IAF Chief: India Downed Five Pakistani Jets in Operation Sindoor

In a stunning revelation that has reignited memories of the intense 2025 India-Pakistan standoff, Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh dropped a bombshell on Friday: India downed four to five Pakistani fighter jets—including US-made F-16s and Chinese JF-17s—during Operation Sindoor, the daring military campaign launched in May. Speaking at a high-profile press conference in Delhi, the IAF supremo elaborated on initial disclosures from August, confirming the destruction of six enemy aircraft in mid-air clashes, comprising five fighters and a massive "big bird"—likely an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) plane.

"We have irrefutable evidence of at least one long-range strike on an AEW&C aircraft at over 300 km, plus four to five hits on fighters, possibly F-16s or JF-17s," Singh declared, underscoring the precision of India's offensive capabilities. He detailed how Indian missiles crippled key Pakistani infrastructure: radars at four sites, Command & Control centers at two locations, runways at two airbases, and three hangars across different bases. "One SAM (surface-to-air missile) system was obliterated, and a C-130-class transport aircraft—America's vaunted 'Hercules'—may also have been struck," he added, painting a picture of widespread devastation on Pakistani airfields like Jacobabad and Bhoolari.

The operation, codenamed Sindoor, erupted on May 7 as India's thunderous retaliation to the horrific April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 civilians—mostly tourists—were slaughtered by militants linked to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). India presented global evidence of Islamabad's complicity before unleashing precision strikes on nine terror camps and headquarters, including LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) strongholds in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). "The world witnessed our power as we neutralized these threats across 300 km. Terrorists paid the price for killing innocents," Singh affirmed.

Also Read: On Vijayadashmi, BSF Performs Ritual Weapon Worship Honouring Operation Sindoor

But the IAF chief didn't stop at triumphs—he showered praise on India's ironclad air defense network, which repelled a relentless Pakistani barrage of missiles and drones targeting military installations and civilian hubs. Advanced systems like the Russian S-400 played a pivotal role, inflicting such heavy tolls that "Pakistan realized they'd suffer catastrophic losses if the fight dragged on," Singh noted. The nearly 100-hour conflict, marked by drone dogfights and artillery duels along the Line of Control (LoC), ended in a ceasefire on May 10—not through U.S. mediation, as President Donald Trump has repeatedly boasted, but because "Pakistan begged for it."

Trump's persistent credit-grabbing—echoed in UN speeches and chats with U.S. brass as recently as Wednesday—drew sharp rebuke. "I called them both, and used trade to stop it," the former president bragged. India has consistently refuted this, with PM Narendra Modi clarifying in a June call that no third party intervened. Singh echoed the government's line: "Cessation came from Islamabad's plea, not external pressure." Pakistan's counter-claims of downing six Indian jets, including a prized Rafale, were branded "pure propaganda to dupe their own people—no proof, just lies."

As the dust settles five months later, Operation Sindoor stands as a testament to India's evolved military doctrine: swift, surgical strikes blurring lines between terror and state targets, backed by cutting-edge tech. Analysts hail it as a deterrence game-changer, though whispers of mutual losses persist. With cricket rivalries now invoking "Sindoor" vibes—Modi cheekily dubbing India's Asia Cup win an "extension" of the op—the scars of May linger. Yet, for Singh and the IAF, it's clear: India's skies are secure, and the message to adversaries is unequivocal—cross the line, and pay dearly.

Also Read: Rajnath Singh: Operation Sindoor Achieved All Objectives Without War