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The Indian Air Force (IAF) has officially detailed the extensive damage inflicted upon the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and terrorist infrastructure during "Operation Sindoor," a major retaliatory campaign conducted in May 2025.
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh confirmed that the operation was a direct response to a terrorist attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir the previous month.
The strikes were strategically designed not only to dismantle enemy assets but also to cripple Pakistan's operational morale by demonstrating India's ability to strike at will, deep within Pakistani territory.
In a press briefing, Air Chief Marshal Singh elaborated on the strategic thinking behind the operation. He stated that the objective was to create a profound psychological impact on the Pakistani military establishment.
"The idea was to give him that feeling or give him that indication that look, we can attack you deep inside, at will, wherever we want to," Singh explained.
This approach aimed to stretch the PAF's resources thin and shatter its strategic depth, moving beyond singular targets to a comprehensive, nation-wide offensive.
The operation systematically dismantled Pakistan's air defence and command capabilities. The IAF confirmed the complete destruction of nine terrorist training camps, which served as hubs for militant groups operating against India.
Crucially, strikes also neutralized two vital Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence (C3I) facilities at Murid and Chaklala. The loss of these nerve centres severely hampered the PAF's ability to coordinate a coherent defence. Furthermore, six separate radar installations were eliminated, creating significant gaps in Pakistan's air surveillance network.
High-value military assets were a key focus of the operation.
A precision strike using a BrahMos supersonic cruise missile obliterated a hangar at Bholari airbase, destroying a Saab 2000 Erieye Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft and a number of F-16 fighter jets. Additional F-16s, a cornerstone of the PAF's combat fleet, were also destroyed on the ground at Jacobabad airbase.
To further degrade Pakistan's defensive shield, two Surface-to-Air Guided Weapon (SAGW) systems in Lahore and Okara were neutralized, and a hangar for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Sukkur was destroyed.
The runways at the strategic airbases of Sargodha and Nur Khan were heavily cratered, rendering them inoperable and grounding a significant portion of the PAF's fleet.
India's air superiority was further asserted in direct engagements and through its formidable air defence network. The IAF successfully shot down at least five PAF fighter jets and one electronic intelligence aircraft in air-to-air combat.
In a historic first, India's S-400 Triumf long-range air defence system engaged and destroyed a second Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C aircraft over Dinga, Pakistan, at a record-breaking range of 314 kilometres.
Air Chief Marshal Singh confirmed this engagement, refuting earlier Pakistani reports that attributed the incident to a downed Indian drone. He also noted that India's layered air defence, comprising the indigenous Akash and MRSAM systems, ensured no enemy aircraft could penetrate Indian airspace.
The cumulative impact of Operation Sindoor has severely degraded the Pakistan Air Force's operational capacity.
The loss of two of its small fleet of Erieye AEW&C aircraft—critical assets often called "eyes in the sky"—has crippled its surveillance and battle management capabilities.
The confirmed destruction of multiple F-16s, both on the ground and in the air, represents a significant blow to its offensive power.
Combined with the loss of command centres, radar coverage, and operational runways, the operation has created a strategic imbalance, decisively shifting the regional air power dynamic in the Indian Air Force's favour.
