Five Pakistani fighter jets destroyed in Operation Sindoor: IAF chief

August 9, 2025 by News Desk

Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal on Saturday said that five Pakistani fighter jets were destroyed during Operation Sindoor, adding that another “large aircraft” was also struck, NDTV reported.

Speaking at a defence event in New Delhi this morning, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, credited the successes to the S-400 Triumf air defence system, calling it “a decisive factor in safeguarding Indian airspace and neutralising enemy threats.”

According to the Air Chief Marshal, the S-400 batteries provided early detection, precise targeting, and the capability to engage multiple high-value enemy assets during the operation. “This system has given us an unmatched edge in protecting our skies,” he said.

Operation Sindoor, conducted in early May, was a high-intensity aerial and missile campaign against targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. It came in response to what Indian officials described as “persistent cross-border hostilities.”

Indian sources have previously said that the operation involved a mix of fighter aircraft, drones, and long-range missile strikes, alongside the activation of air-defence units.

However, the IAF chief’s claim on Saturday comes against the backdrop of conflicting narratives from the other side.

On May 7, the opening day of the clashes, the Pakistani military publicly claimed that it had shot down five Indian fighter jets.

Indian officials have consistently denied those claims, instead asserting that Pakistan suffered significant aerial losses, including damage to a Saab-2000 early-warning aircraft.

Independent verification of either side’s specific loss figures has not been possible due to limited open-source imagery and restricted access to the conflict zone.

The May 6–10 operation marked one of the most intense India, Pakistan aerial confrontations in recent years.

A ceasefire was announced by Donald Trump on May 11. He posted on social media (Truth Social), the ceasefire India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate ceasefire.”