India strongly condemned the Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan civilians, which resulted in at least 51 deaths, including women and children, in Afghanistan’s Paktika province on December 24. In a statement on Monday, Indian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal condemned the attack, describing it as part of Pakistan's longstanding practice of blaming its neighbors for its internal problems. The airstrikes targeted areas in Paktika, particularly affecting the village of Laman, where five members of a single family were killed.

Afghanistan’s government, led by the Taliban, also condemned the airstrikes, calling them a violation of international principles and a blatant act of aggression. Afghan officials warned of retaliation, escalating tensions along the border between the two countries, with reports of sporadic clashes between border forces from both nations.

The airstrikes targeted Pakistani Taliban hideouts within Afghanistan, which has long been a point of contention between the two countries. Following the attack, the Taliban issued a statement pledging not to leave the "cowardly act" unanswered, further intensifying the dispute.