At the Cutting Edge | October 2025

Operation Sindoor has brought to the fore how Indian air power has evolved

Junaid Suhais

In the pre-dawn darkness of 7 May 2025, the skies over the Line of Control (LC) ignited with a streak no radar could track until it was too late. Rafale jets tore through the silence, launching SCALP missiles and HAMMAR bombs on nine terror camps across Pakistan with surgical precision. In those few seconds, the Indian Air Force (IAF) made clear what decades of investment in stand-off strike capability meant in practice: reach without exposure, accuracy without attrition.

Launched in retaliation for a deadly terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 civilians, most of them tourists, were brutally killed by Pakistan-based terrorists, the counterterror strategy, code-named ‘Operation Sindoor,’ became a live audit of the IAF’s technological evolution. The operation witnessed the IAF execute devastating precision strikes against terrorist and military infrastructure in Pakistan, reshaping regional strategic calculations, thereby providing a battlefield verdict on the air-launched weapon systems wielded by both nuclear-armed neighbours.

A Modern Air Combat Crucible

OperationSindoor,whichranfromMay7-10,wasamasterclassintheapplicationof modern Indian air power. The country’s strategy hinged on achieving air dominance through the initial Suppression and Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD/DEAD), followed by multi-pronged strikes using a sophisticated mix of standoff weaponry.

The IAF unleashed a formidable array of air-to-ground munitions. The offensive was spearheaded by the supersonic BrahMos cruise missile, which struck key Pakistani airbases, including the heavily guarded Noor Khan facility, with what sources described as near one-meter accuracy.

Additionally,RafalejetslaunchedstealthySCALPcruisemissilesfordeep-strikemissionsagainst fortified targets, while other platforms deployed HAMMER precision-guided munitions and Israeli-origin Spice-2000 bombs and Crystal Maze-2 missiles.

A critical element of the operation was the effective use of loitering munitions, or ‘kamikaze’ drones. Israeli-made IAI Harop and SkyStriker drones, along with the indigenous Nagastra-1 making its combat debut, were employed to hunt and destroy Pakistani radar and air defence systems, paving the way for manned aircraft. Operation Sindoor demonstrated India’s mature understanding of multi-domain operations.

In contrast, Pakistan’s response highlighted its growing reliance on Chinese military hardware. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) deployed its J-10CE and JF-17 Block III fighters. In the air-to-air domain, the Chinese-made PL-15 long-range missile made its combat debut, with Pakistan claiming to have downed several Indian aircraft, including a Rafale, a claim India has notconfirmed.

Nevertheless,debrisfromaPL-15wasreportedlyfoundinIndianterritory,confirmingitsusein the conflict. Pakistan also attempted retaliatory strikes using Fateh-2 guided rockets and Turkish-origin ‘YIHA’ kamikaze drones, which were largely neutralised by India’s robust, multi-layered air defence network, orchestrated by the indigenous Integrated AirCommand and Control System (IACCS).

The conflict represented a critical strategic divergence: India demonstrated a superior capability in precision ground-attack and integrated air defence, while Pakistan showcased the potency of its modern, Chinese-supplied air-to-air missiles, posing a significant challenge in aerial combat.

Evolution of the IAF’s  Arsenal

The IAF today is a vastly different entity from the one that secured the skies during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. Its transformation is most starkly visible in its arsenal. The journey from unguided ‘dumb’ bombs and nascent missile technology to a sophisticated inventory of long-range, precision-guided munitions and ambitious plans for hypersonic and autonomous systems tells a story of doctrinal evolution, strategic foresight, and a relentless pursuit of technological superiority.

TheCrucibleof1971:LessonsinAirPower

The1971warwasadefiningmomentfortheIAF.Itbeganon 3 December1971,whenthePakistan Air Force (PAF) launched Operation Chengiz Khan, a series of preemptive strikes on Indian airfields, mirroring the Israeli strategy of 1967. While the PAF’s initial attacks failed to cause significant long-term damage, partly due to effective Indian Air Defence Artillery (ADA), they triggered a full-scale conflict that tested the capabilities and doctrines of both air forces.

Air-to-Ground

In 1971, air-to-ground warfare was a visceral, high-risk affair dominated by unguided munitions. The