'India destroyed 8-10 fighter jets, including F-16s, JF-17s': IAF chief on Pakistani losses in Operation Sindoor

Indian Air Force (IAF) chief AP Singh revealed that during Operation Sindoor in May, the IAF destroyed 8–10 Pakistani fighter jets, including F-16s and JF-17s. Speaking at the 93rd Air Force Day celebrations, Singh detailed India's precision airstrikes deep inside Pakistani territory, which targeted critical military assets and led Islamabad to seek a ceasefire. These disclosures counter recent Pakistani claims at the United Nations General Assembly regarding Indian losses.

Singh stated, "We made Pakistan reach a stage where they had to ask for a ceasefire." The operation, launched in response to the Pahalgam attack, involved coordinated attacks on eleven military airbases and resulted in substantial material losses for Pakistan.

The Air Force chief specified, "We have clear evidence of one long-range strike, more than 300 km, which happened to be either an AEW&C or a SIGINT aircraft, along with that five high-tech fighters between F-16 and JF-17 class." This was described as the "longest kill" and the "highlight of the year" for the IAF.

On the ground, Indian forces executed precision strikes on radar installations at four sites, command and control centres at two locations, two runways, three hangars, and one Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system. Singh said another 4–5 F-16 fighter jets were destroyed during these operations.

Operation Sindoor was launched just after midnight on 7 May, following the April Pahalgam attack that left 26 dead. The mission also destroyed nine key terror camps inside Pakistan.

Addressing claims by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who alleged at the UNGA that seven Indian jets were downed, AP Singh dismissed these assertions, calling them "manohar kahaniyan (fascinating tales)" and noting the absence of any evidence from Pakistan.

Singh added, "If they think they downed our 15 jets, I hope they are convinced about it and they will cater for 15 less aircraft in my inventory when they come to fight again," highlighting the lack of credibility in Pakistan's claims.