‘Request for talks came from Pakistan’: Islamabad aimed to bring 'India to its knees in 48 hours' on May 10, but New Delhi turned the tables in 8

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Tuesday said that Pakistan was responsible for escalating the recent military conflict, following Indian strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK under Operation Sindoor.

Speaking at Savitribai Phule Pune University, General Chauhan said that Pakistan had planned to push India “to its knees in 48 hours” with a series of attacks launched on the night of May 10, three days after India carried out pre-emptive military operations targeting terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

“On the 10th of May, at about 1 am, their (Pakistan) aim was to get India to its knees in 48 hours. Multiple attacks were launched and in some manner, they have escalated this conflict, which we had actually hit only terror targets,” he said.

India responded swiftly, halted Pakistani operations in 8 hours

General Chauhan added that the escalation did not go according to Pakistan’s plan. “Operations, which Pakistan thought would continue for 48 hours, folded up in about eight hours,” he said.

In response to Pakistan’s offensive, India struck back by targeting several key airbases across the border, including Nur Khan, Murid, and Rafiqui. These precision strikes marked a strong military response to what India viewed as a full-scale escalation by Islamabad.

Pakistan reached out for talks after heavy military response

According to CDS Chauhan, it was after this decisive Indian counteraction that Pakistan sought to de-escalate the situation. “Pakistan’s decision to talk to India on May 10 stemmed from realisation that it will suffer more if its operation continues. When request for talks and de-escalation came from Pakistan, we accepted it,” he said.

Later that day, Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) contacted their Indian counterpart via the hotline, signalling readiness to begin dialogue.

What happened on the night of May 10?

Tensions peaked on the night between May 9 and 10, when Pakistan launched attacks across 26 locations—stretching from Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir to Naliya in Gujarat. These strikes included high-speed missile attacks at 1:40 AM aimed at Indian airbases in Punjab.

Indian Air Force (IAF) stations in Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur, and Bhuj were among those targeted. According to statements from the Defence and External Affairs Ministries, Pakistan also attacked schools and medical centres at IAF bases in Srinagar, Udhampur, and Awantipora.

The majority of these attacks were intercepted or neutralised by Indian forces.

In response, India carried out precise airstrikes on military facilities inside Pakistan, hitting strategic locations such as Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian.

By 5 PM on May 10, both countries declared a ceasefire, officially halting hostilities.