India’s Air Campaign Delivers Major Blow to Pakistan: 6 Fighter Jets, 2 Surveillance Aircraft Destroyed in 4-Day Conflict
In a significant escalation of hostilities, the Indian Air Force (IAF) inflicted substantial losses on Pakistan’s aerial assets during a four-day conflict that concluded on May 10, according to top operational sources.
The conflict, which began on the night of May 6–7 under Operation Sindoor, saw India launching targeted retaliatory strikes on terror infrastructure within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The confrontation ended when Pakistan sought a ceasefire after suffering heavy losses.
Sources confirm that six Pakistani fighter jets were shot down during the air battles. The IAF also successfully targeted two high-value surveillance aircraft, including an Airborne Early Warning (AEW) platform struck using a long-range Sudarshan missile system at nearly 300 kilometers. Another AEW aircraft of Swedish origin was destroyed at Bholari airbase using air-to-surface cruise missiles.
A C-130 transport aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force was also eliminated by an Indian drone strike in Pakistan’s Punjab region. Sources indicate that over 30 missiles and several unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were destroyed throughout the campaign. Among these were numerous Wing Loong drones—medium-altitude, long-endurance systems of Chinese origin—destroyed during a coordinated Rafale and Su-30 strike on a hangar.
In addition, more than 10 combat UAVs were brought down by Indian air defence systems. Pakistan’s attempts to strike back with air- and ground-launched cruise and ballistic missiles targeting multiple Indian airbases were intercepted by Indian forces, the sources revealed.
Importantly, the IAF relied primarily on air-launched cruise missiles and did not use surface-launched BrahMos missiles in this operation.
While analysis of operational data continues, Indian defence systems also captured radar and visual confirmation of Pakistani fighter jets disappearing post-strike, affirming the reported hits.
According to sources, several Pakistani aircraft may have also been damaged inside hangars, though these potential losses are not yet confirmed as the debris has not been cleared by Pakistani forces.
The Indian Air Force continues to study the extensive data collected during this high-intensity operation, which marks one of the most significant aerial confrontations in recent years.
