Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Aug 9: In a stunning revelation, the chief of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, announced on Saturday that six Pakistani fighter jets were shot down mid-air, and a high-value surveillance aircraft was destroyed during the IAF’s precision strikes under Operation Sindoor. The operation, launched on May 7, was a retaliatory air campaign following a deadly terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir.
Addressing the 16th Air Chief Marshal L M Katre Memorial Lecture in Bengaluru, Singh detailed the scale and success of the operation, calling it “a decisive blow to Pakistan’s military infrastructure and terror ecosystem”. “Our airstrikes were calculated, swift, and precise. Six enemy jets were neutralised in the skies, and two more were destroyed on the ground,” he said.
Major intelligence aircraft destroyed
Among the most significant kills was a large Pakistani surveillance aircraft, believed to be either an AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) or an electronic intelligence (ELINT) platform. “This was a strategic asset. Its destruction has severely crippled Pakistan’s aerial command and control,” the air chief noted.
This aircraft acted as Pakistan’s eyes and ears in the sky, and its loss is being described as a crippling intelligence setback.
S-400 air defence praised for role in operation
Singh credited the Russian-made S-400 air defence system as having played a pivotal role in the operation. The system enabled Indian forces to track, engage, and eliminate high-value targets with precision and confidence. “The S-400 was instrumental in establishing aerial dominance and neutralising threats before they posed a danger,” he remarked.
Satellite imagery confirms surgical precision
Singh backed up his claims with before-and-after satellite imagery, showing the extent of the damage inflicted on terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistan. One key image showed the Bahawalpur camp, identified as the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) headquarters, damaged by IAF strikes.
“The buildings we targeted were obliterated. Neighbouring structures remained untouched — clear proof of precision,” Singh asserted. “These images are corroborated by local Pakistani media as well,” he added.
Lashkar headquarters, top leader residences targeted
Of the nine confirmed targets, one was the Muridke complex, the central command of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The compound also included residences of senior Lashkar leadership and served as a hub for key meetings and planning sessions. “Our intel showed these facilities weren’t just hideouts — they were operational nerve centres,” Singh added.
Operation Sindoor was launched in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 innocent lives. Within weeks, the IAF executed a full-scale retaliation targeting Pakistan-backed terror outfits. “India’s response was not just symbolic. We ensured tangible, strategic impact — over 100 terrorists eliminated,” the air chief revealed.