New Delhi | Updated: October 3, 2025
Reference To India Today. Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh revealed that the Indian Air Force (IAF) shot down almost ten Pakistani fighter jets, including the hi-tech F-16s and the JF-17s in Operation Sindoor in May. In reference to the celebrations of the 93rd Air Force Day, the IAF chief claimed that the mission demonstrated the growing air power and precision in-strike capability of the Indian forces. He said that it consisted of a long-range air strike, reaching past 300km in Pakistani airspace, which he described as the longest kill the IAF made so far. He also wrote that the mission marked the annual headline and a historic point in Indian air-defence planning.
Significant Destruction in the Air Assets of Pakistan
A post-strike analysis conducted by the IAF showed that the IAF killed four or five other F-16s on the ground after precision attacks that targeted major facilities in Pakistan. The targets included radar stations at four locations, two base command centres, two runways, three aircraft hangars, and a surface-to-air missile system. These operations took place on 10 May 2010, during the time India started controlled strikes on 11 military air-bases located deep in Pakistan. Defence commentators noted that the scope of destruction induced Islamabad to embark on ceasefire talks soon after. Singh said, “We took Pakistan to the level where they were forced to seek a ceasefire,” stressing the psychological effect the strikes brought on the other side of the border.
Manohar Kahaniyan – IAF Chief Refuses Pakistani Claims
The Air Chief Marshal also rejected the counterarguments by Pakistan that it shot down Indian jets in the clash. He called these kinds of reports manohar kahaniyan (fanciful tales) and said that they were stories meant for internal consumption. His statements followed the address of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), who alleged that seven Indian planes were shot down. Singh’s statement effectively aberrated these allegations and clarified India’s stance on the events.
Strategic Message and Regional Impact
The uncovering showed the renewal of Indian technological superiority and operational preparedness. Top defence experts explained that Operation Sindoor demonstrated the new and modified structure of the Indian Air Force, which integrated profuse precision actions with tactical moderation. The operation indicated air superiority and carried a powerful diplomatic signal to the world, showing that India is a decisive power capable of safeguarding its interests far beyond its borders.
