Air Chief says five Pakistani jets, key assets, were destroyed in strikes.
New Delhi: Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, on Saturday announced that the Indian Armed Forces destroyed at least five Pakistani fighter jets along with a large reconnaissance aircraft during Operation Sindoor, calling it one of the most significant aerial triumphs in India’s military history.
Speaking at an event, Singh detailed the extensive damage inflicted on Pakistan’s defence infrastructure following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.
“We have at least five fighter jets confirmed as kills and one large aircraft—likely an ELINT or AEW&C platform—engaged at roughly 300 kilometres. This is the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill we can publicly discuss,” Singh said.
He cited the strike on the Shahbaz Jacobabad airfield, a major Pakistani base, where an F-16 hangar suffered severe damage. “Half the hangar is gone, and I am certain there were aircraft inside that suffered damage. We took out at least two command-and-control centres—Murid and Chaklala—and destroyed a minimum of six radar installations. We also have indications that an AEW&C aircraft and several F-16s undergoing maintenance were inside the targeted hangar,” he added.
Launched on May 7, Operation Sindoor was a coordinated tri-services campaign aimed at eliminating terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The operation reportedly killed over 100 militants from groups including Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.
Singh stated that Indian strikes neutralised two command hubs, six radar sites, and two surface-to-air missile systems in Lahore and Okara. Three strategic hangars located in Sukkur, Bholari, and Jacobabad were destroyed, with the latter believed to house high-value assets.
He praised the S-400 missile system as a “game-changer,” noting that its range deterred Pakistani aircraft from deploying long-range glide bombs.
Despite retaliatory shelling and drone attacks by Pakistan, India escalated its operations to target radar arrays, communication facilities, and 11 Pakistani airbases, including Nur Khan.
“In just 80 to 90 hours, we inflicted such damage that Pakistan understood prolonging hostilities would bring greater losses,” Singh said, adding that Islamabad contacted India’s Director General of Military Operations to signal willingness to negotiate.
Singh attributed the success to decisive political leadership, unrestricted operational freedom, and seamless coordination among the Army, Navy, and Air Force, directed by the Chief of Defence Staff and the National Security Advisor.
The Ministry of External Affairs reported that Pakistani shelling since the escalation began has killed 16 people and injured 59. Analysts have hailed the campaign—especially the record long-range aerial strike—as a milestone in India’s precision strike and deterrence capabilities.
