Operation Sindoor: Over 100 Pak soldiers killed; their drone attacks were ‘dismal failure’, says DGMO Lt Gen Ghai

PAKISTAN is believed to have lost more than 100 soldiers along the Line of Control (LoC) during Operation Sindoor that took place from May 7, according to the Indian Army's Director General Military Operations Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai. 

He referred to posthumous awards given by Pakistan's military, suggesting the same. The top military official also called Pakistan's drone attacks a "dismal failure".

Ghai also said that Pakistan lost at least 12 aircraft during the conflict in May while echoing the details shared by Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh a few days ago. He mentioned that the Indian Navy was fully ready to play its part and if Pakistan had decided to continue with the hostilities any further, it could have been "catastrophic for it, not only from the sea but from other dimensions as well".

Ghai, while sharing specific details of the May 7–10 hostilities, stated that Pakistan initiated cross-border firing shortly after India struck nine terror targets.

"After the terror targets were struck by the Indian Army and Indian Air Force, there was cross-border firing from Pakistan immediately. Ceasefire violations spiked and this carried on for a while. Our initial estimate was 35-40 (Pakistani) casualties, but the Pakistanis, possibly unwittingly, let out in their own awards list on August 14...the number of posthumous awards that they awarded suggested over 100 casualties on the LoC,” HT quoted Ghai, one of the senior officials who addressed the media following the four-day military confrontation in May, as saying.

According to PTI, he stated that Pakistan continued to send drones even after the two DGMOs had communicated. "A variety and class of drones were utilised in an attempt to cause casualties and damage to (our) men and material. But everything was a dismal failure," he said, adding, “We hit 11 of their air bases. If you see, eight air bases, three hangars and four radars were damaged. Pakistani air assets were destroyed on the ground as well.”

Pakistan's losses on ground during Operation Sindoor

Ghai asserted that Pakistan’s losses on the ground included a C-130 class aircraft, an AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control) system, and four to five fighter jets.

He mentioned that Pakistan also faced significant losses in the air. "We now know that the world's longest ever ground-to-air kill was at 300 km plus and five high-tech fighters (were hit). I think the impunity with which these attacks were carried out is what is significant," he further said.

India's strategy against terrorism

Ghai stated there has been a “doctrinal shift in our strategy against terror”, giving a strong message to Pakistan that India won't succumb to nuclear blackmail.

"Our prime minister has spoken about it. And these are the three things he said. The terror attacks are an act of war. Therefore, there will be decisive retaliation. We will not succumb to nuclear blackmail. And there is no distinction between terrorists and sponsors of terrorism," he said.

Ghai mentioned, "This time it was because of the intensity and magnitude of events that took place in Pahalgam that we were compelled into the kind of action you are now well familiar with.... Every time we have been hit by terror we have tried to be different. It was different this time too. So we went into the heartland of Pakistan and that’s how we achieved the surprise that we did."