IAF Chief AP Singh: Operation Sindoor Claims Five Pakistani Fighter Jets and a Large Aircraft

Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, the Indian Air Force Chief, announced on Saturday that five Pakistani fighter jets and one large aircraft were downed during Operation Sindoor. Speaking at the HAL Management Auditorium in Bengaluru, the Air Chief Marshal detailed the attack on Shahbaz Jacobabad Airfield, a key airfield, where an F-16 hangar was hit, resulting in the destruction of half its structure and potential damage to aircraft inside. The jets were shot down by the S-400 air defense systems. Singh stated that the operation resulted in at least five confirmed fighter kills and one large aircraft, possibly an ELINT or AEW&C aircraft, intercepted at a distance of approximately 300 kilometers, marking a significant surface-to-air kill. The operation also targeted command and control centers, radars, and hangars, including those used for UAVs and F-16s. Singh highlighted the challenges faced in providing evidence of the damage to terrorist organizations, citing the difficulties in convincing people about the achievements of the Balakot airstrikes due to a lack of conclusive visual evidence. He mentioned that Operation Sindoor, however, had video evidence available, which allowed the world to see what was achieved. Singh added that the aim of Operation Sindoor was to teach terrorists a lesson and that India sought to end the conflict once its objectives were met, praising the decision to stop the war.