FROM 7th to 10th May 2025, Indian political leadership’s Operation Sindoor against Pakistan met a disastrous fate as it proved fateful particularly for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Within the first one hour, IAF lost its Frontline fighter jets including Rafale, SU-30, Mir-2000, Mig-29 and Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) and resultantly, not only IAF was grounded but PAF achieved air superiority for the remaining days of the conflict. Additionally, scores of IAF’s Main and Forward Air Bases were attacked, two of its S-400 Surface to Air Missile sites were neutralized and BrahMos storage sites were destroyed with virtually no losses to PAF.

The outcome sent shockwaves across the world. Internally, Indian leadership faced intriguing questions from the media, strategic community and the global audience and had to announce continuation of the Ops Sindoor as a face saving. Externally, the US Administration had to retreat from its initial stance of ‘a bilateral issue can be resolved mutually’ to brokering the ceasefire between India and Pakistan as it feared irrecoverable obliteration of the Indian war machine. In regards, events following the ceasefire were even more horrifying for the Indian leadership. Entire geopolitical set-up of South Asia was turned upside down. For India, military embarrassment was compounded by the geopolitical and geostrategic down sliding on the global canvas while Pakistan started to enjoy unprecedented global respect and........

© Pakistan Observer