New Delhi: Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Friday revealed why Operation Sindoor, India’s swift and decisive cross-border anti-terror mission, was halted just four days after it began. Speaking during a strategic briefing, he emphasized that the mission was concluded after achieving all its military objectives, thereby avoiding prolonged conflict and its associated economic and strategic costs.
Objectives Achieved Swiftly
Operation Sindoor was launched in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 Indian tourists. The Indian Air Force, along with other branches of the armed forces, struck nine high-value terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), including:
- Jaish-e-Mohammed’s Bahawalpur headquarters
- Lashkar-e-Taiba’s base in Muridke
Air Chief Marshal Singh confirmed that these sites were completely destroyed, with videos of the operations showing extensive damage.
High-Profile Terrorists Eliminated
The Air Force Chief also disclosed that at least a dozen top terrorists were neutralized during the operation. These included:
- Yusuf Azhar, one of the IC-814 hijackers
- Abu Jundal, senior Lashkar-e-Taiba commander
The son of the 2016 Nagrota attack mastermind
Game-Changer Weapons Used
Air Chief Marshal Singh highlighted that advanced Indian weaponry played a crucial role in ensuring the success of the operation. In particular:
- Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (LR-SAM)
- S-400 missile systems
He said, “These systems allowed us to detect and neutralize threats deep inside enemy territory. Their superior range ensured minimal exposure to Indian forces and maximum impact.”
Why Halt After Four Days?
“Any war carries a cost — not just in lives, but also in future preparedness, economic stability, and national progress,” said Singh. He emphasized that the objective of Operation Sindoor was not territorial conquest, but elimination of terror infrastructure, which was fully accomplished in four days.
Singh added, “There’s no merit in prolonging a conflict. We were precise, effective, and swift.”
A Lesson for the World
Using the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and Israel-Hamas conflict as examples, Air Chief Marshal Singh stressed the importance of limited, goal-oriented military operations.
“India has shown how to start a conflict decisively and end it responsibly. That’s a lesson for the world — focus on objectives, not duration,” he stated.
