May 8, 2025: Amid escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam and India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor, the European Union has voiced deep concern over the growing instability in the region. Calling for de-escalation, the EU has urged both nations to prioritize civilian safety and return to diplomatic dialogue.
In a statement released Thursday, the EU’s High Representative strongly condemned the Pahalgam attack, which claimed several innocent lives. “The European Union and its 27 Member States unequivocally condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Terrorism can never be justified. Those responsible must be brought to justice,” the statement read.
Reaffirming its support for counter-terrorism efforts, the EU emphasized that “every state has the duty and the right lawfully to protect its citizens from acts of terror.” However, it warned against further military escalation and urged India and Pakistan to engage in immediate dialogue, cautioning that unchecked violence could lead to more civilian casualties.
The warning comes in the wake of a sharp increase in cross-border hostilities. India recently launched Operation Sindoor, a high-intensity military offensive targeting nine terror camps associated with Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. The strikes, carried out on May 7, hit targets both in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), reportedly eliminating over 100 militants, according to security sources.
India’s precision strikes destroyed camps in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sarjal, and Mehmoona Joya in Pakistan, and five terror hubs in PoJK, including locations in Bhimber, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad. The operation was reportedly launched in retaliation for the deadly Pahalgam terror attack and is still ongoing.
In response, Pakistan attempted to target multiple military sites in Northern and Western India using drones and missiles. The Indian Air Force, supported by its S-400 Sudarshan Chakra air defence systems and integrated counter-drone grids, successfully intercepted the incoming threats. Official confirmation of the full scope of these defensive actions is still pending.
On Thursday morning, India launched another wave of precision strikes, reportedly neutralizing a Pakistani air defence system in Lahore. Despite the scale of these operations, Indian officials stress that their response has been proportional and remains within the same military domain as Pakistan’s actions.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has intensified its artillery and mortar shelling across the Line of Control (LoC), targeting civilian areas in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri sectors. Sixteen civilians, including three women and five children, have been killed in the recent spate of shelling.
The Indian Armed Forces have reiterated their commitment to preventing further escalation, provided Pakistan ceases unprovoked attacks. As both nations continue to exchange fire and rhetoric, the EU has reaffirmed its intention to work with all parties involved to ease tensions and safeguard regional stability.