India inflicted heavy losses on Pak: Tri-Services Command

New Delhi, May 11: India on Sunday said it inflicted tremendous losses to the Pakistan military, including downing its fighter jets featuring the latest technologies and damaging key military installations close to even the capital Islamabad, during the three-day confrontation between the two sides.

Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai said 35 to 40 Pakistani military personnel were killed in the combat and New Delhi achieved its desired objectives and that Pakistan will have to pay a very heavy price if it resorts to any misadventure.

At a media briefing, senior military officials of the Army, Indian Air Force, and the Indian Navy provided details of ëOperation Sindoorí, including how India repelled Pakistani attempts to target Indian military installations and civilian areas.

To a question, Air Marshal A K Bharti said India downed a few Pakistani planes but refused to hazard a guess on the numbers.

Their planes were prevented from coming inside our border. So we do not have the wreckage with us but we have downed a few planes,î he said.

About reports in the foreign media of losses of Indian fighter jets, Air Marshal Bharati said, ìWe are in a combat situation and losses are part of combat. All I can say is that we have achieved the objectives that we selected and all our pilots are back home.î

DGMO Lt Gen Ghai also paid tribute to five Indians who lost their lives during ëOperation Sindoorí.

We have thus far exercised immense restraint and our actions have been focused, measured, and non-escalatory. However, any threat to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and safety of our citizens will be met with decisive force,î he said.

On losses to the Pakistani military, the DGMO said there are reports of 35 to 40 fatalities.

The DGMO said it was his Pakistani counterpart who made a call to him last afternoon, requesting a way out to stop the hostilities.

The two DGMOs on Saturday afternoon agreed to stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 5 pm Indian Standard Time.

The Indian military suggested that the Pakistani DGMOís call came after Indian armed forces launched a fierce counter-attack on several Pakistani military installations including Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian on Saturday morning.

The strikes were launched after the Pakistan military attempted to target major Indian military installations on the night of May 9 and 10.

Lt Gen Ghai said over 100 terrorists, including high-value targets like Yusuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf, and Mudasir Ahmed, who were involved in the hijacking of IC-814 and the Pulwama blast, were eliminated during ëOperation Sindoorí on May 7.

Nine terror targets were identified after careful deliberations and they were hit using precision weapons, he said.

Meanwhile, in the aftermath of the ìunderstandingî between India and Pakistan, Indian military leadership asserted any future adventurism on the part of Pakistan or its terror outfits would meet a befitting ìfierce and punitiveî response.

Three senior military officers, Lt General Rajiv Ghai, Vice Admiral AN Pramod, and Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti affirmed Indian military is mandated to maintain peace ó defending its sovereignty while deterring escalations.

The three military leaders provided crucial insights into ëOperation Sindoorí.

Naval preparedness was an integral aspect of India's strategic operations, the senior military officers said.

They said extensive drills were conducted in the Arabian Sea to assess the readiness of weapon systems.

The Indian Navy maintained rigorous surveillance of Pakistanís naval movements, ensuring a robust defensive posture,î Vice Admiral A N Pramod said. ìWe hold the quantitative and qualitative edge to deliver a massive blow, fully dominating the maritime front.î

ìHope Pakistan wonít dare,î he said. ìThis time if Pakistan dares to take any action, Pakistan knows what we are going to do.î