Pakistan Lost 40 Military Personnel, over 100 Terrorists Killed in “Operation Sindoor:” Army
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, May 11: Pakistan lost about 35 to 40 military personnel in artillery and small arms fire exchanges along the Line of Control between May 7 and 10 and had killed more than 100 terrorists, including at least five top-ranked terrorists during the precision strike on the terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) on May 7.
The Indian Armed Forces on Sunday shared details of “Operation Sindoor,” which was launched on May 7 to strike terrorist infrastructure in PoK and Punjab province in Pakistan. During the briefing, the officials also confirmed that the precision strikes successfully targeted F-16 airbases, training centres, air defence units, and command hubs along Pakistan’s western front.
The Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai at a special press briefing underlined that the aim was to target terrorists and their infrastructure and not Pakistani civilians or military establishments.
“Our aim on the 7th of May was to target terrorists and their infrastructure, not any other infrastructure, especially not Pakistani civilian or military establishments, and we achieved this with precision. However, on the evening of 7th May, we were subjected to a wave of Pakistani unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and small drones, which targeted both our civilian and military areas. They were successfully intercepted. While three drones managed to land, they caused minimal damage,” said the Army.
“The key difference here is that we targeted terrorist, whereas the Pakistani response focused on our civilians and military infrastructure – a move that demands a response. In retaliation, we struck radar installations near Lahore and close to Gujranwala. Yet, we want to emphasise that escalation is not our goal. Our conflict is with terrorists, not with the Pakistani military establishment,” said the Army.
India on Sunday said the “Operation Sindoor” is ongoing, marking a new normal approach in India’s response to cross-border terrorism. Following the May 7 strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan-controlled areas, India’s position is clear: if Pakistan fires, India will respond more forcefully; if Pakistan stops, India will stop, sources said. Any talks with Pakistan will be exclusively through the DGMOs, with no other issues up for discussion, sources added.
The Indian armed forces also disclosed that they had downed an unspecified number of Pakistani jets during the conflict between the two countries. This was the first official statement on the matter, amidst intense speculation regarding the outcome of the fighting.
Officials confirmed that Pakistani aircraft were prevented from entering Indian airspace during the confrontation. However, they stated that they could not yet disclose the number of Pakistani jets destroyed, as an assessment was still underway. Officials emphasised that the truth would emerge, as these matters “can’t be kept hidden.”
To a question on Pakistani and Western media reports concerning losses of Indian assets, including French Rafale fighter jets, the officials maintained that they could not disclose all details, as the forces remained on high alert following a ceasefire violation by Pakistan just hours after an agreement was reached on Saturday. They emphasised, however, that all Indian pilots were safe, refuting Pakistani claims in what they described as a psychological war.
The Indian forces affirmed that they had achieved all objectives and that any further Pakistani aggression would be met with a swift and decisive response.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high level meeting with defence minister Rajnath Singh, external affairs minister S Jaishankar and tri-services chiefs at his residence in New Delhi on Sunday. The meeting came a day after India and Pakistan reached a ceasefire after four days of military conflict. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan were also present at the meeting.
After attending the meeting, Rajnath Singh virtually inaugurated the BrahMos Aerospace Integration and Testing Facility in Lucknow from New Delhi. During the inaugural ceremony, Rajnath Singh said, “Operation Sindoor is not just a military action—it is a symbol of India’s political, social, and strategic willpower. This operation reflected India’s firm resolve against terrorism, and showcases the capability and determination of its military power. We have shown that whenever India acts against terrorism, even territory across the border will not be safe for terrorists and their handlers.”
The border shared by India and Pakistan, particularly in Jammu, will remain on high alert despite the ceasefire, said the officials. The BSF officials said that they would remain on high alert across India-Pak border in view of the infiltration attempts by terrorists from Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed lately.
Hours after violating the ceasefire with India, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vouched for a “path of peaceful negotiations” to solve the longstanding issues such as sharing of water resources, and the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan. During his address on Saturday night, Sharif also thanked his coalition partners and opposition for demonstrating “exemplary” unity during the last four days as military conflict between India and Pakistan escalated.
On Saturday, hours after India and Pakistan agreed upon ceasing all hostilities across land, air, and sea on Saturday, Pakistan carried out multiple ceasefire violations. Drones were sighted in several areas of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday night, followed by the sound of explosions.
Reacting to the ceasefire violations, foreign secretary Vikram Misri asked Pakistan to deal with the situation with “seriousness” and “responsibility.” “We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility. The armed forces are maintaining a strong vigil on the situation. They have been given instructions to deal strongly with any instances of repetition of the violations of the border along the International Border as well as the Line of Control,” he said.
Following India’s stern warning, Pakistani guns across the border fell silent since Saturday night and on Sunday morning the situation in several cities across Jammu and Kashmir seemed normal after no firing or shelling was reported overnight. Visuals from cities such as Akhnoor, Jammu, Poonch, Rajouri and others show people going about their day as they woke up to no firing after four days.
The ceasefire was agreed upon after Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations reached out to the Indian DGMO at 15:35 hours (3.35 pm) on Saturday and both of them agreed that firing and military operations would come to a halt by 17.00 hours (5.00 pm).
Earlier during the wee hours of Saturday, the Indian Air Force struck eight military sites in Pakistan, including radar units and ammunition dumps, in response to the Pakistan military’s attacks on Indian military bases and civilian areas.
