The events of May 10, 2025, marked a decisive and unprecedented chapter in India's military engagements with Pakistan, codenamed Operation Sindoor. This operation was launched in response to rising tensions following a terrorist attack at Pahalgam on April 22, and escalated rapidly as both sides traded blows across the Line of Control and deep into each other’s territory. India’s retaliatory strikes were notable not only for their scale and precision but also for their strategic depth and the variety of advanced weaponry deployed.

On May 10, the Indian Air Force (IAF) executed a series of coordinated, deep-strike missions utilising Rafale and Su-30MKI aircraft armed with SCALP (Storm Shadow) cruise missiles and BrahMos-A air-launched cruise missiles.

The first wave targeted the northern air command-control network at Nur Khan airbase in Chaklala, effectively crippling Pakistan’s ability to coordinate and respond to subsequent attacks. The IAF followed up with strikes at Jacobabad and Bholari airbases, further degrading Pakistan’s operational capacity. These precision strikes were complemented by land-based BrahMos missile launches, creating a multi-pronged assault that overwhelmed Pakistani air defences.

The impact of the IAF’s offensive was devastating for Pakistan. Indian sources confirmed that a Pakistani SAAB-2000 airborne early warning system was destroyed deep inside Pakistan, some 315 kilometres from the border, by the S-400 air defence system deployed at Adampur—a system that was activated at least 11 times during the operation.

Additionally, IAF missiles downed a C-130J medium-lift transport aircraft, a JF-17 Thunder fighter, and two F-16 fighters, with some of these aircraft destroyed both in the air and on the ground. The destruction of these high-value assets, particularly the early warning aircraft and multiple fighter jets, left Pakistan’s air force largely grounded and unable to mount an effective response.

Pakistan’s retaliatory effort, Operation Bunyan al-Marsoos, was launched at 1:00 am on May 10 with the stated intention of destroying Indian air bases within 48 hours. However, the operation was effectively neutralised within just eight hours, as India’s rapid and relentless counter strikes forced Islamabad to seek a ceasefire by reaching out to the United States for diplomatic intervention.

By 9:30 am, Pakistan’s military leadership was already appealing for a cessation of hostilities, and by the afternoon, the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of Pakistan was requesting a no-attack agreement.

The Indian Navy, positioned 260 miles off the Makran Coast, was prepared to strike the Karachi Naval Port but held back after the Pakistani DGMO’s appeal for a no-fire pact. This demonstrated India’s willingness to escalate but also its readiness to de-escalate when the military objectives had been achieved.

Beyond the destruction of aircraft and airbases, India’s strikes also neutralised key Pakistani and Chinese-supplied air defence systems. A HARPY Kamikaze drone was used to destroy a Chinese-made LY-80 air defence system in Lahore, while another strike targeted the HQ-9 surface-to-air missile system in Malir, Karachi—a Chinese copy of the S-300. These actions further crippled Pakistan’s ability to protect its airspace and military installations.

Prior to the May 10 operation, Indian forces had already targeted nine terrorist camps on May 7, with seven of these hit using loitering munitions. High-value targets in Muridke and Bahawalpur were struck with precision-guided SCALP and BrahMos missiles, underscoring India’s commitment to degrading the operational capacity of terrorist groups operating from within Pakistan.

The cumulative effect of Operation Sindoor was a swift and decisive degradation of Pakistan’s military capabilities, particularly in the air domain. The IAF’s ability to project power, achieve air dominance, and deliver precision strikes proved to be the linchpin of India’s response, compelling a rapid cessation of hostilities on terms favourable to India. The operation will be studied as a textbook example of how strategic air power can shape the outcome of a conflict with unparalleled speed and decisiveness.

Based On ET News Report