Pak Army Loses 35-40 Soldiers at LoC, Air Force Suffers Aircraft Losses: Indian Armed Forces

The Pakistan Army lost 35-40 personnel along the Line of Control (LoC) due to heavy crossfire between May 7 and May 10, as India carried out retaliatory high-precision strikes as part of Operation Sindoor. Additionally, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) lost "a few" aircraft, and several Pakistani military assets and air bases suffered significant damage during these strikes. These details were made public during a media briefing on Sunday by Lt General Rajiv Ghai, Director General of Military Operations, and his counterparts from the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Navy, Air Marshal A K Bharti and Vice Admiral A N Pramod.

Lt General Ghai revealed that India’s initial strikes on the first day of Operation Sindoor resulted in the deaths of 100 terrorists when India targeted nine terror hubs, including high-value targets like Yusuf Azhar and Muddasir, who were involved in the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 and the Pulwama blast. Over the next few days, the Pakistan Army lost 35-40 personnel in artillery and small arms fire along the LoC. Of the nine terror hubs, five were in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the others were in Pakistan. Air Marshal Bharti confirmed that the IAF successfully prevented PAF aircraft from entering Indian airspace and downed “a few planes,” though he did not specify the number of aircraft lost as technical details were still being studied. The downed aircraft were reported to be "hi-tech." The Indian strikes also caused extensive damage to Pakistan’s military infrastructure, including air defence radars in Pasrur, Chunian, and Arifwala, as well as airfields in Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Bholari, Jacobabad, and the Nur Khan air base in Chaklala.

On the Indian side, five military personnel were killed during Operation Sindoor. When asked if India lost any aircraft, Air Marshal Bharti refrained from commenting on the issue due to the ongoing combat situation, noting that losses are a part of any combat, and all IAF pilots had safely returned home. He emphasized that if PAF had the choice, they would have tried to enter Indian airspace, but India's robust air defence prevented them.

Vice Admiral Pramod stated that after the Pahalgam terror attack, India’s Navy deployed its carrier battle group, surface forces, submarines, and aviation assets in full combat readiness, following a joint operational plan with the Indian Army. The Navy remained in forward deployment in the northern Arabian Sea, maintaining a deterrent posture and readiness to strike select targets both at sea and on land, including Karachi, at a time of India’s choosing. This forward deployment forced Pakistani naval and air units into a defensive posture.

Despite a ceasefire being agreed upon by the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries, Pakistan violated the ceasefire within hours, with cross-border and LoC firing followed by drone intrusions across the western front. Lt General Ghai noted the violation, stating that Pakistan had acted predictably. India sent a communiqué to the Pakistan DGMO and awaited further developments. Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi authorized Indian Army commanders to take decisive action in case of further violations. Lt General Ghai emphasized that India’s response would be fierce and punitive if Pakistan continued to violate agreements.