No room to ‘stand still’: IAF Chief A.P. Singh on building future air power after success of Operation Sindoor

Operation Sindoor was a cross-border military operation launched after the Pahalgam terror attack. India used precision air strikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation mattered because it represented India’s most daring cross-border military action since the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. It also tested how quickly and accurately the IAF could respond to a major security challenge.

The IAF struck nine terror infrastructures. These included the Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters at Bahawalpur and the Lashkar-e-Taiba base at Muridke. The operation combined intelligence, networked operations, stand-off and precision weapons, electronic warfare, air defence and counter-drone systems. The IAF said indigenously developed weapons performed exceptionally and that it maintained zero collateral damage.

Air Chief Marshal A..P Singh presented the operation as proof of the IAF’s capability-centric approach. He said the force should respond more swiftly, precisely and decisively if called upon again. He also warned that success must not lead to standing still. Future priorities include combat mass, stronger ISR, electronic warfare, resilient networks and indigenous production.

Operation Sindoor’s geographic scope was 1,200 kilometres in breadth and 200 kilometres in depth. Those figures describe the wide area across which the IAF conducted calibrated targeting. The scale mattered because it demonstrated that the force could coordinate operations across a very broad front rather than focus on one isolated location. Air Chief Marshal A..P Singh said this showed that no place was beyond the IAF’s reach.

The operation targeted nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The article specifically identifies the Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters at Bahawalpur and the Lashkar-e-Taiba base at Muridke. These strikes followed the Pahalgam terror attack and were carried out with precision air power. The IAF also said it honoured its commitment to zero collateral damage throughout the operation.

The combination of distance and target numbers illustrates the operation’s breadth. It was not presented as a single-platform mission or a single strike. Instead, it relied on intelligence, networks, precision weapons, electronic warfare and defensive systems working together. The stated lesson was that future responses must remain flexible, accurate and scalable.

A capability-centric force measures effectiveness by what its entire system can achieve, not by the performance of one aircraft or weapon. The IAF says every aircraft, sensor, weapon and network must be integrated. This matters because modern operations change quickly. A force with several connected capabilities can adapt, choose among different options and keep control of escalation.

During Operation Sindoor, success came from accurate intelligence, networked operations, stand-off and precision weapons, electronic warfare, layered air defence and counter-UAS capabilities. These elements performed different tasks but operated as one system. Intelligence helped identify targets. Networks connected information and decisions. Weapons delivered the strikes, while electronic warfare and defensive systems helped protect the force and defeat incoming threats.

The operation therefore validated the IAF’s broader approach rather than a particular platform. Air Chief Marshal A..P Singh said some indigenous weapons performed exceptionally, but he also stressed that the combined effect was greater than the sum of its parts. The IAF now plans to deepen this model through stronger ISR, combat mass, resilient networks, AI-enabled decision support and indigenous production.

The operation’s central mechanism was integration. Accurate intelligence helped identify and understand targets. Networked operations allowed information to move across the force and supported faster decisions. Stand-off and precision weapons then enabled accurate attacks. Electronic warfare added another layer by shaping the electromagnetic environment, while air defence and counter-UAS systems protected India from incoming threats.

The article describes these capabilities as one combined system. On the offensive side, the IAF used calibrated targeting across a front 1,200 kilometres wide and 200 kilometres deep. On the defensive side, India’s home-grown networked air defence defeated large numbers of drones and stand-off weapons launched by Pakistan’s military. Offence and defence therefore reinforced each other rather than operating separately.

This combination gave India confidence to act while helping control escalation. It also demonstrated the value of joint and multi-domain integration across air, land, maritime, space, cyber and electromagnetic domains. The IAF says the next step is to strengthen these connections through resilient networks, better ISR, electronic warfare, counter-UAS capability and AI-enabled decision support.

Stand-off warfare means attacking from outside or beyond the most dangerous area around a target. Aircraft launch stand-off weapons from a distance, rather than placing themselves directly over the target. This can reduce exposure to air defences and allow aircraft to remain farther from hostile territory. The article identifies stand-off and precision weapons as important parts of Operation Sindoor, but it does not define the term in detail.

The key mechanism is separation between the launching aircraft and the target. A weapon travels the remaining distance after release, using its guidance system to reach the selected point. That gives planners another option alongside direct overflight. In Operation Sindoor, stand-off weapons formed part of a wider system that also included intelligence, networks, electronic warfare, air defence and counter-UAS capabilities.

Stand-off warfare does not work in isolation. It depends on accurate intelligence, reliable networks and precise targeting. The article says some indigenously developed weapons performed exceptionally and delivered deep strikes. It also reports that India’s networked air defence defeated Pakistan’s drones and stand-off weapons. The IAF therefore treats stand-off capability as one element of a broader, adaptable force.

High-intensity air operations require more than successful opening strikes. Combat mass provides enough forces to sustain activity. ISR supplies continuing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Electronic warfare helps operate in contested electromagnetic conditions. Resilient networks keep information and decisions moving even when systems face disruption. Together, these capabilities prevent a force from becoming dependent on one fragile tool.

Logistics and maintenance turn operational capability into endurance. Aircraft, weapons, sensors and networks need fuel, repairs, spares, infrastructure and trained support. The article says the IAF must sustain high-intensity operations through robust logistics, maintenance and infrastructure. It also highlights indigenous production, which can support availability and reduce dependence on outside supply during prolonged demands.

Operation Sindoor validated the IAF’s capability-centric approach, but Air Chief Marshal A..P Singh said it must not become a reason to stand still. The force is now focusing on combat mass, ISR, electronic warfare, counter-UAS capability, resilient networks and AI-enabled decision support. These priorities are intended to prepare the IAF for future security challenges and longer operations.

Air power serves as a rapid responder because it can deliver force across distance quickly and precisely. The IAF describes itself as the nation’s primary responder, meaning it can act when the country faces a serious security challenge. Its value also lies in flexibility. A capability-centric force can draw on multiple tools, adapt as an adversary changes tactics and calibrate its response.

Its deterrent role comes from demonstrating that hostile targets can be reached and attacked. During Operation Sindoor, calibrated targeting covered 1,200 kilometres in breadth and 200 kilometres in depth. The IAF said this showed that no place was beyond its reach. Its home-grown networked air defence also defeated drones and stand-off weapons launched by Pakistan’s military, allowing India to act with confidence.

The operation reinforced both roles. It showed immediate response capability while signalling that future attacks could carry serious consequences. Air Chief Marshal A..P Singh said the IAF must keep developing combat mass, ISR, electronic warfare, resilient networks, counter-UAS systems and indigenous production. These improvements are meant to make responses faster, more precise and more decisive.