On the first anniversary of the Pahalgam terror attack, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that India will never bow to any form of terror and that the heinous designs of terrorists will never succeed.
Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba carried out an attack at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on this day last year, targeting civilians and killing 26 people, mostly tourists from across India. The 26 terror victims included a national of Nepal and a local pony-ride operator.
On May 7, 2025, India launched Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory military offensive in which Indian armed forces destroyed military and terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
“Remembering the innocent lives lost in the gruesome Pahalgam terror attack on this day last year. They will never be forgotten,” the PM said in a post on ‘X’. Modi said his thoughts are also with the bereaved families as they cope with this loss.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister (CM) Omar Abdullah said in Udhampur that preventing a repeat of a Pahalgam-like tragedy remains a top priority. Abdullah emphasised joint action by the elected government, the Centre, and law enforcement agencies to ensure lasting security in the region. “We pay tribute to the innocent lives lost in a senseless act of terror. They had come only to spend their holidays, yet were mercilessly targeted and killed. Even today, we stand in solidarity with their grieving families,” the CM said after visiting those injured in a recent bus accident at the Government Medical College (GMC) hospital.
On tourism, Abdullah said: “We expect a good number of visitors to come to Jammu and Kashmir whether for darshan at the Vaishno Devi temple, the Amarnath Yatra, or for general tourism.” The 57-day annual Amarnath Yatra is set to commence on July 3 and conclude on August 28, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan.
Several Union ministers, including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, and S Jaishankar, paid tributes to those killed in the Pahalgam terror attack and reiterated India’s resolve of continuing its zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and those who harbour it.
In a social media post hashtagged Sindoor Anniversary, Justice Endures, and Nation First, the Indian Army said: “For acts against India, the response is assured. Justice will be served. Always.”
“Operation Sindoor continues,” the Army posted with a reference to Operation Mahadev in which security forces neutralised the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack. The military conflict between India and Pakistan lasted 88 hours, and was halted after they reached an understanding on the evening of May 10. Coinciding with the Pahalgam terror attack anniversary, a two-day Indian Air Force (IAF) exercise featuring fighter-jet operations began on Wednesday on an emergency airstrip along the Purvanchal Expressway in Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur district.
In Itanagar, floral tributes were paid to IAF Corporal Tage Hailyang on his first death anniversary at Tajang village in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Subansiri district on Wednesday. Corporal Hailyang was among the 26 people killed in the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 last year.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the entire nation stands united against terrorism and will never bow before forces that seek to spread hatred and violence. Congress General Secretary (In-Charge Communications) Jairam Ramesh called for a reset of the government’s foreign policy, and said Pakistan stood isolated after it had carried out the terror attacks in Mumbai in November 2008. But today, despite Pakistan’s economy remaining in a shambles, and the country being dependent on largesse from external donors, “that failed state, whose army chief had made inflammatory and communally provocative statements just a few days prior to the deadly deed, has now acquired a new global respectability”, Ramesh said.
Israel, Australia, and the European Union (EU) expressed solidarity with India on the first anniversary of the Pahalgam terror attack. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar wrote on X: “Together with India, we will continue to strengthen our cooperation to confront this threat with determination and to advance peace, security, and stability.”
In a statement on behalf of the 27-member economic bloc, the EU reiterated its condemnation of terrorism in all its forms. The British High Commission in New Delhi also issued a statement on social media offering tribute to the lives lost and condemning all acts of terror.
According to a PTI report, over the past year, several new measures have been introduced in the Pahalgam resort to ensure tourist safety. These include background verification of service providers and vendors, including ponywallahs, before they interact with visitors. A unique QR code-based identification system has been introduced for all tourism service providers for the safety of tourists in Pahalgam. The system enables easy identification and verification of genuine and registered service providers, including pony-ride operators, hawkers, business establishments, and outside vendors.
