Washington: India’s Operation Sindoor, launched following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir in which 26 civilians were killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists, led to a major escalation between India and Pakistan, according to a report cited by US-based defence analyst John Spencer.
The operation, initiated on May 7, 2025, involved strikes on nine terrorist targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Spencer, Executive Director at the Urban Warfare Institute, writing on the online platform Substack, said the 88-hour air campaign (May 7–10, 2025) ultimately resulted in India establishing air superiority over key sectors of Pakistani airspace and conducting precision strikes deep within operational territory. He noted that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was increasingly outmatched as the campaign progressed.
Spencer highlighted that early narratives around the conflict, which suggested significant Indian aircraft losses and initial Pakistani advantage, were widely circulated but did not hold up under detailed scrutiny. He said such framing followed a recurring pattern in India–Pakistan conflicts, where Pakistan allegedly shapes early information through exaggerated or unverified claims in international media.
He cited a January 15 report by the Centre d’Histoire et de Prospective Militaires in Switzerland, authored by military historian Adrien Fontanellaz and reviewed by a panel led by retired Swiss Air Force Major General Claude Meier. The study, according to Spencer, reconstructs the conflict using operational data rather than early media narratives. It concludes that while initial losses influenced early reporting, the broader campaign showed a different trajectory, with India gaining sustained air dominance.
The analysis suggests that through a systematic suppression and destruction of enemy air defences, India degraded Pakistan’s ability to detect, coordinate, and respond effectively. This, Spencer noted, led to the PAF becoming operationally unsustainable after the initial phase. He further stated that the findings provide external validation of India’s operational outcomes, suggesting that the objectives of Operation Sindoor were achieved or possibly exceeded. Spencer also remarked that Pakistan’s decision to seek a ceasefire appeared linked to its inability to continue fighting on favourable terms after losing air effectiveness.(IANS)
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