Speaking about India’s recent Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh recalled the challenge of convincing the public about the extent of damage in the 2019 Balakot airstrike. “In Balakot, we could not get anything from inside, and it became a big issue trying to tell our own people what we had achieved. We had intelligence that there had been huge damage and many terrorists neutralised, but we could not convince our own people,” Singh said.
He noted that this time, the armed forces made sure the results were visible. “I am very happy that this time we were able to take care of that ghost of Balakot, and tell the world what we achieved,” he added while addressing the 16th edition of the Air Chief Marshal LM Katre Memorial Lecture in Bengaluru.
Pak jets shot down in Operation Sindoor
The Air Chief confirmed that the Indian armed forces destroyed at least five Pakistani fighter aircraft and one large aircraft during Operation Sindoor. “We have at least five fighters confirmed kills and one large aircraft, which could be either an ELINT or AEW\&C aircraft, taken on at a distance of about 300 kilometres — the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill,” Singh revealed.
Singh also detailed other damages inflicted on Pakistan’s military assets:
- Two command and control centres at Murid and Chaklala.
- At least six radars, both large and small.
- Two surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW) systems in Lahore and Okara.
- Three hangars targeted Sukkur UAV hangar, Bholari hangar, and Jacobabad F-16 hangar.
He said intelligence indicated at least one AEW\&C aircraft and several F-16s under maintenance were present in the Jacobabad hangar at the time.
What sparked Operation Sindoor
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives. The armed forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, killing over 100 terrorists from groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.
Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling, drone strikes, and attacks along the border, killing 16 people and injuring 59. In response, India launched coordinated strikes on radar systems, communication hubs, and airfields across 11 Pakistani airbases, including Nur Khar.
