Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh on Friday said that Operation Sindoor was shaped by lessons from the 2019 Balakot air strikes, strong political backing and unrestricted freedom proving decisive.
Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Singh recalled the scrutiny that followed the Balakot strike in February 2019, which targeted a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp in Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack.
“When the Balakot strike happened, the Air Force was repeatedly asked questions despite operational success. That experience taught us how to shape both planning and communication for the future,” he said.
The IAF chief called Operation Sindoor, launched in May in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, a “decisive and meticulously executed mission” against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Singh credited the political leadership for providing “clear directions” and emphasised that no operational restrictions were imposed.
“For the first time, the three services operated in seamless coordination, planning together with the Chief of Defence Staff, the National Security Adviser and other agencies. Full freedom was given to us to plan,” he said.
Operation Sindoor, Singh noted, presented unique challenges as Pakistani airfields remained open and civilian aircraft were still in the skies.
“There were challenges of identification. Pakistan did not close their airfields, and their civil aircraft hovering made our mission more complex,” he explained.
Despite these hurdles, Singh said, the IAF struck with precision. “We were given terrorist targets and we accurately struck them. When our enemies refused to stop and tried to attack us, we struck them hard. Many of their bases, radars, hangars, and control centres suffered damage,” he said.
Singh underlined that Operation Sindoor was not just a tactical win but an affirmation of India’s capability to deliver precision strikes while managing the fog of war.