Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, has revealed that the Indian Air Force (IAF) used fewer than 50 precision weapons during Operation Sindoor, a strategic counter-terror operation that led Pakistan to request an end to hostilities. Speaking at the NDTV Defence Summit, Tiwari described the operation as a demonstration of India’s military efficiency and restraint, achieving complete dominance with minimal force.
Operation Sindoor was launched in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where Pakistan-backed militants killed 26 civilians, including 25 Indians and one Nepalese tourist. The attackers reportedly targeted Hindu tourists, prompting a swift and calibrated response from the Indian government.
The offensive began on the night of May 6–7, targeting nine high-value terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. These included camps operated by Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. Among the key sites hit were Jaish’s Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, Lashkar’s Markaz Taiba in Murdike, and Hizbul’s Makaz Raheel Shahid in Kotli.
Despite Pakistan launching hundreds of missiles and drones in retaliation, India’s Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) successfully intercepted all incoming threats. No Indian military or civilian infrastructure was damaged during the four-day conflict.
Air Marshal Tiwari emphasized that the objective was deterrence, not escalation. “It’s easy to start a war but not to end it. That was an important consideration,” he said. He also noted that some of the Pakistani military targets destroyed during Operation Sindoor had remained untouched even during the 1971 war.
By mid-day on May 10, Pakistan formally requested a ceasefire. The operation is now being viewed as a model for precision warfare, showcasing India’s ability to deliver high-impact results with strategic restraint.
