Three Indian fighter jets crashed on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in India-administered Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, raising concerns amid heightened tensions with Pakistan. The incidents occurred shortly after India launched missile strikes targeting alleged terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, prompting heavy artillery exchanges along the contested border. This article explores the crashes, the geopolitical context, and a taste of Indian culture with a traditional Butter Chicken recipe. India-Pakistan conflict
Crashes in Jammu, Kashmir, and Punjab
A senior Indian security source confirmed that three fighter jets crashed on home territory on May 7, 2025. Two incidents occurred in India-administered Jammu and Kashmir, in Akhnoor and Pampore, while the third was in Punjab’s Bathinda area. The cause of the crashes remains unknown, and details about the pilots’ fates are unclear. Local residents reported seeing fire in the sky and hearing explosions, with firefighters struggling to contain blazes at the crash sites.
[](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/may/06/pakistan-india-attacks-kashmir-live-updates)Pakistan claimed it shot down five Indian jets, including three Rafale, one MiG-29, and one SU-30, during India’s missile strikes, but India has not confirmed these claims. Four local government sources reported three crashes, suggesting Pakistan’s claims may be exaggerated or unverified.
[](https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/06/asia/india-pakistan-kashmir-conflict-hnk-intl)[](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/multiple-loud-explosions-heard-pakistani-kashmir-reuters-witness-2025-05-06/)
Geopolitical Context: Operation Sindoor
The crashes followed India’s “Operation Sindoor,” a series of missile strikes launched at 1:44 AM on May 7, 2025, targeting nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. India’s Defense Ministry described the strikes as “precision” attacks on terrorist infrastructure, including the headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammad in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke, in response to a April 22, 2025, terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.
[](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir-pahalgam-terror-attack-live-updates-pakistan-terrorists-killed-tourist-pm-modi-amit-shah-nia-omar-abdullah-loc-tension-shehbaz-sharif-srinagar-raid/liveblog/120914554.cms)[](https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/india-pakistan-tension-live-updates-operation-sindoor-pahalgam-terror-attack-jammu-and-kashmir-military-strike-latest-news-bahawalpur-8348396)Pakistan condemned the strikes as an “act of war,” reporting eight civilian deaths, including a child killed when a missile hit a mosque in Bahawalpur. Pakistan’s military claimed the targets were civilian areas, not militant camps, and vowed retaliation Reuters reported a robust response.
[](https://news.sky.com/story/pakistan-attacked-with-missiles-as-india-says-it-targeted-terrorist-camps-13362775)[](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/06/pakistan-vows-to-retaliate-after-wave-of-indian-missiles-hit-country)An interesting geopolitical incident underscores the stakes: in 2019, India conducted airstrikes in Balakot, Pakistan, after a suicide bombing in Pulwama killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel. The operation, also targeting Jaish-e-Mohammad, escalated tensions but did not lead to full-scale war. Today’s strikes, deeper inside Pakistan’s Punjab province, mark a significant escalation, raising fears of a broader conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors. Operation Sindoor
[](https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/06/asia/india-pakistan-kashmir-conflict-hnk-intl)Traditional Indian Dish: Butter Chicken Recipe
Amid these tensions, Indian culture remains a source of warmth and unity. Try this comforting Butter Chicken recipe, a beloved North Indian dish:
- Ingredients:
- 500g boneless chicken, cubed
- 1 cup yogurt
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 cup tomato puree
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- Salt to taste
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
- Instructions:
- Marinate chicken in yogurt, 1 tsp chili powder, and salt for 1 hour.
- Heat butter in a pan, sauté onions until golden.
- Add ginger-garlic paste, cook for 1 minute.
- Add tomato puree, garam masala, and remaining chili powder. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Grill or pan-fry marinated chicken until cooked.
- Add chicken to the sauce, stir in cream, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve with naan or rice.
This creamy dish reflects the rich flavors of Punjab, a region now at the heart of the conflict. Indian cuisine
Looking Ahead
The jet crashes and missile strikes have grounded flights to Jammu, Srinagar, and Punjab, with schools closed in border areas. International leaders, including the U.S. and U.N., urge de-escalation, but nightly gunfire along the Line of Control continues. As the situation unfolds, the world watches closely, hoping for dialogue over destruction.
[](https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cwyneele13qt)[](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/three-fighter-jets-crashed-indias-jammu-kashmir-local-govt-sources-say-2025-05-07/)