From Pakistan to the US and Europe, Here's What International Media Said on Operation Sindoor
While Pakistani media amplified on the country's claim of downing Indian planes, American and European media focused on the rapid escalation of hostilities and international diplomatic response.
Pavan Korada
06:50 PM May 08, 2025 IST
Army officer Col Sofiya Qureshi addresses a press conference regarding 'Operation Sindoor', in New Delhi, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Photo: PTI
After India carried out Operation Sindoor on Wednesday (May 7, 2025) and targeted terror camps inside Pakistan, newsrooms across the world raced to cover the rapidly escalating crisis between the two neighouring nuclear powers.
From Islamabad to Washington, London to Beijing, media outlets carried stories, focusing on different aspects of the conflict and bringing in multiple perspectives. While the Pakistani media amplified the country's claim of downing Indian planes, American and European media focused on the rapid escalation of hostilities and international diplomatic response. Here's a summary of the international media's coverage of the operation.
Pakistan
Pakistan's media outlets – television, print, and online – presented a unified message. They portrayed a clear narrative: India had acted as an unprovoked aggressor that targeted civilians. While Pakistan grieved for its "martyrs," its military forces responded swiftly and decisively, particularly emphasising their claims of downing multiple Indian aircraft. Throughout the coverage, themes of national unity and defiance dominated.
Dawn, a leading English daily, struck a somber tone in reporting 31 civilian deaths from what it termed Indian "terrorism." The military's chief spokesperson, Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, accused India of targeting civilians and crucial infrastructure, including the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project –damage that officials in Muzaffarabad later verified.
A pivotal claim, emphasised by Dawn, was the "downing of five Indian fighter jets," which gained partial credence when Indian officials acknowledged three of their aircraft had "crashed." The paper documented international pleas for de-escalation and confirmed high-level communications between the two nations' security advisors.
Local incidents, such as the reported downing of an explosives-laden Indian drone near Lahore's Walton Airport, featured in The Friday Times. The paper described widespread panic among residents and presented this as part of a pattern of successful interceptions of Indian aircraft.
The News International amplified official declarations of military triumph. Analyst Ansar Abbasi declared the "downing of three Indian Rafale fighter jets" represented a "crippling blow" to India's air power.
In a televised address widely covered by Geo, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledged that "every drop of martyrs' blood will be accounted for," praising Pakistani pilots for reducing Indian jets – once a source of pride – to "fragments and ashes."
The Express Tribune reported the military's count of 31 civilian deaths, documenting strikes on mosques and other non-military targets. Lt-Gen Chaudhry's denunciation of India's "cowardly attacks" featured prominently. The paper presented the military's definitive claim: five Indian jets (three Rafales, a MiG-29, a Su-30) and a Heron drone were shot down, all while Pakistani aircraft remained within their airspace. The National Security Committee (NSC) endorsed this assessment and authorised a decisive military response.
The Nation similarly emphasised the NSC's backing for the armed forces, reporting they had "resolutely defended the territorial integrity...while also bringing down five Indian fighter aircraft." The Urdu daily Jang focused heavily on the Rafale downings, citing a purported "senior French intelligence official" who allegedly told CNN about at least one such loss – marking the first time a French-made Rafale had been shot down in combat. Jang also reported that Shehbaz Sharif briefed Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the details of the Indian attacks.
America
Across the Atlantic, major American news outlets covered the conflict extensively. Their reporting focused on three key aspects – the rapid escalation of hostilities, the contentious claims about downed Indian aircraft, and the swift international diplomatic response.
The New York Times reported India's airstrikes as a proclaimed "victory in the name of vengeance" for an earlier terrorist attack in Kashmir. The paper noted "growing evidence that Indian forces may have taken heavy losses," citing multiple sources confirming at least two downed Indian aircraft. While India characterised its actions as "measured," Pakistan condemned them as "an unprovoked and blatant act of war." The NYT reported Prime Minister Sharif's unverified claim of five downed Indian jets, alongside confirmation from an unnamed Indian official that three Indian aircraft had crashed—though the causes remained unclear.
The Washington Post portrayed a region "on the brink of direct conflict," characterising India's offensive as its "deepest and deadliest strikes inside Pakistan in decades." The paper contrasted Pakistan's report of 21 casualties with India's assertion that it avoided civilian targets.
It emphasised the "rattling" impact of strikes deep within Pakistan's Punjab heartland and highlighted Prime Minister Sharif's claim of downing five Indian warplanes – while noting the crucial caveat that these "claims could not be independently verified."
CNN focused on the central confrontation: Indian military strikes met with Pakistan's claim of downing five Indian jets. The network contrasted India's assertion of striking "terrorist infrastructure" against Pakistan's report of at least 26 civilian deaths, while highlighting Prime Minister Sharif's declaration that the strikes were "an act of war."
Although CNN journalists witnessed explosions and documented aircraft wreckage in Indian-administered Kashmir, initially the network emphasised it "cannot independently verify the claim" of downed jets. However, in a recent update, CNN cited a French intelligence official who confirmed that Pakistan had downed an IAF Rafale.
Europe
European media outlets provided diverse coverage ranging from factual reporting of casualties and events to deeper analysis examining military capabilities and historical context.
The BBC News delivered a straightforward account, documenting India's launch of "Operation Sindoor" after the Pahalgam attack. The outlet highlighted the conflicting narratives: Pakistan's denial of involvement and Prime Minister Sharif's declaration that the "heinous act of aggression will not go unpunished."
It presented both sides' claims – Pakistan reporting 31 deaths and five downed Indian aircraft, while India cited 15 civilian casualties from Pakistani shelling.
The Guardian reported on Pakistan's forceful response, with Prime Minister Sharif vowing to "avenge each drop of blood."
In an interview, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar stated his country would go to "any extent." The paper noted the conflicting narratives – while India claimed to target militant camps, Pakistan insisted no such facilities existed in the struck areas. The report also mentioned debris from at least three aircraft scattered across Indian-administered Kashmir and Punjab, with New Delhi maintaining silence on the matter.
Germany's Deutsche Welle (DW), reported Pakistan's authorisation of a military response and its accusation that India had ignited "an inferno." The coverage included analysis from various experts on the risks of escalation. DW also noted that the Indian Embassy in China had dismissed Pakistan's claims of downed jets as "disinformation."
France's Le Monde published a sharply critical analysis of India's military operation. The paper noted New Delhi's acknowledgment of losing "at least three fighter aircraft," with one possibly being a Rafale. The article characterised "Operation Sindoor" as revealing significant weaknesses in the Indian Air Force, highlighting concerns about fleet modernisation and pilot training. It also reported Pakistani military sources' claims that Chinese-made J-10s had shot down five Indian aircraft, and noted allegations of Indian media being pressured to downplay news of the crashes.
Spain's El País reported Pakistan's threats of retaliation after Indian attacks killed 31 people, noting that these strikes in Punjab marked the first such attacks since the 1970s. The Financial Times provided an on-the-ground perspective from Muzaffarabad, highlighting the contrast between India's claims of "precision" strikes and Pakistan's death toll of 31. Reuters detailed specific strike locations, including a seminary with links to Masood Azhar. Italy's Corriere della Sera characterised the conflict as a "war of civilisations" with nuclear implications.
Rest of the world
Media outlets across the Asia-Pacific region closely monitored the situation, examining its impact on regional stability, scrutinising rival military claims, and assessing potential economic fallout.
Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) highlighted Pakistan's claim that its Chinese-made J-10C fighter jets had downed Indian aircraft, including three Rafales.
The SCMP noted that, if verified, this would represent both the J-10 C's first successful air-to-air combat and the Rafale's first combat loss.
Singapore's The Straits Times reported Pakistan's stern warning to "avenge" the deaths. The paper detailed Pakistani military claims of downing five Indian jets, while also noting a significant corroboration from "an Indian senior security source" who confirmed three Indian jets had crashed in their own territory.
In Japan, The Japan Times reported on India's strikes against Pakistan following the Kashmir tourist killings, along with Islamabad's claim of downing five Indian fighter jets. The paper detailed India's assertion of striking nine "terrorist infrastructure" targets, while Pakistan maintained that six civilian locations were hit, causing at least 26 deaths.
Though India remained silent about aircraft losses, The Japan Times reported that four local government sources in Indian Kashmir confirmed three Indian jets had crashed, with their pilots hospitalised.
The coverage included Pakistan's condemnation of the attack as a "blatant act of war," its formal notification to the UN Security Council, and widespread international calls for restraint – notably featuring Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya's expression of grave concern and appeal for dialogue.
Australia's Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) reported Pakistan's vow of retaliation after Indian missiles killed at least 26 people. The paper documented Pakistan's assertion of downing "several Indian fighter aircraft," along with reports that two planes had crashed in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Qatar-based Al Jazeera provided comprehensive live coverage of the events, offering diverse perspectives through its dynamic blog. The coverage highlighted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's declaration to "avenge the blood of our innocent martyrs."
The network reported several key developments: Pakistani forces claimed to have shot down a second drone over Lahore. According to CNN (as reported by Al Jazeera), an unnamed senior Pakistani security source described an extensive aerial engagement involving 125 jets from both sides, which allegedly resulted in five downed Indian aircraft.
The coverage also confirmed temporary flight suspensions at major Pakistani airports and damage to the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project.
In Nepal, vernacular newspapers this morning highlighted Indian strikes on alleged 'terror camps' in Pakistan. Many publications featured images of the destroyed sites on their front pages. Sri Lanka’s leading english daily The Daily Mirror curated Reuters and NDTV news reports.