Operation Sindoor: 9 Planes Lost, Drones Destroyed, and Missiles Intercepted

More information about the recent cross-border military conflict known as Operation Sindoor is shedding light on the extent of Pakistan’s losses. After 26 civilians were killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian Air Force (IAF) launched retaliatory strikes that destroyed important Pakistani military equipment, such as fighter jets, surveillance planes, drones, and missile systems. As a result, Islamabad was forced to request a ceasefire within four days.

Two valuable surveillance planes, one C-130 military transport aircraft, and at least six Pakistani fighter jets were destroyed by the IAF, according to an ANI report based on defense sources participating in the operation. Beginning late on May 6 and ending by May 10, India’s calibrated air campaign also destroyed over ten armed drones (UCAVs), multiple cruise missiles, and radar stations.

The attacks, which avoided surface-to-surface weaponry like the BrahMos, were carried out solely with air-launched cruise missiles and included hits on important Pakistani airbases like Bholari. With assistance from electronic warfare and surveillance resources, a combination of Rafale and Su-30 MKI fighters executed the strikes.

One of the most important strikes was a long-range Sudarshan missile strike that destroyed a high-value airborne platform close to 300 kilometers away, likely an electronic warfare jet or an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEWC) aircraft.

According to reports, another Swedish-made AEWC aircraft that was supposedly based at the Bholari airbase was also destroyed. Because Pakistan has refused to remove wreckage from the site, officials are not adding the suspected extra fighter planes within the damaged hangars in confirmed kill numbers.

Indian air defenses, meanwhile, successfully stopped several Pakistani air and ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles. A number of Pakistani drones, including Wing Loong models manufactured in China, were also killed by the IAF during airspace intrusions and strikes.

Pakistani Propaganda Involving Allegations Of Civilian Casualties

According to a dossier, Pakistan accused India of hitting seven areas including Attock, Bahawalnagar, Gujrat, Jhang, Peshawar, Chhor, and Hyderabad beyond the publicly declared targets of the Indian military, claiming civilian casualties. However, Indian officials rejected the allegations as “propaganda”, claiming that all Indian strikes were restricted to terror infrastructure rather than military or civilian targets in Pakistan.

We were open and honest about our goals. According to an Indian defense officer, “This document from Pakistan appears to be an attempt to misrepresent Indian actions as indiscriminate”.

In response to the terror incident in Pahalgam that killed civilians in Jammu & Kashmir,Operation Sindoor was initiated. India hit five terror hotspots in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and four in Pakistan on May 7. Notable targets included the Sawai Nala camp in Muzaffarabad, the Markaz Taiba headquarters in Muridke, and the Markaz Subhan headquarters in Bahawalpur (Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters).

Nine Pakistani airbases and many radar stations were targeted by India’s military response to Pakistan’s escalation of missile and drone assaults on Indian military and civilian targets. The fierce four-day battle came to an end on May 10 when Pakistan, reeling from increasing casualties, requested a ceasefire.