Manila, May 4: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today dismissed as speculation reports that he has emerged as a front runner in the race for presidential election.
"It is speculative. I don't want to comment on it," he told reporters on way to Manila where he will be attending the 45th Annual Meeting of Asian Development Bank's Board of Governors.
Media today carried reports that he has emerged as a front runner as ruling combination's candidate in the presidential election.
New Delhi: The government is briefing an all-party meeting on Thursday on the success of "Operation Sindoor" and its aftermath, as top government functionaries and opposition leaders met for a second time in a fortnight amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.
Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, S Jaishankar, J P Nadda and Nirmala Sitharaman represented the government, while Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge from the Congress, Sandip Bandyopadhyay of the Trinamool Congress and DMK's T R Baalu were among the leading opposition figures in the meeting.
Other opposition leaders included Ram Gopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, Sanjay Singh of the AAP, Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut, NCP (SP)'s Supriya Sule, BJD's Sasmit Patra and CPI(M)'s John Brittas.
JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha, Union minister and LJP (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan and AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi were also part of the meeting.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government wanted to brief all parties on "Operation Sindoor".
In retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes early Wednesday on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's base Muridke.
The military strikes were carried out under 'Operation Sindoor' two weeks after the massacre of 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.
The government had earlier called an all-party meeting on April 24 to brief leaders on the attack.
The Ministry of Defence has urged media outlets, digital platforms, and individuals to refrain from live coverage or real-time reporting of defence operations and troop movements.
Citing the risks to operational success and personnel safety, the Ministry highlighted past incidents — including the Kargil War, the 26/11 attacks, and the Kandahar hijacking — where premature information disclosure had severe consequences.
"Under Clause 6(1)(p) of the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021, only authorised officials are permitted to release updates during anti-terror operations," the Ministry stressed. It called for responsible reporting and greater sensitivity towards national security concerns.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a high-level review of the country’s security situation on Friday (May 9, 2025) at South Block in New Delhi, following the foiled large-scale drone strike launched by Pakistan on Thursday.
The meeting was attended by senior military leadership, including Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, and Defence Secretary RK Singh.
The security review comes in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, in which Indian Armed Forces struck nine terror infrastructures across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday, prompting Pakistan’s attempted retaliation.
New Delhi, May 10: In a detailed joint briefing today, India’s defence and foreign ministries dismantled Pakistan’s claims of major strikes on Indian infrastructure and exposed Islamabad’s alleged attempts to escalate conflict along the border. Here's a clear breakdown of 12 crucial points made by Indian military officials:
1. Pakistan’s Claims Are False
The Indian government called Pakistan’s statements about destroying airbases, power grids, and cyber systems “completely false” and “state-sponsored propaganda.”
2. No Damage to Indian Airbases
Indian officials categorically denied Pakistani claims of hitting Sirsa, Suratgarh, and the S-400 radar base in Udhampur.
3. Pakistan Used Multiple Attack Platforms
Pakistan employed UCAVs (unmanned combat aerial vehicles), loitering munitions, long-range missiles, and fighter aircraft to target military and civilian sites.
4. Civilian Infrastructure Targeted
Pakistan struck schools and a Medicare centre near Indian Air Force bases in Srinagar, Awantipora, and Udhampur.
5. Over 26 Locations Attacked
India reported air intrusions and harassment attacks across 26+ locations from Srinagar to Naliya, along the Line of Control (LoC) and international border.
6. Limited Damage at IAF Bases
Minor damage occurred at four IAF stations: Udhampur, Patan, Adampur, and Bhuj — but all operations remain unaffected.
7. Heavy Cross-Border Shelling
Sectors like Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, and Akhnoor saw intense artillery, mortar, and small arms fire — all met with strong Indian retaliation.
8. Pakistan Moving Troops to Forward Areas – Signals Possible Escalation
The Indian Army observed significant Pakistani troop mobilisation toward forward posts along the LoC. This movement, described as “indicative of offensive intent,” suggests that Pakistan may be preparing for a wider military escalation. The Indian armed forces are on high operational alert, closely monitoring the situation and ready to respond to any provocation.
9. India’s Response: Swift, Measured, Targeted
In retaliation, India struck only military assets — radar stations, command centres, and storage sites — using precision air-launched weapons.
10. No Damage to Critical Indian Defences
Pakistan’s claims of destroying India’s S-400 systems, BrahMos base, and Chandigarh ammo depot were debunked with timestamped visual evidence.
11. Pakistan Trying to Spread Communal Discord
Indian officials accused Pakistan of fabricating stories to stoke communal unrest in India — calling such efforts "doomed to fail."
12. India Committed to Responsible Conduct
India reiterated its commitment to non-escalation — “provided Pakistan reciprocates.” Officials stressed that India’s military operations have been calibrated and proportionate.
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