India Shot Down Pakistan's 5 Fighter Jets During Operation Sindoor: IAF Chief AP Singh

For the first time since India launched Operation Sindoor, the Indian Air Chief has revealed that five fighter jets were shot down by India in the four-day conflict.

IAF Confirms India Shooting Down Pak Aircrafts

Speaking at an event in Bengaluru, the Air Chief provided unprecedented details of the high-tech, short-duration conflict. "...We have at least five fighters confirmed kills and one large aircraft, which could be either an ELINT aircraft or an AEW &C aircraft, which was taken on at a distance of about 300 kilometres. This is actually the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about."

"Shahbaz Jacobabad airfield, one of the major airfields that was attacked. Here there's an F-16 hangar. One half of the hangar is gone. And I'm sure there were some aircraft inside which have got damaged there. We were able to get at least two command and control centres, like Murid and Chaklala.

At least six radars, some of them big, some of them small...We have an indication of at least one AEW&C in that AEW&C hangar and a few F-16s, which were under maintenance there...We have at least five fighters confirmed kills and one large aircraft, which could be either an ELINT aircraft or an AEW &C aircraft, which was taken on at a distance of about 300 kilometres. This is actually the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about."

The Role Of S-400 & Political Will

Air Chief Marshal Singh credited the newly inducted S-400 air defence system as a "game-changer" that effectively neutralized Pakistan's air-launched threats. "The range of that system has really kept their aircraft away... they have not been able to use any one of those [long-range glide bombs]," he explained.

The Air Chief Marshal AP Singh stated that it was a high-tech war which was paused following a call from the Pakistani side.

He added, "In 80 to 90 hours of war, we were able to achieve so much damage that it was clear to them that if they continue, they are going to pay for it more and more. So they came forward and sent a message to our DGMO that they wanted to talk. This was accepted on our side..."

Pahalgam Terrorist Attack

Following the Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22, India launched Operation Sindoor, striking nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and in the Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir on May 7. In response, Pakistan tried to attack the border regions but India successfully neutralised drone, and missile attacks.

India targeted runways, hangars, command and control centres, radar bases, missile sites and weapon storage areas. New Delhi also struck Pakistani military bases at Rafiqui, Murid, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian while causing damage to the air bases in Skardu, Bholari, Jacobabad and Sargodha.

However, the operation was put on pause after Islamabad called Delhi twice for a ceasefire on May 10.

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh stated that the political will was a key reason for India's success in the Operation Sindoor. "There were very clear directions given to us. No restrictions were put on us... If there were any constraints, they were self-made... We decided how much to escalate... We had full freedom to plan and execute. Our attacks were calibrated because we wanted to be mature about it... There was a synchronisation between the three forces... The post of CDS made a real difference. He was there to get us together... NSA also played a big role in getting all the agencies..." he added.

Showing before and after images of the attack on Muridke-LeT HQ during Operation Sindoor, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh says, "... This is their senior leadership's residential area. These were their office building where they would get together to conduct meetings. We could get video from the weapons themselves as the location was within range..."