India estimates Pakistani losses in military standoff

Around 40 Pakistani security personnel and 100 terrorists have been killed in India’s military operation in the neighboring country, Indian Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai has reported. 

Ghai, who is director general of New Delhi’s military operations, added that 11 air bases inside Pakistan were destroyed and significant damage inflicted on the country’s military capabilities.

India launched Operation Sindoor last week to target terrorists and terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan-controlled territory, and not the country’s armed forces, Air Marshall A.K. Bharti, director general air operations of the Indian Air Force (IAF), said at a press briefing in New Delhi on Monday. “However, it is a pity that the Pakistan military chose to intervene and bat for the terrorists, which compelled us to respond in kind.”

Bharti showed a video of an attack on India, in which he said Pakistan likely used a PL-15 missile of Chinese origin, which missed its targets. 

“Another weapon that was found was long-range rockets,” Bharti said. “We have talked about the loiter munitions and unmanned aerial systems. All these have been brought down by our trained crew and air defense system.”

India’s counter-attack included the deployment of point-defense weapons such as low-level air defense guns, shoulder-fired Man-Portable Air-Defense Systems, and short-range surface-to-air missiles, Indian defense officials told Hindustan Times. 

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When asked whether the IAF had struck a nuclear facility at Kirana Hills, Bharti replied, “Thank you for telling us that Kirana Hills houses some nuclear installation. We did not know about it. And we have not hit Kirana Hills, whatever is there.”

Media reports indicated that India used the Russian-manufactured S-400 mobile surface-to-air missile system to intercept Pakistani missiles, as well as Indo-Russian BrahMos missiles to strike targets. 

Bharti denied Pakistani allegations of destroying Indian air bases. “All our military bases and systems continue to remain fully operational and ready to undertake any mission,” he said on Monday. 

When asked by a local reporter on Sunday whether India had lost French-made Rafale planes in the operation, Bharti replied that “losses are a part of combat.” He added, “As for the details, what could have been, how many numbers, which platform did we lose… at this time I would not like to comment on that, because we are still in a combat situation and if I comment on anything it will only be ‘advantage adversary.’”

The director generals of military operations of India and Pakistan are scheduled to hold telephone talks on Monday.