Pakistan, who stood with terror, faced our wrath," says Air Marshal AK Bharti.
Published May 12, 2025 | 4:30 PM ⚊ Updated May 12, 2025 | 5:00 PM
The tri-service news conference held in New Delhi on Monday. (Screengrab)
Synopsis: Pakistan used China- and Türkiye-made equipment to target India but the country’s indigenously developed layered and integrated air defence systems foiled the offensive.
India on Monday, 12 May, provided evidence showing Pakistan had used Chinese ammunition to target Indian military bases and civilians.
However, India’s layered and integrated air defence systems, including the indigenously developed Akash, foiled the Pakistani attempts. Pakistan had sent multiple waves of drones and unmanned combat aerial vehicles to target Indian facilities.
Addressing a tri-service media conference in New Delhi, Director-General of Air Operations Air Marshal AK Bharti said, “Numerous waves of drones and unmanned combat aerial vehicles employed by Pakistan were also thwarted by the indigenously developed soft and hard kill counter-UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) and the well-trained Indian Air Defence Personnel.”
The officer also said that Pakistan used drones made in Türkiye. Images of the downed drones and China-made PL-15 missiles were shown at the press conference. The debris of a Pakistan Air Force’s Mirage jet was also shown to the media.
The PL-15 is a radar-guided, long-range, air-to-air missile.
“PL-15 missile missed its target, and you can see the pieces of it which are available with us. Another weapon that was found was long-range rockets. We have talked about the Loiter munitions and unmanned aerial systems… All these have been brought down by our trained crew and Air Defence system,” the Air Force officer said.
“Indian Forces managed to minimise the damage to both civilians and military infrastructure in the country,” he said.
Air Marshal Bharti specifically highlighted the “stellar” performance of Akash. “Our battle-proven systems stood the test of time and took them (Pakistani offensive) head-on. Another highlight has been the stellar performance of the indigenous air defence system, the Akash system. Putting together and operationalising the potent air defence environment has been possible only because of budgetary and policy support from the government of India in the last decade,” he said.
The officer said Pakistan faced India’s wrath after that country decided to stand with terrorist elements.
“We reiterated that our fight was with terrorists and their support infrastructure and not with the Pakistan military. However, it is a pity that the Pakistan military chose to intervene and bat for the terrorists, which compelled us to respond in kind.”
Indian retaliation caused damage to several Pakistani bases, including in the garrison city of Rawalpindi near Islamabad.
Operation Sindoor, launched in the wake of the 22 April terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, targeted and destroyed nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and mainland Pakistan. The offensive, which began at 1.05 am on 7 May, lasted 25 minutes.
“Pakistan, who stood with terror, faced our wrath,” the Air Marshal said.
As many as 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were gunned down by terrorists in the picturesque Pahalgam. Pakistan responded by targeting civilian areas and Indian military bases.
Director-General of Military Operations Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai said Indian airfields are “operational by all means”. Reiterating, he said, “The air defence grid failed attacks launched by Pakistani drones and weaponised UAVs. The rest of the drones were shot down by our shoulder-fired weapons.”
Lt General Ghai praised the BSF for their active participation. “I would also like to praise our Border Security Force. From the Director-General to the very last jawan on the border, everyone actively participated in this operation. They supported us bravely.”
Director-General of Naval Operations Vice Admiral AN Pramod said the combat-ready Navy’s forward deployment forced Pakistani naval and air units into defensive, and confined them to ports or close to the coast.
Both countries reached an “understanding” to stop all military actions after the Director-General of Military Operations in Pakistan contacted his Indian counterpart on Saturday, 10 May.
