Following the devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, India launched a swift and decisive military operation, codenamed "Operation Sindoor." Sources indicate that this operation, executed in early May, inflicted significant damage on Pakistan's military assets, particularly its air force.
According to reports, Operation Sindoor resulted in the downing of six Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jets. These engagements occurred during aerial operations within Pakistani Punjab and parts of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Indian sources confirmed the destruction through radar tracking and thermal signatures captured by ground-based missile systems and airborne early warning assets. The Pakistani aircraft reportedly vanished from tracking grids after impact confirmation.
Beyond the fighter jets, the Indian Air Force (IAF) also targeted high-value surveillance aircraft and unmanned aerial systems. A C-130 Hercules transport aircraft was reportedly destroyed in a precision drone strike. Furthermore, during an operation involving Rafale and Su-30 jets, a hangar housing multiple Chinese-origin Wing Loong series medium-altitude, long-endurance drones was destroyed, neutralizing over ten UCAVs in a single strike. Indian air defense units also intercepted and downed several Pakistani UCAVs over Indian airspace, particularly over Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan.
Operation Sindoor involved coordinated strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) and into Pakistan, targeting what India claimed were nine terrorist sites while avoiding known military facilities in an attempt to limit escalation. India utilized a combination of stand-off cruise missiles, armed drones, and coordinated aerial strikes. The operation was a calibrated cost-imposition strategy, intended to avoid a full-scale war.
While India asserted that the strikes targeted terrorist infrastructure, Pakistan claimed that civilian areas, including mosques, were hit, resulting in civilian casualties. Following these strikes, reports emerged of border skirmishes and drone strikes between the two countries.
Despite India's claims of precision strikes, Pakistan disputed the extent of the damage and asserted that it had downed several Indian jets. Pakistani media and officials initially claimed to have shot down five Indian aircraft, including three Rafales. Later, the claims evolved to include other aircraft types, with varying numbers reported.
The conflict led to a tense standoff between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, with both sides making claims of inflicting heavy damage on the other. International media reported the conflict with varying perspectives, with some highlighting India's strategic efficacy and others focusing on Pakistan's resilience. A ceasefire was eventually declared on May 10, 2025, following diplomatic efforts.
The events of April and May 2025 underscored the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan and the potential for escalation. Operation Sindoor, while intended as a targeted response to a specific terrorist attack, triggered a chain of events that brought the two countries to the brink of a larger conflict. The accuracy of claims made by both sides remains a subject of debate, but the operation undoubtedly had significant military and political consequences.
