India on Thursday laid out the scale of damage inflicted on Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, with senior military official saying the armed forces had struck terror camps, airfields and aircraft in a calibrated operation launched after the Pahalgam terror attack.
Addressing a press briefing on the first anniversary of the operation, Air Marshal AK Bharti said India had carried out precision strikes on terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
“We struck and decimated their 9 terrorist camps on 7th May. The proof is there for everybody to see. We struck 11 of their airfields. We destroyed 13 of their aircraft either on the ground or in the air, including one high-value airborne asset at a record distance of 300 kilometres plus,” he said.
During the briefing, Bharti was also asked about losses suffered on the Indian side during the military operation and the subsequent escalation. Responding to the question, he said, “Neither has any of our military infrastructure been damaged, nor civilian structure.” He further added that “they have not been able to inflict any major damage.”
‘Live and let live’
Air marshal Bharti reiterated that India’s actions were aimed specifically at terror infrastructure and were carried out with restraint.
{{/usCountry}}Air marshal Bharti reiterated that India’s actions were aimed specifically at terror infrastructure and were carried out with restraint.
{{/usCountry}}He said India has traditionally followed the philosophy of “live and let live,” but stressed that the country responds firmly whenever that spirit is challenged.
According to him, Operation Sindoor reflected a “calibrated yet forceful response” designed to deter future attacks.
Referring to the 22 April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, Bharti said India could not undo the loss of lives, but could act to ensure such incidents are not repeated.
He noted that Operation Sindoor, which currently remains paused, was launched with precisely that objective.
Operation launched after Pahalgam attack
Operation Sindoor was initiated on May 7, 2025, days after the terror attack in Pahalgam. During the operation, Indian armed forces targeted nine terror bases located in Pakistan and PoK.
Bharti said the armed forces were given clear strategic direction along with full operational freedom to execute the mission.
He described the strikes as a decisive operation against “those responsible and their supporters,” adding that the planning was intelligence-led and carefully executed to minimise collateral damage.
Operational ethics, he said, remained central to the mission, with efforts made to avoid civilian casualties.
Pakistan’s retaliation and ceasefire call
Following Operation Sindoor, Pakistan launched retaliatory drone and UCAV attacks targeting Indian airbases and logistics infrastructure, according to officials.
India, however, said those attempts were successfully neutralised.
On May 10 last year, Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) initiated a hotline call with his Indian counterpart.
That conversation eventually led to an agreement between the two sides to cease all firing and military action across land, air and sea from 5 pm IST on the same day, according to offcial statement released at that time.