DefenseNews: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India, through its spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, has asserted that Operation Sindoor resulted in the successful targeting and destruction of key terrorist centres located in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Muzaffarabad, and other locations within Pakistan.
These actions, according to the MEA, significantly degraded Pakistan’s military capabilities, including putting several key air bases out of action.
Jaiswal addressed the Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s recent statements, noting that if the Pakistani leadership chooses to portray these degraded military capabilities as an achievement, they are free to do so.
He emphasised that India’s actions were strictly focused on eliminating terrorist infrastructure and that Indian policy has always been clear: India would only target terror infrastructure operating from Pakistani soil, and would respond directly only if the Pakistani military engaged Indian forces.
The escalation began after the Pahalgam terror attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians, predominantly tourists. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, conducting precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure across multiple locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
The operation was characterised by the use of advanced weaponry, including Rafale jets equipped with SCALP missiles, AASM Hammer glide bombs, BrahMos cruise missiles, and SkyStriker loitering munitions. The strikes were described by the Indian government as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” specifically targeting the infrastructure of groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Following these strikes, Pakistan initially threatened a massive assault against India but shifted its stance after suffering significant losses. By the morning of May 10, after a devastating Indian counter-response that rendered several Pakistani air bases inoperative, Pakistan approached India for a ceasefire. The MEA highlighted that this shift in Pakistan’s position underscores the effectiveness of India’s operations and the resultant degradation of Pakistan’s military assets.
Commercially available satellite imagery, referenced by the MEA, corroborates the extent of damage inflicted on Pakistani military infrastructure. Notably, air bases such as Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi, PAF Base Mushaf in Sargodha, Bholari Air Base, and PAF Base Shahbaz in Jacobabad suffered visible, concentrated damage to runways and key facilities. This has substantial implications for Pakistan’s military operational capabilities and overall national security posture, as the air force’s ability to maintain operational readiness has been compromised.
Jaiswal also pointed out a historical pattern in Pakistan’s official narrative, where claims of victory are made even in the face of clear setbacks, referencing previous conflicts such as the 1971 war and the 1999 Kargil conflict. He suggested that independent verification, such as satellite imagery, should be used to assess the reality of the situation, contrasting the visible destruction in Pakistan with the lack of damage at Indian sites claimed to have been targeted by Pakistan.
The MEA’s statement reflects India’s position that Operation Sindoor achieved its objectives by crippling terrorist infrastructure and degrading Pakistan’s military capabilities, particularly its air force. The subsequent shift in Pakistan’s posture, from threats to seeking a ceasefire, is presented as evidence of the operation’s impact.
The MEA maintains that any attempt by Pakistan to frame these losses as achievements is a matter of their own narrative, but the facts on the ground, supported by satellite imagery, tell a different story.
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