In a rare public disclosure, Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh has revealed detailed before and after satellite images showing the crippling impact of India’s Operation Sindoor on Pakistan’s air force infrastructure and terror networks. Speaking at the Air Chief Marshal LM Katre Lecture in Bengaluru, Singh shared high-resolution imagery of Pakistani military installations before and after the strikes, highlighting the scale of damage.
Between May 8 and 10, IAF fighter jets struck 11 military air bases across Pakistan in a coordinated, precision-led campaign aimed at crippling the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) ability to conduct aerial and drone-based attacks.
Major Pakistani Air Bases and Installations Hit
Arifwala: An IAF loiter munition destroyed a radar installation.
Chunian Airbase: Satellite imagery showed a radar head obliterated.
Nur Khan PAF Base (Chaklala): A critical C2 command centre was damaged, with the impact already verified through independent satellite analysis.
Rahim Yar Khan PAF Base: The main runway and civil terminal were targeted; the runway remains non-operational.
Sukkur PAF Base: A long-range radar and UAV hangar were destroyed.
Bholari PAF Base: The AEW&C aircraft hangar was struck, with intelligence indicating an aircraft had just entered moments before impact. Pakistani media reported casualties from the strike.
Sargodha PAF Base: The heavily defended air base, housing prized PAF institutions, had its runway hit as a symbolic show of India’s strike precision.
Shahbaz PAF Base (Jacobabad): The main hangar was targeted, likely damaging multiple F-16 fighter jets.
Strategic Targets Neutralised
The IAF chief revealed that India’s air defence surface-to-air missile systems destroyed five Pakistani fighter jets and an AEW&C/ELINT aircraft designed for airborne surveillance and early warning. Several parked F-16s were destroyed in Jacobabad, while an AEW&C aircraft was neutralised in Bholari.
In addition to military infrastructure, terror strongholds were targeted:
Bahawalpur: Jaish-e-Mohammad’s main operational base.
Muridke: Lashkar-e-Taiba’s headquarters in Punjab province.
Operation Timeline and Scale
Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai earlier confirmed: “Within three hours, 11 bases were attacked, including Nur Khan, Rafiqui, Murid, Sukkur, Sialkot, Pasrur, Chunian, Sargodha, Skardu, Bholari and Jacobabad.”
The strikes were designed to send a clear message of India’s aerial dominance and its ability to neutralise high-value assets deep within Pakistani territory.
