On May 7, 2025, India launched a daring military operation, “Operation Sindoor,” targeting terrorist infrastructure located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
According to India’s Ministry of Defence, the operation was focused on dismantling key terror camps linked to groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen, which have been behind numerous deadly cross-border attacks on Indian soil.
Pakistan Claims It Downed Five Indian Aircraft
However, Pakistan’s military issued a striking counterclaim: Pakistan has claimed it shot down five Indian military aircraft, including fighter jets and a drone, amid heightened tensions along the Line of Control.
In a statement to reporters, Pakistani security officials said their forces downed three French-built Rafale fighter jets, one MiG-29, one Su-30MKI, and an Israeli-made Heron drone, describing the action as taken “in self-defense.”
The claim was reiterated by Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhary, who listed the same aircraft in a video statement released through Reuters. However, no details were provided about the precise locations or methods of the alleged shootdowns.
India’s Ministry of Defence has not yet issued a formal response.
However, reports from Jammu and Kashmir indicate that an unidentified aircraft / its component crashed into a school building in the village of Wuyan. The cylindrical metal object that crashed was possibly a drop tank, but its origins cannot be verified.
Operation Sindoor
In a swift military response to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, including one Nepali national, India launched a coordinated operation against terror infrastructure across the Line of Control in the early hours of Wednesday.
Dubbed “Operation Sindoor,” it was launched entirely from within Indian territory and carried out through a coordinated effort involving the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.
According to Col. Sofiya Qureshi, the precision strikes lasted 25 minutes and took place between 1:05 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. local time. Ten hours after the operation concluded, Qureshi briefed the media.
The Indian Army targeted nine terrorist infrastructure sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as part of Operation Sindoor. The strikes focused on key facilities linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), which India accuses of orchestrating cross-border attacks.
The locations reportedly struck include: Markaz Subhan Allah, Bahawalpur (JeM), Markaz Taiba, Muridke (LeT), Sarjal, Tehra Kalan (JeM), Mehmoona Joya, Sialkot (HM), Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala (LeT), Markaz Abbas, Kotli (JeM), Maskar Raheel Shahid, Kotli (HM), Shawai Nalla Camp, Muzaffarabad (LeT), Syedna Bilal Camp, Muzaffarabad (JeM).
A statement from India’s Ministry of Defence emphasized that no Pakistani military assets were targeted, calling the operation “calibrated and non-escalatory,” aimed squarely at dismantling cross-border terror networks without provoking wider conflict.
Yet, Pakistan’s counterclaim that it downed five Indian aircraft raises questions. In particular, the focus on the Su-30MKI is significant, as this aircraft has become a symbol of India’s air dominance.
Su-30MKI: Pakistan’s Prime Target
Operation Sindoor marks the first confirmed Indian strike inside Pakistani territory since 2019, when similar cross-border action followed the Pulwama attack that killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel.
The Su-30MKI, India’s formidable multi-role fighter, emerged as a central player following the Balakot airstrike, particularly during the intense aerial exchanges of ‘Operation Swift Retort.’ In retaliation for India’s counter-terrorism mission, Pakistan launched its airstrike, aiming to hit back at the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The Su-30MKI, renowned for its versatility and power, became a primary target for Pakistan’s F-16s, which were dispatched to take down at least one of these advanced aircraft.
The Su-30MKI was not just another fighter in the sky—it symbolized India’s air superiority, and taking one down would have delivered unprecedented recognition for the Pakistani pilots.
Veteran Air Force aviator Sameer Joshi noted that Pakistan viewed the loss of a Sukhoi in combat as a critical blow to India’s air power. The downing of an IAF Su-30MKI would have significantly impacted India’s morale and its military prestige. It was clear that the Su-30MKIs had become a prime target for the PAF, and their survival in the skies would be crucial to maintaining India’s air dominance during the standoff.
In a tweet series, Joshi detailed the intense aerial skirmishes during the 2019 Op Swift Retort. Two Indian Air Force Su-30MKIs, callsign ‘Avenger,’ engaged eight Pakistani F-16s from 0950 to 1015 hours on February 27, 2019, as the PAF approached Indian airspace.
The F-16s were in two formations, with the Northern group engaging the Sukhois. Despite firing four AIM-120C AMRAAM missiles, the F-16s failed to hit their targets as the Su-30s pushed them back.
Outnumbered and outgunned by the PAF’s superior missiles, the Indian jets still managed to counterattack. Joshi pointed out that the Sukhois, instead of retreating, advanced into the F-16s’ range, bypassing the BVR threat and closing in with R-27/77 missiles. Interestingly, the lead F-16s in the North Group went ‘COLD’ prematurely, refusing to engage.
Despite differing narratives, India claims a successful strike on Balakot and the downing of a Pakistani F-16 in the subsequent dogfight, while Pakistan denies both accounts.
The Future Of Indo-Pakistani Air Combat
As the dust settles on Operation Sindoor, the question remains: does Pakistan’s claim of shooting down an Indian Su-30MKI signal a new chapter in air combat dynamics between the two nuclear-armed neighbors?
The Su-30MKI has long been a cornerstone of India’s air power, and its downing would be a blow to India’s strategic positioning.
At the same time, the precision strikes during “Operation Sindoor” underscore India’s ability to conduct surgical operations with minimal escalation, a tactic also seen in previous operations.
It remains to be seen whether the events of May 7 will escalate into a broader conflict or remain an isolated exchange.
However, it is indisputable that the Su-30MKI, a symbol of India’s military edge, now finds itself at the heart of a high-stakes game in which both sides are willing to risk everything to assert dominance in the skies.
Whether Pakistan has managed to shoot down any aircraft, like Su-30 MKI or Rafale, cannot be confirmed as of now, and India’s official statement is awaited. One thing is certain: downing a Su-30 MKI remains a key ambition of Pakistan.
- Shubhangi Palve is a defense and aerospace journalist. Before joining the EurAsian Times, she worked for ET Prime. She has over 15 years of extensive experience in the media industry, spanning print, electronic, and online domains.
- Contact the author at shubhapalve (at) gmail.com
