‘Learnt From Balakot, Delivered In Op Sindoor’: IAF Chief Recalls Doubts Raised After 2019 Strike

Last Updated:September 19, 2025, 15:57 IST

Recalling the scrutiny that followed the Balakot strike, IAF chief said the Air Force had faced “repeated questions despite operational success”

IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh (PTI Image)

Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh on Friday drew striking parallels between the 2019 Balakot air strikes and the recently concluded Operation Sindoor, saying that the lessons learnt six years ago were crucial in shaping the IAF’s latest cross-border operation.

Recalling the scrutiny that followed the Balakot strike, Singh said the Air Force had faced “repeated questions despite operational success.”

“Last time, when the Balakot strike happened, the Air Force was repeatedly asked—we ask our own people more, but we think less about others—so it was repeatedly asked that nothing was seen,” he told reporters in Delhi.

According to the Air Chief, that experience helped the forces to shape both planning and communication strategies for Operation Sindoor, which he described as a “decisive and meticulously executed mission” against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan.

India carried out airstrikes on February 26, 2019, targeting a major terrorist training camp in Balakot, Pakistan, in response to the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel.

The government claimed that the strikes neutralised a significant number of Jaish-e-Mohammed operatives. However, the opposition criticised the government for not providing concrete evidence of damage to the terror infrastructure in Balakot.

‘Political Will’

Singh credited the political leadership for providing strong backing to the armed forces during Operation Sindoor in May, which was carried out in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians.

“I think one of the best things that happened was that there was political will. Our leadership gave us clear directions, and no restrictions were imposed,” he said.

For the first time, he noted, the three services operated in seamless coordination.

“Full freedom was given to us to plan, and there was jointness; all three services were sitting together, discussing together, planning together—along with the Chief of Defence Staff and other agencies. The National Security Adviser was a big part of this,” Singh said.

Overcoming Challenges

Singh noted that Operation Sindoor posed unique tactical hurdles as Pakistani airfields remained open and civilian aircraft continued to hover in the skies, complicating target identification.

“There were challenges of identification; Pakistan did not close their airfields. Their civil aircraft were hovering, which made our mission far more complex,” he said.

Despite these complications, the IAF struck with precision, he said.

“We were given terrorist targets. We accurately struck them. When our enemies refused to stop the war and tried to attack us, then we struck them nice and hard. Many of their bases were damaged. A lot of their infrastructure—radars, control and coordination centres, their hangars, aircraft—suffered a lot of damage,” Singh added.

Military officials described Operation Sindoor as a “measured yet forceful response” to cross-border provocations.

While details remain classified, defence sources indicated that the strikes under Operation Sindoor in May crippled key logistics hubs and terrorist training facilities in terror targets inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The Air Chief underlined that Operation Sindoor was more than a tactical win; it was an affirmation of India’s growing capability to launch precision strikes while managing the fog of war.

Lessons from Balakot—on intelligence sharing, real-time decision-making and managing global narratives—were fully considered, he said.

About the Author

Ronit Singh

Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be…Read More

Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be… Read More

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