An undisclosed image of IAF's Rafale firing a missile (probably SCALP) at Pakistani positions

Operation Sindoor was a military operation conducted by India on the night of May 7-8, 2025. The Indian Air Force carried out precision airstrikes targeting nine terrorist infrastructure sites inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). These strikes were a direct retaliatory action in response to a terrorist attack on April 22, 2025, in Pahalgam,

Kashmir, where 26 innocent tourists were killed by the Pakistan-based terrorist group "The Resistance Front" (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Key aspects of Operation Sindoor include:

It was the first time since 1971 that India struck across the international boundary (IB) into Pakistan's settled borders.

The strikes targeted terrorist training camps, ideological indoctrination centres, arms depots, and logistical hubs used by terrorist groups.

The operation involved air-launched cruise missiles, precision-guided bombs, and loitering munitions deployed by Indian Air Force aircraft.

India emphasised the strikes were non-escalatory, focused on disabling terrorists before they could launch attacks on Indian territory.

Pakistan responded with drone and missile strikes on Indian military installations, but India intercepted many of these attempts.

The operation inflicted considerable damage on terrorist infrastructure and Pakistani military targets, including airbases, command centres, and air defence systems.

Indian intelligence used satellite imagery and intercepted communications to identify targets accurately.

Operation Sindoor is considered the most extensive single-day precision operation India has executed against terrorist targets in Pakistan and PoK.

India asserted a message of deterrence and defence against cross-border terrorism with calibrated and targeted action.

The extent of damage inflicted on Pakistani military targets during Operation Sindoor was significant and multifaceted:

Indian airstrikes destroyed about 20% of Pakistan's air force assets, including crucial fighter jets and airbases.

Six Pakistani aircraft were shot down, including five fighter jets and one large surveillance aircraft (likely an AWACS or ELINT airplane), marking the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill by Indian forces.

Several key Pakistani airbases suffered heavy damage: Nur Khan (Rawalpindi), Sukkur (Sindh), Rahim Yar Khan (Punjab), Mushaf in Sargodha, Shahbaz Jacobabad (Sindh), and Bholari (Thatta district). Satellite images showed large craters on runways, damaged aircraft hangars, transport vehicles, and radar/air defence installations.

The strike created massive craters (up to about 19 feet radius) on runways which rendered some airbases non-operational.

Apart from aircraft and base infrastructure, two Pakistani command and control centres (Murid and Chaklala) and multiple radar and missile defence sites were hit, crippling Pakistan’s offensive and defensive capabilities.

The strikes cost Pakistan lives, with at least 50 military personnel reported killed including officers.

The impact of the strikes was a major blow to Pakistan’s military air capabilities, leading to Pakistan seeking a ceasefire shortly after.

Operation Sindoor inflicted severe damage on Pakistan's air force by destroying aircraft, crippling airbases, damaging command centres, and neutralizing air defence systems, thereby significantly degrading Pakistan's military operational capacity.

Operation Sindoor marked a significant, precise, and intense military response by India aimed at dismantling terrorist networks linked to Pakistan, highlighting India's capability and resolve to counter terrorism and cross-border threats.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)