Ministry of External Affairs is expected to brief the media on the developments of the last 24 hours at 5.30 pm.
5.10 pm: Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar has issued directions, urging his followers to respond to India’s air strikes. In his 8 May letter, Azhar said, “The Indian jets that were downed were not revenge or retribution. The aircraft did what they had come to do. They could not be stopped… Now, retaliatory action is vital.”
JeM-linked groups are responsible for a number of attacks in India, including one on the Jammu & Kashmir legislative assembly and another on Parliament House.
Read the full report by Praveen Swami .
4.30 pm: The IPL governing council has suspended the Indian Premier League for one week, taking the decision in the “collective interest of all stakeholders”. There are 16 matches yet to be played in the ongoing 18th edition of the league. On Thursday, the Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals match in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, was called off midway following air raid alerts in Pathankot, less than 100 km from the venue.
Read this report by Triya Gulati to .
4.15 pm: The Ministry of Home Affairs has written to the chief secretaries and administrators of all states and Union Territories, asking them to invoke emergency powers under Section 11 of the Civil Defence Rules, 1968. Under this provision, government authorities can grant necessary emergency procurement powers to the director of civil defence of the state/UT to ensure effective implementation of precautionary measures.
4 pm: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Friday afternoon chaired a high-level meeting in New Delhi to review the security situation along the western border and overall operational preparedness of the Indian armed forces.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh attended the meeting.
