Operation Sindoor began with India’s stated objective of striking the terror infrastructure responsible for attacks against it, but Pakistan’s subsequent military response transformed the confrontation into a wider conflict. As Pakistani forces attempted to target Indian military installations and launched drone and missile attacks, the Indian Air Force shifted to a broader campaign aimed at degrading Pakistan’s military capabilities, including its air bases, runways and air-defence infrastructure.
The Ministry of Defence’s Annual Report 2025-26 now provides a detailed account of some of the key IAF targets during the operation, including fighter aircraft hangars, runways and command-and-control centres. It also records what it describes as the “Longest Surface-to-Air Kill” – the destruction of a Pakistani special-mission aircraft by an Indian S-400 unit at a distance of 314 km.
The operation followed the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed. On May 7, India launched precision strikes against nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan subsequently responded with attacks against Indian military and civilian targets, leading to an intense four-day military confrontation before a ceasefire was announced on May 10.
It was during this escalation that the IAF went after Pakistan’s military infrastructure.
Fighter Aircraft, AEW&C And Drone Facilities Targeted
According to the Ministry’s report, four aircraft hangars housing fighter aircraft, AEW&C platforms and unmanned combat aerial vehicles were successfully targeted by the IAF on May 10.
The report says “multiple F-16 aircraft at Jacobabad, one AEW&C aircraft and multiple UCAV” belonging to the Akinci and TB-2 classes were destroyed or damaged. It also records reported fatalities among Pakistani Air Force personnel.
The targets included facilities at Jacobabad, Bholari, Sukkur and Murid, with satellite imagery included in the report to illustrate the damage caused to the hangars.
Runways Hit To Disable Further Air Operations
The IAF also struck Pakistani military runways at Sargodha and Rahim Yar Khan. The report describes these as part of “broad time sensitive tasks” undertaken in furtherance of air operations. By damaging runways, the IAF sought to affect the ability of Pakistani air bases to support continuing military operations.
The Ministry draws a historical comparison, saying the accuracy of these strikes was “reminiscent of IAF efforts in neutralising airfields in East Pakistan during 1971 War.”
Pakistan’s Air-Defence Command Structure Hit
Another significant set of targets was Pakistan’s command-and-control infrastructure. The Ministry says command-and-control centres at Chaklala and Murid were successfully targeted and destroyed. Chaklala was particularly significant because it housed the headquarters of the Pakistan Air Force Air Defence Command.
The strikes were therefore aimed not merely at individual aircraft or installations but at elements of the system used to coordinate Pakistan’s air-defence response.
The IAF’s own air-defence network played a central role during the confrontation. The report says its indigenous Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) provided the foundation for integrated air-defence operations.
“All military and civil surveillance sensors” were integrated into IACCS to create a “common Recognised Air Situation Picture”, according to the report. The system operated through IAF Networked Tactical Nodes at multiple locations, enabling the identification and classification of aerial targets.
The Ministry also highlights the IAF’s effort to keep international air traffic safe despite Pakistan continuing to keep its civil airspace open during the hostilities.
The 314-km S-400 Kill
The most significant claim in the report is under a section titled “Longest Surface-to-Air Kill.” The Ministry says an S-400 unit successfully targeted and destroyed a Pakistani special-mission aircraft from a distance of 314 km.
The report describes the engagement as a demonstration of the reach of India’s long-range air-defence capability, saying the operation challenged the adversary’s belief that distance could provide protection.
“Indian radars tracked the threat in silence,” the report says, before describing the long-range missile as being guided through its “far boundary”.
The Ministry concludes that the operation demonstrated that “no point on ground or in air was beyond reach of IAF offensive elements.”
The significance of the engagement lay not only in the distance involved but in the combination of radar detection, tracking, command-and-control and the S-400’s long-range interception capability.
Following the operation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Air Force Station Adampur on May 12, 2025, where he personally commended the Air Warriors. The scale of recognition was reflected in the awards announced subsequently. According to the annual report, 219 Presidential Gallantry Awards were presented to IAF personnel on August 15, 2025, for their courage and determination during Operation Sindoor.