'Decided to strike where it would hurt': Air Marshal AK Bharti gives details of India's retaliatory strikes on Pakistan airbases

NEW DELHI: In a joint press briefing of defence officials on Sunday, Air Marshal AK Bharti confirmed that Pakistan attempted to breach Indian airspace using its fighter jets in response to India’s cross-border counterterror actions under 'Operation Sindoor'. However, the Indian Air Force successfully repelled the intrusion and downed “a few planes,” inflicting losses on Pakistan’s side.He also reflected on the IAF’s decision to “strike where it would hurt,” pointing to the targeted assaults on major Pakistani airbases.“Their planes were prevented from entering inside our border... Definitely, we have downed a few planes... Definitely, there are losses on their side which we have inflicted,” said Air Marshal Bharti. He assured that “all our pilots are back home.”Describing the strategic targeting, Air Marshal Bharti said, “A decision was taken to strike where it would hurt, and towards that, in a swift, coordinated, calibrated attack, we struck its air bases, command centers, military infrastructure, and air defence systems across the entire Western Front. The bases we struck include Chaklala, Rafiq, Rahim Yar Khan - sending a clear message that aggression will not be tolerated. This was followed by strikes at Sargodha, Bhulari, and Jacobabad.”When asked whether India had met its military goals, Bharti said, “Have we achieved our objectives of decimating the terrorist camps? The answer is a thumping yes, and the results are for the whole world to see.”He added, “All I can say is that we have achieved our objectives that we selected and all our pilots are back home.”Air Marshal Bharti also presented detailed video footage showcasing the impact of India's precision air operations on key Pakistani military installations as part of 'Operation Sindoor'. The visuals highlighted damage inflicted on multiple strategic targets, including Pasrur, Chunian, and Arifwala air defence radars, as well as major airfields at Sargodha, Rahim Yar Khan, Chaklala (Nur Khan), Sukkur, Bholari, and Jacobabad.The briefing came as all three wings of India’s armed forces shed light on Operation Sindoor, the large-scale military response launched on May 7 following the Pakistan-backed terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 people.In response to India’s counterterror operations, Pakistan launched a series of drone and missile incursions over consecutive days. However, India’s air defence systems intercepted the threats with precision, ensuring there was no loss of life or damage to property.Interestingly, even as these provocations continued, Pakistan on Saturday proposed a comprehensive ceasefire across air, land, and sea. The proposal was made during a call from Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) to his Indian counterpart, citing the need for de-escalation and peace.However, despite initiating the ceasefire request, Pakistan soon violated the very understanding it had sought.