Operation Sindoor And The Collapse Of Pakistani Air Power

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The destruction of Pakistan's AEW&C fleet, frontline jets, and ISR drones within 88 hours, without IAF losses, marked a new benchmark for regional power assertion
In the wake of the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 Indians dead, India responded with a calculated and overwhelming military retaliation: Operation Sindoor. Launched on May 7, this four-day campaign crippled Pakistan's aerial capabilities, decimated key command centres, and sent a clear signal to both adversaries and observers—the Indian Air Force is no longer reactive; it is doctrinally offensive and technologically precise.
The Pahalgam attack was not just another act of cross-border terrorism; it was a blatant provocation aimed at destabilising the region. Recognising the gravity of the situation, the Indian defence establishment, under the leadership of Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, initiated Operation Sindoor. The objective was clear: dismantle the terror infrastructure and deliver a crippling blow to Pakistan's military capabilities.
The initial phase of the operation witnessed a tactical recalibration. Facing unexpected resistance, the IAF swiftly adapted its strategy, emphasising electronic warfare and precision targeting. This adaptability was evident as the IAF jammed Pakistan's Chinese-supplied air defense systems within 23 minutes, paving the way for unhindered aerial assaults.
Decimation of Pakistani Air Assets
1. Fighter Jets Shot Down
Six Pakistani fighter jets were destroyed: three JF-17 Thunders, two Mirage III/V variants, and one F-16 Block 52. These were eliminated via BVR missile engagements and stand-off munitions strikes near Jacobabad, Rahim Yar Khan, and Sargodha. This loss devastated Pakistan's QRA network.
Two airborne surveillance aircraft—Saab 2000 Erieye and ZDK-03 Karakoram Eagle—were destroyed. The former was downed from 314 km using India's S-400 system, while the latter was destroyed in a strike on Bholari Airbase. These kills blinded the PAF during the operation's peak.
3. C-130 Hercules and Special Forces Hit
A C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, with elite personnel on board, was destroyed at Nur Khan Airbase via a BrahMos NG missile strike. The kill disrupted logistics and morale.
4. Drones and UCAVs Neutralized
Over 15 Pakistani UCAVs, including Chinese Wing Loong drones, were destroyed in airspace interceptions and base attacks. India's Akashteer and SAMAR systems achieved 100 per cent success rate during the campaign.
Precision Strikes on Pakistan's Strategic Airbases
1. Nur Khan Airbase (Chaklala)
This airbase, located near Rawalpindi and used frequently for both strategic airlift and VIP movement, is one of Pakistan's most high-profile installations. It houses C-130 Hercules aircraft, the PAF's Special Services Wing (SSW), and at times, acts as a backup command center for Air Headquarters.
The IAF targeted Nur Khan with a mix of loitering munitions and BrahMos NG missiles.
One C-130 Hercules was destroyed during active loading operations. The aircraft was reportedly preparing for a special forces' deployment.
The strike also resulted in the death of 12 personnel, including elite aircrew and logistics officers.
Adjacent hangars were engulfed in flames, with satellite images revealing significant structural damage and debris fields.
Strategic Impact: Loss of a heavy-lift transport aircraft during operational tempo drastically reduced Pakistan's ability to reposition personnel and emergency supplies. The symbolic value of striking Nur Khan—so close to Islamabad—was immense.
2. Bholari Airbase
Located in Sindh, Bholari is relatively new but highly strategic. It houses AEW&C aircraft, such as the ZDK-03 Karakoram Eagle, and supports eastern sector radar coverage. India's strikes on Bholari were surgical. A ZDK-03 AEW&C aircraft was destroyed in its hardened shelter.
Loitering drones confirmed the aircraft's static status before destruction.
A secondary blast caused the loss of a control container, believed to be the mobile command module for air surveillance.
Strategic Impact: The destruction of an AWACS platform here meant Pakistan was flying blind in its southern and eastern air sectors for at least 72 hours. The psychological impact on sortie planning and interdiction response was severe.
3. Sargodha Airbase
This base is the headquarters of PAF's Central Air Command and houses one of its primary F-16 squadrons. Indian missiles—likely Sudarshan-armed BrahMos variants—struck multiple hardened aircraft shelters.
One F-16 was destroyed, and several others were damaged as hangars collapsed.
The base's main runway was cratered, grounding air operations for nearly 48 hours.
Communications from the base went offline temporarily, suggesting damage to underground fiberoptic nodes or satellite uplinks.
Strategic Impact: Disabling the hub of PAF's air superiority capability mid-conflict represented a tactical masterstroke. It delayed all command-level decisions and turned the Sargodha-led air defence network into an observer, not a responder.
4. Jacobabad Airbase
Used primarily for drone operations and hosting ground-attack aircraft, Jacobabad is a second-tier base that evolved into a critical UCAV hub.
India employed swarm drones with AI-assisted target recognition.
Destruction of at least 4 Shahpar-II drones and 2 ground control stations was confirmed.
A mobile jamming vehicle was destroyed, which had been employed to counter Indian ISR drones.
Strategic Impact: The loss of ground control and tactical ISR support disrupted Pakistan's ability to surveil Indian strike formations. It also nullified any plan for drone counterattacks or offensive launches from this region.
5. Sukkur Airbase
Sukkur is not a front-line airbase but plays a pivotal logistical role, particularly in aircraft refueling, repair, and emergency landings.
India's guided bomb attacks focused on aviation fuel farms and mechanical support infrastructure.
Runways were not cratered—suggesting India wanted to retain it as a post-conflict emergency strip—but repair sheds and fuel trucks were wiped out.
Strategic Impact: The intent was clear—deny Pakistan long-range operational sustainability by cutting off supply and recovery chains. Sukkur's loss pushed refueling cycles to Multan and Rahim Yar Khan, increasing turnaround times.
6. Rahim Yar Khan Airbase
An older but still functional base, Rahim Yar Khan stored Mirage III/V aircraft and was suspected to be housing precision munitions.
SPICE 2000 bombs were used to destroy two Mirage aircraft in shelters.
An ammunition truck nearby exploded, creating a domino effect that damaged additional support infrastructure.
The base was rendered non-functional for 48–60 hours due to runway damage and fires.
Strategic Impact: This strike served dual purposes: eliminating a legacy strike asset (the Mirages) and targeting stored high-value munitions to prevent reprisal attacks.
7. Shahbaz Airbase
Although not a major strategic target, Shahbaz was hit in a diversionary attack. Decoy drones and long-range artillery pinned down local SAM systems and distracted early warning systems from the real action happening across the other bases.
Radar exposure patterns revealed Pakistani AD radars went into full-track mode here for almost 14 minutes.
This diversion allowed the IAF to conduct cleaner, unchallenged strikes on Bholari and Sargodha.
Strategic Impact: This was a classical suppression tactic—confuse, decoy, and overwhelm. Shahbaz's use as a bait zone amplified the success rates of other concurrent missions.
A Doctrinal Shift
India's airbase-focused strikes during Operation Sindoor weren't random retaliatory actions—they were high-order military planning in motion. Each base was selected based on:
Operational role in Pakistan's air defense structure
Proximity to command centers
Potential to host high-value assets
The timing of the strikes—across 10 bases in just over 22 minutes—was designed to paralyse PAF's capacity to assess, react, and recover. Three of these airbases—Nur Khan, Bholari, and Sargodha—held disproportionate value to Pakistan's combat air doctrine. Their temporary neutralisation essentially collapsed centralised coordination.
What Operation Sindoor achieved in four days is what conventional airpower theory dreams of but rarely executes: pre-emptive degradation, strategic disorientation, and surgical decapitation—without crossing international lines of escalation.
Neutralising Command and Control Centers
Beyond the physical destruction of aircraft and airbases, Operation Sindoor strategically targeted Pakistan's command and control infrastructure. Precision strikes were carried out on key communication nodes and radar installations, effectively blinding the PAF and disrupting their operational coordination. This systematic dismantling of command structures ensured that Pakistani forces were unable to mount an effective response, further amplifying the impact of the operation.
India's Ballistic Missile Defence: A Shield Against Retaliation
Anticipating potential retaliatory strikes, India activated its multi-layered Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system to safeguard its territory. The S-400 Triumf, known in India as the Sudarshan Chakra, played a pivotal role in this defense strategy. This advanced system, capable of detecting targets up to 600 km away and engaging them at ranges up to 400 km, successfully intercepted several incoming threats, including drones and missiles launched by Pakistan.
Complementing the S-400, India's indigenous Akashteer system, an automated air defense control and reporting system, effectively neutralized low-altitude threats. During Operation Sindoor, the Akashteer system demonstrated a 100% kill rate against Pakistani drones, showcasing its efficacy in modern warfare scenarios.
Additionally, the SAMAR air defence system was instrumental in intercepting low-altitude threats, preventing damage to military and civilian infrastructure.
International Reactions and Trump's Comments
In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, international reactions were swift. U.S. President Donald Trump expressed concern over the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, stating, 'It's a shame. We just heard about it as we were walking in the doors of the Oval. Just heard about it. It's a shame. Hope it ends very quickly."
Trump further offered to mediate between the two nations, saying, 'Good relationships with both and I want to see it stop. And if I can do anything to help, I will be there."
However, India firmly rejected any third-party mediation, emphasising that the ceasefire was a result of Pakistan's DGMO appeal on his knees and not due to international pressure. Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that any future provocations from Pakistan would be met with powerful retaliation, underscoring India's commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty.
Psychological and Operational Impact
The rapid and decisive nature of Operation Sindoor had a demoralising effect on the Pakistani military establishment. Within 88 hours, the scale of destruction compelled Pakistan to seek a ceasefire, highlighting the operation's efficacy in achieving its strategic objectives.
International Air Doctrine Comparison
Operation Sindoor represents a shift in India's strategic posture—toward preemptive deterrence and precision warfare. In contrast, NATO doctrines emphasise layered suppression and network-centric warfare. Israel's doctrine of preemption (e.g., Operation Outside the Box) mirrors Sindoor's surprise precision strikes. China follows a doctrine of strategic depth and airspace denial, while the U.S. focuses on full-spectrum dominance leveraging stealth, satellite ISR, and multi-domain fusion. India's Sudarshan-led approach (S-400, Akashteer, and indigenous UAVs) now places it closer to the most sophisticated doctrines globally.
Conclusion
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The aerial attrition inflicted during Operation Sindoor wasn't merely a tactical victory—it was a doctrinal pivot. The destruction of Pakistan's AEW&C fleet, frontline jets, and ISR drones within 88 hours, without IAF losses, marked a new benchmark for regional power assertion. For Pakistan, the damage was deep; for India, the message was clear: preparedness has evolved into preeminence.
The writer is a retired officer of the IRS and the former director-general of the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes & Narcotics. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views.
About the Author
Group Capt MJ Augustine Vinod VSM (Retd)
Group Capt MJ Augustine Vinod VSM (retd) tweets at @mjavinod
tags :
Operation Sindoor Pahalgam attack pakistan
Location :
New Delhi, India, India
First Published:
June 07, 2025, 13:23 IST
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