NEW DELHI: Deputy Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti, on Thursday said that during Op Sindoor, Indian forces had “destroyed 13 Pakistani aircraft” and struck “11 airfields”, adding that the “proof is available for everyone to see”. The heads of military operations of the Indian Air Force, Navy and the Indian Army addressed a press conference in Jaipur detailing various aspects of Op Sindoor.Speaking at the briefing on the anniversary of Op Sindoor, Air Marshal Bharti said, “We struck and decimated their 9 terrorist camps on May 7. The proof is there for everybody to see. We struck 11 of their airfields. We destroyed 13 of their aircraft either on the ground or in the air, including one high-value airborne asset at a record distance of 300 km plus,” he said. He further emphasised that Pakistan had failed to inflict any significant damage on Indian military or civilian infrastructure. Air Marshal Bharti also dismissed all repeated victory rhetoric by Pakistan, stressing that it is “measured by hard facts”. “They (Pakistan) have not been able to inflict any major damage on our side. Neither any military infrastructure nor much of the civilian structures… Whatever they may say, remember narratives and rhetoric do not give you victory. Victory is measured by hard facts,” said Air Marshal Bharti.Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, who played a key role in executing the operation in his capacity as the Army’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), said, “Operation Sindoor was not an end and it was just the beginning.” It was a statement of resolve, responsibility and strategic restraint by our nation, he noted, adding it was executed with precision, proportionality and clarity of purpose. “India will defend its sovereignty, its security, and its people decisively, professionally and with the utmost responsibility,” Ghai said.Director General Naval Operations, Vice Admiral AN Pramod, on Thursday said that “by striking the terror hubs in the heart of Pakistan using long-range precision weapons, India effectively called the bluff on Pakistan’s nuclear blackmail”. He said the operation highlighted the strategic vision of the national leadership, which provided a “precise and unambiguous mandate” along with operational freedom to the armed forces. He further noted that the forward deployment of the Indian Navy forced Pakistani naval and air units into a defensive posture close to their coastline and harbours. “As the campaign unfolded, forward deployment of the Indian Navy compelled Pakistani naval and air units to enter a defensive posture largely confined to harbours or operating close to their coastline,” he added.
