After the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, India launched Operation Sindoor, a large-scale military operation targeting Pakistan’s military assets. The strikes led to the destruction of several key Pakistani aircraft and drones, according to sources.

The operation in early May resulted in the downing of six Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jets during air-to-air combat. The jets were reportedly destroyed by Indian air defence units in regions across Pakistani Punjab and parts of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Indian tracking systems confirmed the destruction using radar and thermal signatures.

Among the high-value targets, two airborne surveillance aircraft were also neutralized. One was taken down at a range of nearly 300 km using India’s long-range strike weapon, Sudarshan. Another, a Swedish-origin AEW&C aircraft, was reportedly destroyed at Pakistan's Bholari airbase in a missile strike. Satellite images showed that the hangar housing the aircraft was completely destroyed.

A PAF C-130 Hercules, used for logistical support, was also destroyed in a drone strike near Multan in Pakistani Punjab.

India also struck drone facilities, destroying more than ten armed drones, mostly from the Chinese Wing Loong series, in a precision airstrike using Rafale and Su-30 fighter jets. Some of Pakistan’s drones were also shot down by Indian air defence systems during the cross-border engagement, especially over Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan.

A Pakistani military document leaked recently revealed that Indian airstrikes reached deeper into Pakistan than publicly stated. Apart from PoJK, Indian air operations also targeted locations in Peshawar, Jhang, Hyderabad (Sindh), Gujrat (Punjab), Bahawalnagar, Attock, and Chor, all key military or dual-use sites.

India’s offensive started the night of May 6–7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistani Punjab and PoJK. Among the primary targets were:

  • Jaish-e-Mohammed HQ in Bahawalpur

  • Lashkar-e-Taiba camp in Muridke

  • Camps in Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Rawalakot, Bhimber, and Chakwal

Satellite images later confirmed visible damage to these camps, especially in PoJK.

After India's first round of strikes, Pakistan retaliated by launching drones and missiles targeting Indian military and civilian areas in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Jammu. This prompted India to extend its strikes to 11 Pakistani airbases, including Nur Khan, Sialkot, Sargodha, Bholari, and Skardu.

The conflict de-escalated by May 10, when Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations, Major General Kashif Abdullah, requested a ceasefire through his Indian counterpart, Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai. India agreed to halt operations but warned that it would resume military action if provoked again.

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