Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari on Saturday revealed fresh details and footage of Operation Sindoor, India’s targeted military strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in May, following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead.
Speaking at the NDTV Defence Summit, Air Marshal Tiwari said the IAF achieved its objectives with remarkable efficiency.
“From the list of options presented, we had a large number of target sets. And finally, we boiled down to nine,” he said.
“Key takeaway for us, that in less than 50 weapons, we were able to achieve conflict elimination. So this is the essential part which I want you to take away,” he added.
Planning and Execution of Operation Sindoor
Air Marshal Tiwari explained that April 24 marked the start of high-level planning by the three armed services following the Pahalgam attack. Tactical planning commenced on April 29, with the date of strikes finalised for May 5.
“This is the first time after Operation Sindoor that, as an Air Force, we are speaking on a public forum… When the attack in Pahalgam happened, the very next day, all three services met in their respective headquarters and started planning possible options,” he said.
He noted that targets were carefully shortlisted and struck on May 6, 7 (early morning), and May 9.
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According to him, New Delhi’s directives outlined three objectives: a strong and visible response, deterrent messaging against future attacks, and complete operational freedom for the armed forces while preparing for potential escalation.
Four Days of Intense Strikes Before Truce
India carried out precision strikes under Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure. In retaliation, Pakistan attempted attacks on Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. Indian forces responded with counter-attacks on Pakistani military installations.
After four days of cross-border drone and missile exchanges, India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end hostilities.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Air Defence
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, also speaking at the event, underlined the critical role of air defence in modern warfare.
“As we saw during Operation Sindoor, the importance of air defence capability in today’s wars has increased to a great extent. In such a scenario, the Sudarshan Chakra mission will certainly prove to be a game changer,” Singh said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier announced the Sudarshan Chakra project in his Independence Day speech, days after Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir hinted at targeting Indian assets in the event of a future confrontation.
