The Indian Army on Monday confirmed that the Golden Temple in Amritsar was among the intended targets of a large-scale drone and missile attack launched by Pakistan on May 8, following India’s preemptive strikes on nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Thanks to prior intelligence inputs and robust air defence, the sacred Sikh shrine remained completely unharmed.
Major General Kartik C. Seshadri, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 15 Infantry Division, stated that the Army had anticipated such an attack, especially considering Pakistan’s past pattern of targeting civilian and religious locations when military targets are limited.
“Knowing that the Pakistani Army lacks legitimate targets, we expected them to focus on Indian military installations and civilian areas, including religious sites. Among these, the Golden Temple stood out as a prominent target,” he said in an interview.
In response to the threat, the Indian Army deployed advanced air defence systems around the Golden Temple, establishing what Maj Gen Seshadri described as a “holistic air defence umbrella” to prevent any potential damage.
