Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force, Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, on Saturday shared new insights into Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead. Speaking at the NDTV Defence Summit, Tiwari also released fresh footage of the strikes carried out in May on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
He revealed that the IAF had struck nine carefully chosen targets, firing fewer than 50 weapons to bring Pakistan to the truce table. “In less than 50 weapons, we were able to achieve conflict elimination. This is the essential takeaway,” Tiwari said.
The planning began immediately after the Pahalgam attack, with all three services drawing up multiple operational options. Targets were finalized by April 29, and air strikes were executed on May 6, 7, and 9. Pakistan retaliated with attempted strikes between May 8 and 10, but India’s counter-attack forced a ceasefire agreement by May 10.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, also speaking at the event, underscored the growing role of air defence. Referring to the newly announced Sudarshan Chakra Mission, he called it a “game changer” in preparing India for future threats.