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Air raid sirens and numerous explosions have been heard in the city of Jammu in Indian-administered Kashmir, with residents reporting blasts and red flashes from projectiles in the sky.
India has accused Pakistan of attempting a drone attack, while Islamabad has said it has shot down drones launched from India, as tensions soared between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
India has acknowledged that it targeted Pakistan’s air defence system, and Islamabad said it shot down several of the drones. India said it “neutralised” Pakistan’s attempts to hit military targets.
New Delhi said it was retaliating after gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, in India-controlled Kashmir last month.
Pakistan claims it killed “40-50” soldiers by shelling Indian military installations along the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border in Kashmir, in retaliation for Wednesday’s pre-dawn airstrikes by India. At least 16 civilians and an Indian soldier were killed in heavy shelling in India’s Poonch district, Indian police said.
India has been accused by social-media platform X (Twitter) of censorship after New Delhi ordered it to block thousands of accounts in the country including accounts belonging to international news organisations.
“Blocking entire accounts is not only unnecessary, it amounts to censorship of existing and future content, and is contrary to the fundamental right of free speech,” X posted.
The two countries have fought two wars since independence over the disputed region of Kashmir – and three in total – and the picturesque Himalayan valley is once again at the centre of their standoff. Already arguably the most highly militarised region in the world, with hundreds of thousands of troops and paramilitary forces deployed to maintain security in Indian-administered Kashmir at the best of times.
But taken together, the Indian and Pakistani militaries boast a total of around 2 million armed forces personnel. It means an all-out conflict would be one of the largest by number of combatants since the end of the Second World War.
Here’s how the two militaries compare against each other:
Read the full article here:
Holly Evans8 May 2025 19:30
Social-media platform X – Twitter – says it is looking into how it can challenge in law orders by India’s government to block more than 8,000 accounts in the country.
It said it was barred from publishing the executive orders it received from New Delhi but encouraged other people to challenge the orders – which it has branded ‘censorship’ – in court.
“This is not an easy decision, however [sic] keeping the platform accessible in India is vital to Indians’ ability to access information,” X posted.
“We believe that making these executive orders public is essential for transparency – lack of disclosure discourages accountability and can contribute to arbitrary decision making.
“However, due to legal restrictions, we are unable to publish the executive orders at this time.
“X is exploring all possible legal avenues available to the company.
“Unlike users located in India, X is restricted by Indian law in its ability to bring legal challenges against these executive orders.
“However, we encourage all users who are impacted by these blocking orders to seek appropriate relief from the courts.”
Social media platform X – Twitter – says it disagrees with the Indian government’s demands to block more than 8,000 accounts in India, branding the move “censorship”.
The platform revealed it had received executive orders from the Indian government, and said it would withhold the specified accounts in India alone.
“In most cases, the Indian government has not specified which posts from an account have violated India’s local laws,” X posted on its Global Government Affairs account.
“For a significant number of accounts, we did not receive any evidence or justification to block the accounts.
“To comply with the orders, we will withhold the specified accounts in India alone. We have begun that process.
“However, we disagree with the Indian government’s demands. Blocking entire accounts is not only unnecessary, it amounts to censorship of existing and future content, and is contrary to the fundamental right of free speech.”
Jane Dalton8 May 2025 18:51
The Indian government says military stations at Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur were targeted by Pakistani-origin drones and missiles along the international border in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
“The threats were swiftly neutralised,” the ministry of defence said.
Jane Dalton8 May 2025 18:42
Schools, colleges and universities in Punjab have been closed for the next three days.
Education minister Harjot Singh Bains said he made the decision “in view of the evolving situation”.
Jane Dalton8 May 2025 18:38
A Pakistani pilot is in Indian custody, it’s been reported.
The pilot was apprehended in Jaisalmer, according to a reporter, Barkha Dutt.
The report has not been confirmed.
Jane Dalton8 May 2025 18:32
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said India must “suffer the consequences” for its “cowardly” attack and vowed to avenge the deaths of 31 people killed in India’s cross-border missile strikes.
Read the full article here for all the latest travel advice:
Holly Evans8 May 2025 18:30
The Indian government has ordered social media platform X – Twitter – to block more than 8,000 accounts.
The platform’s Global Government Affairs team revealed the order, which it said included demands to block access in India to accounts belonging to international news organisations and prominent X users.
X said it was subject to “potential penalties including significant fines and imprisonment of the company’s local employees”.
Jane Dalton8 May 2025 18:27
Exclusive: Kashmir residents have told The Independent they are terrified:
Scared Kashmir residents live on cusp of India-Pakistan war: The Independent reports
Kashmir Residents told The Independent they are terrified, as “it is the common people who will suffer” in the escalating conflict between India and Pakistan. “There are queues for petrol and groceries. There’s no business and people have no money,” Srinagar shopkeeper Nazir Ahmad said. On Wednesday (7 May), Indian missiles struck several locations in Pakistan, killing 31 civilians, according to Pakistani officials. New Delhi said it was retaliating after gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, in India-controlled Kashmir last month.
Jane Dalton8 May 2025 18:16
A policeman gestures to the spectators after the authorities asked to evacuated the stadium (AP)
Spectators leave after the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals was abandoned (AFP/Getty)
Holly Evans8 May 2025 18:10