IAF jammed Pakistan's Chinese air defence, completed mission in 23 minutes: Govt on Op Sindoor

The government on Wednesday revealed new details about Operation Sindoor, calling it a "calibrated military response to an evolving pattern of asymmetric warfare" targeting civilians and military assets alike. Executed without crossing the Line of Control or the international boundary, the mission neutralised multiple terror-linked targets inside Pakistan using indigenous high-tech systems.

What stood out, the government stressed, was not just the tactical precision, but the seamless deployment of Indian-made defence technologies in drone warfare, layered air defence, and electronic warfare. Operation Sindoor, it said, marked a decisive milestone in India's march toward military self-reliance.

On the night of May 7–8, Pakistan launched a coordinated attempt to hit Indian military targets using drones and missiles across multiple cities—including Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, and Bhuj. The assault was thwarted by India's Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence Systems, which employed radars, missile batteries, and electronic countermeasures to intercept and neutralise the threats.

Air Defence systems detect, track, and neutralise threats using a network of radars, control centres, artillery, and both aircraft- and ground-based missiles.

In retaliation, Indian forces struck Pakistan's air defence radars and systems on the morning of May 8. A key air defence facility in Lahore was taken out. The Indian Air Force (IAF) also jammed and bypassed Pakistan's Chinese-supplied air defence systems, completing its strike operation in just 23 minutes, the government said in a statement on Wednesday. All Indian assets returned safely.

Strikes on Pakistani airbases, including Noor Khan and Rahimyar Khan, were carried out using loitering munitions, also known as "kamikaze drones". These systems circled target zones and destroyed high-value enemy positions such as radars and missile systems with pinpoint accuracy.

Recovered debris provided evidence of the types of threats neutralised: PL-15 missiles of Chinese origin, Yiha (or “YEEHAW”) UAVs of Turkish origin, and long-range rockets, quadcopters, and commercial drones. Despite Pakistan's reliance on foreign-supplied advanced weaponry, Indian-made electronic warfare and air defence systems performed decisively, reinforcing India's dominance in the modern battlefield.