2025 India-Pakistan Standoff and Operation Sindoor: UPSC Current Affairs Story Arc

Overview

The 2025 India-Pakistan standoff represents a significant escalation in bilateral tensions following a terror attack in Pahalgam in April 2025. In response, India launched 'Operation Sindoor,' a multi-dimensional military response that triggered a massive information warfare campaign from Pakistan. While Islamabad claimed widespread destruction of Indian critical infrastructure and S-400 strategic assets, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has categorically refuted these as misinformation. The conflict has spilled over into the civilian domain, with both nations closing their respective airspaces, causing significant disruptions to commercial aviation and forcing flights to brave hazardous weather rather than cross the border. The standoff has now been formalized as a core part of the Indian Air Force's operational history, celebrated during the 2025 IAF Day.

How This Story Evolved

MEA refutes Pakistani damage claims regarding Operation Sindoor → Airspace denials occur due to heightened tensions → IAF Day celebrates Operation Sindoor → Airspace closure formally extended

1. 2025-05-10: MEA Addresses False Claims Regarding Operation Sindoor
   More details

   UPSC Angle: MEA addresses false claims regarding Operation Sindoor.

   Key Facts:

   • Pakistani claims of destroying the Air Force Station in Sirsa are false
   • Claims of destroying the Air Force Station in Suratgarh are false
   • Claims of destroying the S-400 base at Adampur are false
   • Claims about attacking and destroying large sections of Indian critical infrastructure, power systems and cyber systems are false
   • Pakistan shelled the town of Rajouri, killing Additional District Development Commissioner Shri Raj Kumar Thapa.
2. 2025-05-23: IAF, Lahore ATC denied IndiGo permission to use Pakistan airspace: DGCA
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Not exam-relevant

   Key Facts:

   • IndiGo's Delhi to Srinagar flight
   • Denied deviation to use Pakistan airspace
   • Indian Air Force
   • Lahore's Air Traffic Control tower
   • DGCA
   • May 23, 2025
   • IndiGo's 6E 2142 flight
   • Northern Area Control Centre is not authorised to provide Indian aircraft permission to enter international airspace
   • Delhi Air Traffic Control
3. 2025-10-12: IAF Day 2025 Celebrations
   More details

   UPSC Angle: IAF Day 2025 featured a farewell to the iconic MiG-21.

   Key Facts:

   • Parade at Hindon Air Base, Uttar Pradesh
   • Display of restored Hindustan Trainer-2 (HT-2) aircraft
   • IAF motto: Touch the sky with Glory (Nabhah Sparsam Diptam) from the Bhagavad Gita
   • 2025 theme is centred on the force's contribution to Operation Sindoor
4. 2025-10-24: India extends airspace closure for Pakistan aircraft till October 24
   More details

   UPSC Angle: India extends airspace closure for Pakistan aircraft.

   Key Facts:

   • India extends airspace closure for Pakistan aircraft till October 24
   • Pakistan has also closed its airspace for Indian aircraft till October 24
   • Both countries have shut their respective airspace for each other's planes since April in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack

Genesis

Trigger

The Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025 served as the immediate 'casus belli,' prompting India to launch the retaliatory 'Operation Sindoor.'

Why Now

The operation signifies India's shift towards a 'proactive deterrence' posture, where cross-border terror acts are met with immediate, named military operations rather than purely diplomatic protests.

Historical Context

This arc mirrors the 2016 Surgical Strikes and the 2019 Balakot Airstrikes, where India broke the 'strategic restraint' barrier to penalize state-sponsored terrorism.

Key Turning Points

1. [2025-05-10] MEA's formal refutation of Pakistani damage claims

   It shifted the narrative from a perceived military loss to a case of Pakistani propaganda.

   Before: Ambiguity regarding the status of the S-400 base. After: Clear official stance on infrastructure safety and confirmation of the death of ADDC Raj Kumar Thapa.

2. [2025-05-23] IndiGo flight denied Pakistani airspace entry during a hailstorm

   Demonstrated that the military standoff had completely suspended humanitarian/safety exceptions in civil aviation.

   Before: Tensions were high but safety deviations were expected. After: Rigid adherence to airspace denial even in life-threatening weather.

3. [2025-10-12] IAF Day celebrations centered on Operation Sindoor

   Institutionalized the operation as a successful milestone in IAF history.

   Before: Operation Sindoor was a reactive measure. After: It became a symbol of operational readiness and heritage (IAF Theme 2025).

Key Actors and Institutions

Key Institutions

• Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)
• Indian Air Force (IAF)
• Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
• Lahore Air Traffic Control (ATC)

Key Concepts

Information Warfare

The strategic use of misinformation and propaganda to demoralize an adversary and influence global perception during a conflict.

Current Fact: Pakistan claimed to destroy the Air Force Station in Sirsa and the S-400 base at Adampur on May 10, 2025, which India refuted as false.

Airspace Sovereignty

The right of a state to regulate the entry and transit of aircraft through the atmosphere above its territory.

Current Fact: India extended the total closure of its airspace for Pakistani aircraft until October 24, 2025.

S-400 Triumf System

A mobile, surface-to-air missile (SAM) system capable of engaging aircraft, UAVs, and cruise missiles at ranges up to 400km.

Current Fact: Adampur Air Force base houses this strategic asset, which was a specific target of Pakistani misinformation campaigns in May 2025.

What Happens Next

Current Status

As of October 24, 2025, both India and Pakistan have officially extended the mutual closure of their airspace for all civilian and military aircraft.

Likely Next

A gradual de-escalation protocol through DGCA-level technical talks or a further 3-month extension of airspace restrictions if the security situation in Rajouri remains volatile.

Wildcards

A cyber-attack on Indian power grids (as falsely claimed by Pakistan) becoming a reality, or third-party mediation regarding the S-400 operational status.

Why UPSC Cares

Syllabus Topics

• India and its neighborhood- relations
• Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security
• Security challenges and their management in border areas

Essay Angles

• The role of Truth in the age of Information Warfare
• National Security vs. Civil Aviation Sovereignty
• Evolution of India's retaliatory doctrine: From Parakram to Sindoor

Prelims Likely: Yes

Mains Likely: Yes

Trend Signal: rising

Exam Intelligence

Previous Year Question Connections

• Testing facts about India's surgical strikes in PoK. — Operation Sindoor follows the lineage of these strikes; UPSC often tests the 'naming' and 'branch involvement' (IAF lead) of such operations.
• Connecting Operation Parakram to the 2001 Parliament attacks. — Establishes a pattern where UPSC asks for the specific trigger (Pahalgam attack in this arc) of a military mobilization.

Prelims Angles

• Hindon Air Base location (UP) and its role in IAF Day 2025.
• The first indigenously built IAF aircraft: Hindustan Trainer-2 (HT-2).
• Operational bases targeted by propaganda: Adampur (Punjab), Sirsa (Haryana), Suratgarh (Rajasthan).
• The source of the IAF motto 'Nabhah Sparsam Diptam' (Bhagavad Gita).

Mains Preparation

Sample Question: Critically analyze the role of strategic communication and information warfare in modern border standoffs, with special reference to the 2025 India-Pakistan escalations following Operation Sindoor.

Answer Structure: Intro: Define Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam trigger → Body 1: The anatomy of the Pakistani misinformation campaign (S-400 claims) → Body 2: India's rebuttal mechanism (MEA/FS role) → Body 3: Impact on non-military sectors (Airspace closure/Civil Aviation) → Analysis: Why 'winning the narrative' is as vital as the kinetic operation → Conclusion: Need for a dedicated Information Operations Command.

Essay Topic: The Sky is No Longer the Limit: Sovereignty and Conflict in the 21st Century

Textbook Connections

Key Takeaway

Operation Sindoor marks the transition of India-Pakistan conflict into a high-stakes information war where the physical security of S-400 bases is as contested as the narrative of their survival.

All Events in This Story (4 items)

1. 2025-05-10 [International Relations] — MEA Addresses False Claims Regarding Operation Sindoor
   The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) refuted Pakistani claims of widespread destruction of Indian military installations and infrastructure during Operation Sindoor. Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri stated that claims about the destruction of the Air Force Station in Sirsa, Surat, and the S-400 base at Adampur were completely false, and urged the public not to be misled by Pakistani misinformation.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: MEA addresses false claims regarding Operation Sindoor.

   Key Facts:

   • Pakistani claims of destroying the Air Force Station in Sirsa are false
   • Claims of destroying the Air Force Station in Suratgarh are false
   • Claims of destroying the S-400 base at Adampur are false
   • Claims about attacking and destroying large sections of Indian critical infrastructure, power systems and cyber systems are false
   • Pakistan shelled the town of Rajouri, killing Additional District Development Commissioner Shri Raj Kumar Thapa.
2. 2025-05-23 [Defense & Security] — IAF, Lahore ATC denied IndiGo permission to use Pakistan airspace: DGCA
   The pilots of IndiGo's Delhi to Srinagar flight that was caught in a hailstorm were denied deviation to escape bad weather by using Pakistan airspace by both the Indian Air Force as well as Lahore's Air Traffic Control tower, the DGCA said on Friday (May 23, 2025). However, Defence sources have refuted a part of this claim and said the IAF-controlled Northern Area Control Centre is not authorised to provide Indian aircraft permission to enter international airspace, which rests with Delhi Air Traffic Control.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Not exam-relevant

   Key Facts:

   • IndiGo's Delhi to Srinagar flight
   • Denied deviation to use Pakistan airspace
   • Indian Air Force
   • Lahore's Air Traffic Control tower
   • DGCA
   • May 23, 2025
   • IndiGo's 6E 2142 flight
   • Northern Area Control Centre is not authorised to provide Indian aircraft permission to enter international airspace
   • Delhi Air Traffic Control
3. 2025-10-12 [Defense & Security] — IAF Day 2025 Celebrations
   The Indian Air Force (IAF) celebrated IAF Day 2025, featuring a farewell to the iconic MiG-21, a grand flypast with Rafale, Su-30MKI, C-17 Globemaster, Apache Guardian, parades, air shows, and exhibitions showcasing the IAF’s technological advancements and operational readiness. The parade took place at Hindon Air Base, Uttar Pradesh, showcasing technological advancements and operational readiness. The restored Hindustan Trainer-2 (HT-2) aircraft, the first indigenously built IAF aircraft, was also displayed for the first time as part of the Heritage Flight.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: IAF Day 2025 featured a farewell to the iconic MiG-21.

   Key Facts:

   • Parade at Hindon Air Base, Uttar Pradesh
   • Display of restored Hindustan Trainer-2 (HT-2) aircraft
   • IAF motto: Touch the sky with Glory (Nabhah Sparsam Diptam) from the Bhagavad Gita
   • 2025 theme is centred on the force's contribution to Operation Sindoor
4. 2025-10-24 [International Relations] — India extends airspace closure for Pakistan aircraft till October 24
   India has extended the closure of its airspace for Pakistan civilian and military planes till October 24. The neighbouring country has also closed its airspace for Indian aircraft till October 24. Both countries have shut their respective airspace for each other's planes since April in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: India extends airspace closure for Pakistan aircraft.

   Key Facts:

   • India extends airspace closure for Pakistan aircraft till October 24
   • Pakistan has also closed its airspace for Indian aircraft till October 24
   • Both countries have shut their respective airspace for each other's planes since April in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack