New Delhi: Firing fewer than 50 precision weapons at selected Pakistani military targets, the Indian Air Force (IAF) compelled Islamabad to request a halt to hostilities by midday on May 10, Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari said on Saturday.
Recounting the mission, Air Marshal Tiwari said the IAF achieved “complete domination” over Pakistan’s military through strikes conducted in response to Pakistan’s attack on the night of May 9–10.
“I must emphasize that with fewer than 50 weapons, we achieved total domination. This is unprecedented,” he said at the NDTV Defence Summit.
The senior IAF officer, who played a pivotal role in Operation Sindoor, noted that several Pakistani targets neutralized during the mission had not been hit even during the 1971 war.
“We ensured every weapon counted, which reflects the planning capability and operational expertise of our teams,” he added.
Operation Sindoor, launched by India on May 7, targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan-controlled territories as retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack. The strikes led to four days of intense conflict, concluding with an agreement to cease military actions on May 10.
Air Marshal Tiwari also detailed the sequence of events during Operation Sindoor, including India’s measured response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
“Even after our strikes on Pakistani terror infrastructure on May 7, we avoided escalation. We anticipated a response but kept our operations calibrated, targeting only military assets. However, following the main attack on the night of May 9–10, we decided to send a clear and decisive message,” he said.
He emphasized that the IAF’s strikes were highly strategic: “Some targets destroyed were not even hit during the 1971 war. The damage inflicted on their capabilities was extensive, yet our operations remained strictly focused on military objectives.”
Highlighting the challenges of long-range precision strikes, Air Marshal Tiwari said, “Hitting targets from long distances carries inherent risks, including potential collateral damage. But thanks to meticulous planning and execution, each target was neutralized accurately with no unintended impact. This level of precision requires coordinated effort beyond just the pilots—it involves a whole ground team.”
Following the initial strikes, India communicated to Pakistan that it had no intention to escalate, emphasizing that its actions were aimed solely at terrorist infrastructure. However, Pakistan’s subsequent military retaliation prompted a strong and decisive Indian response.
