A recent European military analysis suggests that India's air superiority during Operation Sindoor in May 2025 played a decisive role in compelling Pakistan to call for a ceasefire. The report, titled 'Operation Sindoor: The India-Pakistan Air War (7-10 May 2025),' was published by the Centre d'Histoire et de Prospective Militaires (CHPM), a Swiss think tank specializing in military history and strategic studies.
Authored by retired Swiss Air Force Major General Adrien Fontanellaz, the report asserts that India maintained "escalation dominance" throughout the four-day conflict, safeguarding its critical air defense assets and demonstrating a credible deep-strike capability without crossing nuclear thresholds. The study highlights that India effectively controlled the tempo and intensity of the confrontation, preventing Pakistani forces from achieving any significant operational objectives.
Operation Sindoor was launched in response to the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack. India executed coordinated airstrikes and missile attacks on targets within Pakistan's Punjab province and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), asserting that these actions neutralized over 100 militants and destroyed key logistical hubs. Pakistan swiftly condemned the operation as an unprovoked breach of sovereignty, leading to a rapid mobilization of its air force and army.
According to the report, the initial Pakistani air force (PAF) strikes aimed at Indian infrastructure, targeting positions 100 to 150 kilometers from the border and the Line of Control (LoC), including air stations such as Adampur and Srinagar. The PAF reportedly used Yihaa III, Bayraktar TB2s, and Akinci drones in these attempts. However, these efforts failed to overwhelm Indian defenses or reach critical targets.
In response, the Indian Air Force (IAF) focused on degrading Pakistan's air defense systems, specifically targeting long-range surface-to-air missile batteries and border surveillance radars. The IAF employed Israeli-origin Harop and Harpy loitering munitions in these operations, reportedly neutralizing at least two early-warning radars at Chunian and Pasrur.
The Swiss report suggests that these actions significantly reduced the quality and extent of Pakistani airspace awareness. The report also stated that the Indian Air Force (IAF) managed to significantly degrade the enemy's air defense system and concluded the conflict by carrying out a series of strikes against Pakistan's principal Air Force stations. This ultimately led to India achieving clear air superiority, which coerced Islamabad into requesting a ceasefire. The analysis emphasizes the crucial role of long-range strikes and the strong interpenetration between military and communication lines of operation.
The Centre d'Histoire et de Prospective Militaires (CHPM), which published the report, is an independent Swiss institution founded in 1969 that specializes in military history and strategic studies. The publication of the report carries institutional oversight, with a review committee including Joseph Henrotin, a Paris-based strategic analyst; Claude Meier, a retired Swiss Air Force Major General; and Arthur Lüsenti, a specialist in nuclear doctrine and arms control.
