Pahalgam attack to Trump mediation: Complete timeline of India-Pak conflict

Business Standard

11-05-2025

India and Pakistan agreed to cease all military operations following a surprise understanding brokered by the United States. The de-escalation, announced after intense overnight talks led by US President Donald Trump's administration with both New Delhi and Islamabad, brought the two nuclear-armed neighbours back from the precipice of full-scale war. The verbal agreement was said to be effective from 5 pm on May 10.
This truce followed nearly 20 days of escalating conflict, sparked by the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists. India blamed Pakistan 's deep state and associated the attack with the Lashkar-e-Taiba-linked group, The Resistance Front—charges Pakistan denied. As both sides retaliated militarily and diplomatically, fears of a wider conflict mounted.
Here's a complete timeline on how the crisis unfolded and what is known so far.
April 22: Pahalgam terror attack
A brutal terror attack at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, left 26 dead, including 25 Indians and one Nepali tourist. Terror group The Resistance Front claimed responsibility, but later denied their role in the incident.
According to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, the group has links to Lashkar-e-Taiba and confirms 'established' Pakistan connections. India accused Islamabad of doing nothing to dismantle the terror infrastructure.
April 23: India suspends Indus Waters Treaty
April 24: Pakistan suspends Simla Agreement
Pakistan responded with its own countermeasures:
Closure of airspace to Indian flights
Suspension of the 1972 Simla Agreement
Shutting the Wagah border for trade
Expulsion of Indian military diplomats
SAARC visa exemption revoked for Indian citizens
April 25 – May 6: Ceasefire violations across LoC
Pakistan engaged in frequent low-intensity cross-border firing across multiple sectors along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. Indian forces responded in kind with proportionate use of small arms.
Early morning, May 7: India launches Operation Sindoor
In the wee hours of May 7, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting precision strikes on nine terror training camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Foreign Secretary Misri clarified that the strikes were a focused and measured exercise in self-defence, avoiding any Pakistani military installations. x
May 7 night: Pakistan retaliates with 15 missile firings in J&K
Later that same day, Pakistan launched 15 missiles at Indian territory, with eight aimed at locations in Jammu and Kashmir. Indian air defences intercepted the attacks and launched a retaliatory drone strike, which successfully disabled several of Pakistan's air defence units, including sites in Lahore, the government said.
May 8 night: Pakistan launches 300-400 drones
Pakistan initiated a second wave of retaliation by deploying between 300 and 400 drones across 36 western Indian towns and cities. Many of the drones were Turkish-made Asisguard SONGARs. The Indian military reported that around fifty drones were shot down, while others were neutralised through radio jamming.
May 9: Third wave of drone attacks from Pakistan
The night of May 9 witnessed a third wave of missile and drone attacks from Pakistan. Indian air defences remained active into the morning of May 10, as drone sightings were reported over Amritsar and Jaisalmer.
May 9: IMF approves $1 bn funding to Pak, India abstains
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a $1 billion disbursement to Pakistan under the Extended Fund Facility, bringing total disbursements under the programme to $2.1 billion. Additionally, $1.4 billion was cleared under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility, ostensibly to help Pakistan address climate-related vulnerabilities.
India abstained from voting at the IMF Executive Board meeting, sharply criticising the decision. The Finance Ministry issued a statement saying the IMF's processes 'lacked moral safeguards' and warned that such fungible inflows could easily be diverted to fund military or terrorist activities.
May 10 morning: India accuses Pak of attacking 26 urban centres
On the morning of May 10, the Ministry of External Affairs publicly accused Pakistan of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals. The government said this represented a clear and unacceptable escalation.
A senior government official was confirmed dead in Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir, and civilians were injured in Ferozepur, Punjab. India also reported that Pakistan had targeted twenty-six urban centres, including military bases near Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, Adampur and Pathankot in Punjab, and Bhuj in Gujarat.
May 10 afternoon: India and Pakistan agree to a conditional ceasefire
Amid warnings of yet another night of sirens, blackouts and incoming strikes, unexpected news emerged that the United States had successfully mediated a ceasefire. Initially announced by President Trump on his Truth Social platform, the understanding of a ceasefire was later confirmed by joint statements from both Indian and Pakistani officials.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri revealed that the DGMO of Pakistan had called his Indian counterpart at 3:30 pm and agreed to cease all hostilities—on land, air, and sea—effective from 5 pm that day. One of the conditions discussed in this case was that India would not reactivate the Indus Waters Treaty.
May 10 night: Explosions heard over J&K
Just hours after the agreement took effect, explosions were reported in Srinagar. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah posted on social media, 'This is no ceasefire,' adding that air defence units in Srinagar had opened fire and explosions were being heard across the city.
Later that evening, Foreign Secretary Misri admitted that there had been repeated violations of the military understanding reached earlier that day.
It must be noted that an official ceasefire was not in place - an understanding of a ceasefire was reached.
A formal ceasefire is a legally binding agreement between conflicting parties, often documented and sometimes mediated by third parties. In this case, the third party could possibly be the United States. It includes clearly defined terms, official signatories, and mechanisms for monitoring compliance.
The 1972 Simla Agreement is one example. It converted the Ceasefire Line into the LoC and established that all disputes would be resolved bilaterally.
In contrast, an "understanding" of a ceasefire is typically informal, lacks legal enforceability, and is often communicated verbally, as was the case here.