India’s swift and powerful military campaign, Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, has dealt a significant blow to Pakistan’s terror infrastructure and military capabilities, officials said on Saturday.
The operation lasted four days and ended with a US-brokered ceasefire — though reports of Pakistani violations continue to emerge.
Launched in the early hours of May 7, Operation Sindoor saw India carry out precise strikes on nine terror training camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), killing around 100 terrorists in just 26 minutes, according to estimates shared during an internal political briefing by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
“We smashed the terror infrastructure, neutralized air defences, and targeted major military sites,” said an official familiar with the operation. “Pakistan’s counter-attacks were ineffective and poorly coordinated.”
The targets, selected based on intelligence and history of terror activity, included five sites deep inside PoK and four others across the international border in Pakistan. Key weapon systems used by Indian forces included Rafale-fired SCALP cruise missiles, Hammer smart bombs, M777 howitzers with Excalibur shells, and kamikaze drones. These precision strikes reportedly blindsided Pakistan, prompting a rushed and largely thwarted response.
Despite the announcement of a ceasefire, Pakistani forces continued drone and missile attacks on Indian military sites in at least 15 cities, including sensitive zones in the north and west. India responded by destroying several Pakistani air defence systems, notably in Lahore and Karachi, in follow-up retaliatory strikes.
India’s multi-layered air defence network played a critical role during the escalation. Systems deployed included the S-400 Triumf, Akash and Barak-8 surface-to-air missiles, anti-drone jammers, and a radar-driven command and control network, all of which helped neutralize aerial threats with high accuracy.
Although a ceasefire is officially in place, ongoing violations by Pakistan have kept tensions high. Indian officials emphasized that any further provocations would be met with decisive and proportional responses.
