2008 Indo - Pakistani standoff After the 2008 Mumbai attacks , Pakistan and the ISI were believed by India to be directly responsible behind the attacks , leading to strained relations between the two countries for a period of time . An anti - Pakistan sentiment also rose in India , causing many , including even the United States to call for probes into it . The standoff was significant because both these countries were nuclear nations , having first successfully tested nuclear weapons in 1974 and 1998 respectively . The countries had already participated in 4 wars since their partition and independence in 1947 , and relations between the two nations have been strained throughout their histories . The lone surviving terrorist of the Mumbai attacks confirmed that the terrorists came from Pakistan , and that they were trained by Lashkar - e - Taiba operatives . In 2011 , he also confessed that the ISI had been supporting them throughout the attacks . Event and preparations . Military preparations . The Mumbai attacks lasted from 26 November to 29 November 2008 . At a state lunch in Lahore on 7 December , the US Arizona Senator John McCain relayed a message from Indian Prime Minister Dr . Manmohan Singh to several of Pakistan ' s dignitaries , including Pakistan ' s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani that if Pakistan did not arrest those involved with the attacks , India would begin aerial attacks against Pakistan . On 19 December , private intelligence agency , " Stratfor " , in its latest report , said , " Indian military operations against targets in Pakistan have in fact been prepared , and await the signal to go forward " . They also wrote that , " Indian military preparations , unlike previous cases , will be carried out in stealth " . India ' s Border Security Force ( BSF ) has been put on high alert on the western sector , as well as the eastern sector , in order to prevent terrorist infiltration . In mid December Indian fighter planes allegedly intruded Pakistan ' s air space at two places . On 22 December , the PAF began combat air patrol ( CAP ) over several cities , including Islamabad , Lahore , and Rawalpindi , to avert any further air intrusion . Pakistan ' s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said , " Pakistan defence forces and armed forces are ready to face any challenge , as Pakistan has the full right to defend itself " . Pakistan PM Yousuf Raza Gilani said , " Pakistan remains united and is ready to fight anyone to defend itself " . Pakistani Defense Minister Ahmad Mukhtar Chaudhry said , " If India tried to thrust war , then the armed forces of Pakistan have all the potential and right to defend [ Pakistan ] " . Escalations and back - door response . According to Pakistan media , India had started deploying troops along the Rajasthan border , and had tightened security in and around the defence airstrips . More radars and quick reaction teams were then deployed along the India - Pakistan border . Indian forces were on regular firing exercises at locations , like Lathi Firing Range in Jaisalmer , Mahsan in Bikaner , Suratgarh and Ganganagar . On 23 December , Kamal Hyder , Al Jazeera ' s correspondent in Pakistan , wrote that the Pakistan " navy , marines air force and army were on " red alert " " and that " the chiefs of Pakistan ' s armed forces together with the Chairman Joint Chiefs were holding what had been described as an emergency meeting at joint headquarters in Rawalpindi " . He also wrote that " [ t ] he Pakistan air force have been seen visibly in a number of locations flying close to the Pakistani - India border , in what is being described as an aggressive patrolling mode , following reports that India is planning pre - emptive strikes against locations in Pakistan " . A Pakistan airforce spokesperson said " [ i ] n view of the current environment , the PAF has enhanced its vigilance " . Pakistan army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani , said that Pakistan would mount an equal response " within minutes " , to any Indian attack . Pakistan continued to combat air patrol over several cities . The Taliban and affiliated groups openly declared their solidarity with Pakistan . The banned Tehrik - e - Taliban had proclaimed that they would send " thousands of ( their ) well - armed militants " in order to wage jihad against India if war should break out . Hundreds of would - be bombers were equipped with suicide jackets and explosive - laden vehicles . On 24 December , P . K . Barbora , the air officer commanding - in - chief of Western Air Command , said " [ t ] he IAF has earmarked 5 , 000 targets in Pakistan . But whether we will cross the LoC or the International Border to hit the enemy targets will have to be decided by the political leadership of the country " . India Today reported that " Indian Air Force fighter planes are engaged in round the clock sorties . An unusual hectic activity of Indian Air Force has been visible along the border for past some days " . On the same day , Stratfor confirmed that " the state government of Rajasthan has ordered residents of its border villages to be prepared for relocation " . President Asif Ali Zardari said " We will defend the country till the last drop of our blood " , and " [ w ] e will defend the country till our last breath " . Pakistan began deploying warplanes to forward air bases . Diplomacy and neutralization . On 25 December , however , the ruling UPA government in India played down apprehensions of an imminent military conflagration . The Indian Prime Minister made it clear that " nobody wanted war " . The Pakistan Air Force ( PAF ) played a subsequent role during this time and the Indian Air Force downplayed the sorties by PAF fighter jets , saying it was an air defence exercise . Officials in New Delhi were amused at PAF ' s attempt to create war hysteria in the region . However , R . C . Dhyani , DIG of Rajasthan frontier BSF , said , " [ a ] lot of military movement is being noticed in districts just across the international border for the last few days , which is not normal " and " Pakistan has deployed more troops across border " . The Chairman Senate of Pakistan , Senator Raza Rabbani , said that any surgical strike into its territory would be taken as an act of war and would be repulsed with " full force " , and that " [ e ] ach and every inch of the country will be safeguarded " . India moved MiG - 29 s to Hindon air base , located near New Delhi , in order " to protect the capital from aerial threats " . The Pakistani city of Mianwali began a blackout . Pakistan continued deployment , and moved the 10th Brigade to the outskirts of Lahore , and the 3rd Armored Brigade to Jhelum . The 10th Infantry Division and the 11th Infantry Division had been placed on high alert . The Indian Army deployed quick reaction teams ( QRTs ) along the border , which " precede the movement of bridging equipment – to cross canals in Punjab – and of heavy guns " . Amir Mir of " Daily News and Analysis " wrote that " Pakistan ' s military leadership has advised president Asif Ali Zardari to take back his statement made last month , that his country would not be the first to use nuclear weapons in the event of a conflict with India " . On 26 December , Pakistan cancelled all military leave , and activated contacts with friendly countries and military partners . Pakistan deployed troops to " protect vital points along the Line of Control ( LoC ) in Jammu and Kashmir and the international border with India " . Pakistani Foreign Minister Quresh said that , " if war is imposed , we will respond to it like a brave , self - respecting nation " . Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held a second meeting of the Nuclear Command Authority to " discuss all the options available to India " . Pakistan deployed the 14th Infantry Division to Kasur and Sialkot , close to the border . India advised its citizens not to travel to Pakistan . Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met with the chiefs of the Indian air force , army , and navy . On 27 December , India ' s largest opposition party , the Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) , called for all travel between India and Pakistan to be stopped , and for the recall of the Indian High Commissioner from Pakistan . The Pakistani Army alerted retired army personnel to be ready to be called back to active duty . On 28 December , Pakistan postponed all officer training courses . On 29 December , the leaders of the Indian and Pakistani armies spoke over their red telephone , in order to avert an accidental nuclear war . The President of the BJP , Rajnath Singh , called for a joint India - US military action against Pakistan . John McCain said , " The Indians are on the verge of some kind of attack on Pakistan " . On 30 December , Pakistani media stated : " The service chiefs of all of the branches of India ' s military were told to stay in the country in order to achieve ' complete readiness ' . All units that are on exercises have been ordered to remain so indefinitely , and to indicate any equipment or ammunition they need " . However , this was not backed by Indian or international media . Pakistani deployments . The Pakistan military had cancelled all leave . Elements of the PAF had been deployed to front line bases . The IV Corp , with 60 , 000 troops , has been deployed to Lahore . Pakistan had deployed the 3rd Armored Brigade to Jhelum , and the 10th Infantry Brigade , with 5 , 000 troops , to Lahore . The 10th Division had been deployed to Ichogul and the 11th Division had been deployed to Tilla . The Pakistan Army combat brigades had been deployed to Kashmir and the Jammu sector of the border . The 14th Division , with 20 , 000 troops , had been deployed to Kasur and Sialkot . The ground forces were logistically and militarily supported by the Pakistan Navy ' s Punjab contingent and Pakistan Marines forces in else side of Pakistan . The Pakistan Navy deployed the sizable unit of its surface fleet and submarines , including PNS " Hamza " and PNS " Khalid " , to pick up to intelligence movements and positions of the Indian warships to prevent them to reach near Karachi and coastal areas of Balochistan . Indian deployments . India had put its Border Security Force , India ' s border patrol agency , on high alert . Mig - 29 s have been deployed to Hindon air base , in order to protect New Delhi . Later IAF sources claimed that the move was a result of intelligence inputs of an air attack on Delhi . The Indian Navy had moved six warships , including the INS " Jalashwa " and the INS " Ranveer " , to the west coast .