Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Friday confirmed that IAF airstrikes during Operation Sindoor in May dealt a heavy blow to Pakistan Air Force (PAF), destroying multiple high-value assets, including four to five F-16 fighter jets and a Chinese-made JF-17.
Speaking on the occasion of the 93rd Air Force Day, the IAF chief revealed that precision strikes on Pakistani airbases crippled critical military infrastructure and forced Islamabad to seek an immediate ceasefire.
“We struck a large number of installations. Based on reliable reports, we destroyed radars at four places, command and control centres at two bases, damaged runways at two airfields, and hit three hangars,” Singh said.
According to him, the missiles that struck hangars and tarmac led to the destruction of a C-130 transport aircraft, one AEW&C class aircraft, and four to five fighter jets, most likely F-16s. A surface-to-air missile (SAM) system was also neutralised in the strikes.
Confirming a significant kill, the Air Chief added, “We have clear evidence of one long-range strike—over 300 km—on an AEW&C or a SIGINT platform, along with five frontline fighters in the F-16 and JF-17 class.”
Rejecting Pakistan’s counterclaims of Indian losses, Singh remarked that Islamabad was feeding its citizens “Manohar Kahaaniya” (fanciful tales), without providing any photographic evidence of IAF aircraft being shot down.
He credited the synergy of India’s armed forces for the success of Operation Sindoor, saying, “The joint resolve of our services brought the enemy to their knees.”
The conflict erupted in early May after India launched targeted strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. The four-day confrontation ended on May 10, when Indian strikes on key PAF airbases compelled Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) to seek urgent communication with his Indian counterpart.
