India’s Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh has revealed that the Indian Air Force (IAF) downed six Pakistani aircraft five fighter jets and a high-value surveillance plane believed to be an AWACS during “Operation Sindoor,” a four-day military campaign launched in May.
Speaking at the Air Chief Marshal L.M. Katre Memorial Lecture in Bengaluru, Singh presented satellite imagery and intelligence assessments that, he said, confirmed extensive damage to Pakistan’s air assets and to the Bahawalpur headquarters of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militant group. “You can see the precision here surrounding structures remain virtually untouched,” he remarked while showing high-resolution before-and-after visuals.
Operation Sindoor, initiated on May 7, was conducted in retaliation for an April attack in Pahalgam that left 26 dead. Singh said the IAF had “five confirmed kills” in addition to destroying “one large aircraft, possibly an ELINT or AEW\&C platform,” at a distance of around 300 km describing it as the “largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill” that could be publicly acknowledged.
The operation combined air-launched cruise missiles, advanced drones, loitering munitions, and electronic warfare systems to hit strategic sites with minimal civilian harm. India’s S-400 air defence system, recently inducted from Russia, proved critical, Singh noted, preventing Pakistan from deploying long-range glide bombs. “Their aircraft couldn’t get close enough to launch them,” he said.
The S-400 was also credited with taking out the Pakistani AWACS a loss that dealt a severe blow to Islamabad’s airborne surveillance and battle coordination capabilities. In addition to air-to-air engagements, the IAF struck ground targets, including airbases in Bholari and Rahim Yar Khan.
Backed by the Indian Army and Navy, the offensive concluded with Pakistan agreeing to a ceasefire. Singh described the mission as more than just retaliation calling it a demonstration of “precision, professionalism, and purpose.”
