Top News

Significant Achievements in Operation Sindoor

On Saturday, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh of the Indian Air Force disclosed that during Operation Sindoor, five Pakistani fighter jets and an additional large aircraft were successfully downed.

Addressing an audience at the HAL Management Auditorium, he noted that the Shahbaz Jacobabad Airfield, a key military base, was targeted during the operation.

Singh mentioned that an F-16 hangar was struck, resulting in substantial damage to its structure, which likely affected some aircraft housed within.

He elaborated that the S-400 air defense systems were instrumental in bringing down the jets.

Air Chief Marshal Singh stated, "We have confirmed the downing of at least five fighter jets and one large aircraft, which may have been an ELINT or AEW&C aircraft, engaged at a distance of approximately 300 kilometers. This marks the largest recorded surface-to-air kill to date."

He further detailed the operation's success in targeting two command and control centers, including Murid and Chaklala, as well as six radar installations of varying sizes and two surface-to-air guided weapon systems located in Lahore and Okara. The operation also involved attacks on three hangars, specifically the Sukkur UAV hangar, the Bholari hangar, and the Jacobabad F-16 hangar, with indications of at least one AEW&C aircraft and several F-16s undergoing maintenance.

In his remarks, Singh acknowledged the challenges faced by the military in demonstrating the impact of operations against terrorist organizations. He reflected on the difficulties encountered after the Balakot strikes, where the lack of evidence made it hard to communicate the success of the mission to the public.

He stated, "In Balakot, we could not provide tangible proof of our achievements, which became a significant issue in conveying our success to our own people. We had intelligence indicating substantial damage and the neutralization of numerous terrorists, but we struggled to convince the public of our accomplishments."

Singh expressed relief that, unlike in previous operations, video evidence from Operation Sindoor is now publicly available, allowing for a clearer narrative of the mission's success.

He remarked, "This time, we were fortunate to have the videos available, which helped us address the skepticism that followed Balakot. I am pleased that we could effectively communicate our achievements to the world."

The Air Chief Marshal praised India's strategic decision to de-escalate conflict after achieving its objectives, emphasizing that the primary goal of Operation Sindoor was to "teach terrorists a lesson." He noted that once the objectives were met, it was crucial to seek opportunities for peace.

He commented on the importance of avoiding prolonged conflict, stating, "While some may have wanted to escalate further, we must consider whether we can remain in a state of war. The nation has made a wise decision to pursue peace."

Singh's comments come in light of previous criticisms from opposition parties regarding the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, which were conducted in retaliation for the Pulwama terror attack that resulted in the deaths of around 40 CRPF personnel.