India's decision to try to prevent the next tranche of the bailout to Islamabad was more about optics then, rather than a desire for any tangible outcome, say experts. As per the country's own observations, the fund had limited ability to do something about the loan, and was "circumscribed by procedural and technical formalities".

India hit Pakistan with air strikes deep into the country, killing dozens, but Pakistan claimed to have shot down multiple Indian planes. (The details of that claim remain murky.) India accused Pakistan of a drone attack near the Kashmiri line of control,