India’s Ministry of Defence categorically denied Pakistan’s claims that its air defenses shot down or damaged Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft during ‘Operation Sindoor,’ a series of precision strikes targeting nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK) early Wednesday. Labeling Pakistan’s assertions as “fake and baseless,” India reaffirmed that all IAF assets and pilots returned safely after the operation, which was launched to avenge the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
The IAF, in a statement, clarified that ‘Operation Sindoor’ involved Rafale jets deploying Scalp and Hammer munitions to strike terror camps linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed in locations including Muzaffarabad, Bahawalpur, Kotli, and Muridke. “All aircraft executed their missions with precision and returned to base without incident,” Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh said, adding that approximately 80 terrorists were neutralized. The operation, described as “targeted and non-escalatory,” avoided Pakistani military and civilian sites, India emphasized.
Pakistan’s military, through its Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), claimed it downed five Indian aircraft, including a drone, and reported eight civilian deaths across six strike locations, including Bahawalpur and Kotli. India’s Defence Ministry dismissed these claims as “propaganda to deflect attention from the successful dismantling of terror infrastructure.” Sources in New Delhi suggested Pakistan’s narrative was an attempt to rally domestic support amid public criticism of its failure to counter the strikes.
Tensions escalated post-operation, with heavy shelling reported along the Line of Control, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch and Rajouri sectors, where three Indian civilians were killed by Pakistani artillery fire. Pakistan closed its airspace, and India suspended operations at northern airports like Srinagar and Jammu. Social media posts from India celebrated the operation, with hashtags like #OperationSindoor and #BharatMataKiJai trending, while Pakistani accounts shared unverified images of alleged aircraft wreckage.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who monitored the tri-services operation, is set to address an all-party meeting today to brief leaders on the strikes. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the IAF’s “flawless execution,” while External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reiterated India’s right to self-defense against cross-border terrorism.
The international community urged de-escalation. The U.S. acknowledged India’s briefing on the strikes but called for restraint, while the U.N. expressed alarm over the rising India-Pakistan tensions. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, vowing retaliation, conducted missile tests, signaling a volatile standoff.
India plans to release further details on ‘Operation Sindoor’ later today, as both nations remain on high alert amid fears of further escalation.
