IAF’s S-400 Makes History: 5 Pakistani Jets, 1 AEW&C Aircraft Shot Down During Op Sindoor

Bengaluru: Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh on Saturday confirmed that India shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and one AEW&C aircraft during Operation Sindoor.

This marks the first official disclosure by the Indian Air Force (IAF) regarding the extent of damage inflicted on Pakistan during heightened tensions at the northwestern border following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attacks. 

Speaking at the 16th Air Chief Marshal LM Katre Memorial Lecture at the HAL Management Academy Auditorium in Bengaluru, ACM Singh stated, "We have at least five fighters confirmed kills and one large aircraft, which could be either an ELINT aircraft or an AEW&C aircraft, taken on at a distance of about 300 kilometres. This is actually the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about."

Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, saw India confirm the downing of high-tech Pakistani Air Force jets at the time, but without specifying numbers. Back then, Air Marshal AK Bharti, Director General Air Operations, had said the IAF was working on technical assessments to determine the exact figures.

He also highlighted that one of these engagements was the longest-ever recorded surface-to-air elimination by the IAF.

S-400 System a ‘Game-Changer’

The IAF chief praised India’s air defence capabilities, particularly the recently acquired Russian S-400 missile system, for its role in keeping Pakistan’s aircraft at bay.

"Our air defence systems have done a wonderful job. The S-400 system, which we had recently bought, has been a game-changer. The range of that system has really kept their aircraft away from their weapons like, those long-range glide bombs that they have, they have not been able to use any one of those because they have not been able to penetrate the system," Singh said.

Political Leadership Gave ‘Full Freedom’ to Armed Forces

ACM Singh credited India’s political leadership for allowing the armed forces to operate without constraints.

"A key reason for success was the presence of political will. There were very clear directions given to us. No restrictions were put on us... If there were any constraints, they were self-made... We decided how much to escalate... We had full freedom to plan and execute" he said. 

CDS and NSA Praised for Coordination Efforts

The air force chief lauded the role of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in ensuring seamless coordination between the Army, Navy, and Air Force. He also acknowledged the contribution of the National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Kumar Doval
 in uniting various agencies.

"Our attacks were calibrated because we wanted to be mature about it... There was a synchronisation between the three forces... The post of CDS made a real difference. He was there to get us together... NSA also played a big role in getting all the agencies..," Singh said.
 

'Aur Marna Tha?': ACM AP Singh Backs Govt to Pause Operation Sindoor

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh strongly supported the government's decision to halt Operation Sindoor, calling it a "wise and restrained" move after key military objectives were achieved. 

"People got down to their egos in the war. Once we achieved our objective, we should have looked for all windows of opportunity to stop. Some people very close to me said, 'Aur maarna tha'. But can we continue to be at war? The nation has taken a good decision," Air Chief Singh said. 

His remarks served as a direct response to opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, who had questioned the timing and rationale behind suspending military operations.

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