Air Marshal Bharti on Sunday said the operation Sindoor was aimed at hitting designated targets with precision, “not to count the body bags.”
“Whatever methods and whatever means we have chosen, it had the desired effects on the enemy targets. How many casualties? How many injuries? Our aim was not to inflict casualties, but in case there have been, it is for them to count. Our job is to hit the target, not to count the body bags,” he said.
Air Marshal Bharti said the Indian Armed Forces successfully executed Operation Sindoor, achieving all selected objectives, with all Indian pilots returning safely.
“All I can say is that we have achieved our objectives that we selected and all our pilots are back home,” he said. Air Marshal Bharti said that the Indian Air Force had downed several Pakistplanes while preventing enemy aircraft from breaching Indian airspace.”Their planes were prevented from entering inside our border. Definitely, we have downed a few planes. Definitely, there are losses on their side which we have inflicted,” he said.
DGMO Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai sayid that Pakistan’s actions over the last few days were no less than war.
“The activities that have been going on for the last 3-4 days are no less than a war. Under normal circumstances, the air forces of each other’s countries do not fly in the air and attack each other…Under normal circumstances, infiltration across the Line of Control is done by terrorists. We have information that the Pakistani army may also be involved in infiltration across the Line of Control, which is trying to harm our posts,” he said.
Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7, targeting nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK).
This operation was a retaliatory response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians, including one Nepali national.
Following India’s operation, the conflict between India and Pakistan deepened, which resulted in increased cross-border shelling from Pakistan and retaliatory action from the Indian Armed Forces.
Areas across the border were set up on high alert and there were blackouts whenever attacks from Pakistan took place.
However, both countries agreed to a cessation of hostilities on May 10 when US President Donald Trump, on his Truth Social, announced a “ceasefire” between India and Pakistan.
On Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart earlier this and the two sides agreed to halt all military actions, on land, at sea, and in the air, effective from 5 pm.
Misri noted that instructions have been issued to enforce the ceasefire, with another round of DGMO-level talks scheduled for May 12 at noon.
However, hours after both countries agreed to stop all firing and military action on land, in the air, and sea, reports came of Pakistan violating the cessation of hostilities with India’s air defence intercepting Pakistani drones amid a blackout in Srinagar.
India called upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility.
