Operation Sindoor showcased the sharp rise of India’s defence power and technological might as the military delivered precision strikes and neutralised Pakistani terror targets without crossing the borders, the Defence Ministry said on Wednesday.
The operation also produced concrete evidence of hostile technologies neutralised by Indian systems that included pieces of PL-15 missiles of Chinese origin and Turkish unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) named “Yiha” or “YEEHAW”, it said.
It marked a “milestone” in India’s journey towards technological self-reliance in military operations, the ministry said on Operation Sindoor.
In perhaps referring to the strikes on the terror targets on early May 7, the ministry said the Indian Air Force bypassed and jammed Pakistan’s Chinese-supplied air defence systems, completing the mission in just 23 minutes and demonstrating India’s technological edge.
“Long-range rockets, quadcopters and commercial drones – these were recovered and identified, showing that despite Pakistan’s attempts to exploit advanced foreign-supplied weaponry, India’s indigenous air defence and electronic warfare networks remained superior,” it said.
India’s air defence systems, combining assets from the Army, Navy, and primarily the Air Force, performed with exceptional synergy and these systems created an impenetrable wall, foiling multiple attempts by Pakistan to retaliate, the ministry said while highlighting various aspects of the operation.
India carried out precision strikes on terror infrastructure early on May 7, following which Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10.
The Pakistani actions were strongly responded to by the Indian side. The Indian military targeted eight Pakistani airbases with missiles and other long-range weapons on May 10 in retaliation for Pakistan’s attempts to strike 26 military facilities.
“Operation Sindoor emerged as a calibrated military response to an evolving pattern of asymmetric warfare, one that increasingly targets unarmed civilians along with military personnel,” the ministry said.
“The terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam in April served as a grim reminder of this shift. India’s response was deliberate, precise, and strategic.”
Beyond tactical brilliance, what stood out was the seamless integration of indigenous hi-tech systems into national defence, the ministry said.
Whether in drone warfare, layered air defence, or electronic warfare, Operation Sindoor marks a milestone in India’s journey towards technological self-reliance in military operations, it added.
The ministry said India’s offensive strikes targeted key Pakistani airbases — Noor Khan and Rahimyar Khan — with surgical precision.
Loitering munitions were used to devastating effect, each finding and destroying high-value targets, including enemy radar and missile systems, it said.
Loitering munitions, also known as “suicide drones” or “kamikaze drones”, are weapons systems that can hover or circle a target area, searching for a suitable target before attacking.
A unique blend of counter-unmanned aerial systems, electronic warfare assets, and air defence weapons, as well as shoulder-fired weapons, were deployed to counter enemy threats.
The ministry said the multi-tier defence prevented Pakistan air force attacks on Indian airfields and logistic installations during the night of May 9-10.
“These systems, built over the last decade with continuous government investment, proved to be force multipliers during the operation,” it said.
“They played a crucial role in ensuring that both civilian and military infrastructure across India remained largely unaffected during enemy retaliation attempts,” it added.
The ministry said all strikes were executed without loss of Indian assets, “underscoring the effectiveness of our surveillance, planning, and delivery systems.”
The use of modern indigenous technology, from long-range drones to guided munitions, made these strikes highly effective and politically calibrated, it said in a statement.
The Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) of the Indian Air Force brought all these elements together, providing the net-centric operational capability vital for modern warfare, it added.
