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India Gazette
3 hours ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
6 Pakistan fighter jets, one C-130 aircraft, multiple cruise missiles, UAVs destroyed during IAF retaliation in Op Sindoor
By Ajit Dubey New Delhi [India], June 3 (ANI): As per an ongoing analysis of the damage inflicted upon by the Indian Air Force on Pakistan Air Force, it is emerging that 6 PAF fighter jets, two high value aircraft, over 10 UCAVs, one C-130 transport aircraft along with multiple cruise missiles were destroyed by Indian air-launched cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles. Sources who were involved in the operations launched against Pakistani aggression told ANI that as per the technical analysis of the data available with the IAF, six of the Pakistan Air Force fighter aircraft were shot down in air during operations. One high value aerial asset, which could either be an electronic counter measures aircraft or an Airborne Early Warning or Control Aircraft, was taken out by a long range strike by the Sudarshan at distances of around 300 km, they said. The sources said that during the four-day conflict, the strikes at Bholari airbase using air to surface cruise missiles resulted in the loss of another AEWC aircraft of Swedish origin. There are inputs about presence of fighter jets also in the hangar but since the Pakistanis are not even taking out debris from there, 'we are not counting the fighter aircraft losses on ground', they said. The Pakistani fighter jets were captured by the Indian Air Force radars and air defence missile systems and were seen vanishing after hits were secured by the air defence systems. The Pakistan Air Force also lost a C-130 transport aircraft during one of the drone strikes by Indian Air Force in the Pakistani Punjab. The Indian Air Force used only air-launched cruise missiles to attack Pakistani bases and no surface- to-surface BrahMos missiles were used in the attacks, they said. In one of strikes on a hangar by Rafale and Su-30 jets, a significant number of Chinese Wing Loong series medium altitude long endurance drones were destroyed , the sources said. More than 10 UCAVs were also destroyed by the different IAF air defence systems over Pakistani air space in the conflict along with large-scale interception of Pakistani air and ground launched cruise and ballistic missiles aimed at different air bases, they said. The Indian Air Force, the sources said, is still carrying out the analysis of the huge amount of data gathered by it during the conflict. The conflict between India and Pakistan started in May 6-7 night when India retaliated by targeting terrorist universities in the Pakistani Punjab and Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir in response to Pahalgam terror attack. The conflict lasted till May 10 afternoon when Pakistan side requested for a ceasefire in view of the heavy losses suffered by it in the attacks by the Indian Air Force. (ANI)
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First Post
5 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
IAF destroyed 6 Pakistan jets, C-130 aircraft and UCAVs during operations Sindoor
During a four-day conflict in May, the Indian Air Force reportedly destroyed six Pakistani fighter jets, two high-value aircraft, over 10 drones, and a C-130 transport plane, read more India's Air Force destroyed six Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jets, two high-value aircraft, and more than 10 UCAVs during a recent four-day conflict, according to ongoing technical analysis by the Indian military, sources told ANI. In addition to the air-to-air kills, Indian air-launched cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles reportedly destroyed a Pakistani C-130 transport aircraft and multiple cruise missiles. A long-range strike by the Sudarshan system, at approximately 300 km, is reported to have targeted and destroyed a high-value aerial asset, believed to be either an electronic warfare aircraft or an airborne early warning and control system. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Another AEWC aircraft of Swedish origin was destroyed during strikes on Pakistan's Bholari airbase, and while there were believed to be fighter jets in the hangars, no further losses are being confirmed due to Pakistan's refusal to remove debris from the site, sources told ANI. The Pakistani jets were reportedly detected by Indian radar and air defense systems, and were seen disappearing from surveillance feeds after being hit. The Pakistan Air Force also lost a C-130 transport aircraft during one of the drone strikes by the Indian Air Force in the Pakistani Punjab. The Indian Air Force used only air-launched cruise missiles to attack Pakistani bases and no surface-to-surface BrahMos missiles were used in the attacks, they said. In one of the strikes on a hangar by Rafale and Su-30 jets, a significant number of Chinese Wing Loong series medium-altitude, long-endurance drones were destroyed, the sources said. More than 10 UCAVs were also destroyed by the different IAF air defence systems over Pakistani air space in the conflict along with large-scale interception of Pakistani air and ground-launched cruise and ballistic missiles aimed at different air bases, they said. The Indian Air Force, the sources said, is still carrying out the analysis of the huge amount of data gathered by it during the conflict between India and Pakistan started in May 6-7 night when India retaliated by targeting terrorist universities in the Pakistani Punjab and Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir in response to Pahalgam terror attack. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The conflict lasted till May 10 afternoon when the Pakistan side requested for a ceasefire because of the heavy losses suffered by it in the attacks by the Indian Air Force. With inputs from agencies
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Six Pakistan fighter jets, one C-130 aircraft, multiple cruise missiles, UAVs destroyed during IAF retaliation in Op Sindoor
As per an ongoing analysis of the damage inflicted upon by the Indian Air Force on Pakistan Air Force, it is emerging that 6 PAF fighter jets, two high value aircraft, over 10 UCAVs, one C-130 transport aircraft along with multiple cruise missiles were destroyed by Indian air-launched cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads As per an ongoing analysis of the damage inflicted upon by the Indian Air Force on Pakistan Air Force, it is emerging that 6 PAF fighter jets, two high value aircraft, over 10 UCAVs, one C-130 transport aircraft along with multiple cruise missiles were destroyed by Indian air-launched cruise missiles and surface-to-air who were involved in the operations launched against Pakistaggression told ANI that as per the technical analysis of the data available with the IAF, six of the Pakistan Air Force fighter aircraft were shot down in air during high value aerial asset, which could either be an electronic counter measures aircraft or an Airborne Early Warning or Control Aircraft, was taken out by a long range strike by the Sudarshan at distances of around 300 km, they sources said that during the four-day conflict, the strikes at Bholari airbase using air to surface cruise missiles resulted in the loss of another AEWC aircraft of Swedish are inputs about presence of fighter jets also in the hangar but since the Pakistanis are not even taking out debris from there, "we are not counting the fighter aircraft losses on ground", they Pakistani fighter jets were captured by the Indian Air Force radars and air defence missile systems and were seen vanishing after hits were secured by the air defence Pakistan Air Force also lost a C-130 transport aircraft during one of the drone strikes by Indian Air Force in the Pakistani Indian Air Force used only air-launched cruise missiles to attack Pakistani bases and no surface- to-surface BrahMos missiles were used in the attacks, they one of strikes on a hangar by Rafale and Su-30 jets, a significant number of Chinese Wing Loong series medium altitude long endurance drones were destroyed , the sources than 10 UCAVs were also destroyed by the different IAF air defence systems over Pakistani air space in the conflict along with large-scale interception of Pakistani air and ground launched cruise and ballistic missiles aimed at different air bases, they Indian Air Force, the sources said, is still carrying out the analysis of the huge amount of data gathered by it during the conflict between India and Pakistan started in May 6-7 night when India retaliated by targeting terrorist universities in the Pakistani Punjab and Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir in response to Pahalgam terror conflict lasted till May 10 afternoon when Pakistan side requested for a ceasefire in view of the heavy losses suffered by it in the attacks by the Indian Air Force.
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Business Standard
27-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Kaveri engine is trending - here's why it matters for India's defence
A large number of citizens, defence experts and aviation enthusiasts took to social media on Monday (May 26) to demand faster progress on the Kaveri jet engine project. The hashtag #FundKaveriEngine became the number one trend on X with users encouraging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide more funding and make the indigenous engine, which has been delayed for so long, a priority. What is the Kaveri engine and why was it being developed for the Tejas? Kaveri is a jet propulsion engine, which the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), lab of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is developing. Kaveri is a low bypass, twin spool turbofan engine with 80 kilonewtons (kN) thrust. Originally conceived in the 1980s, the Kaveri was intended to power India's homegrown Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. The engine features a flat-rated design to minimise thrust loss under high-speed and high-temperature conditions, and incorporates a twin-lane Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system with a manual override for enhanced reliability. Despite its strategic intent, the engine was delinked from the Tejas programme in 2008 after it failed to meet performance thresholds. Why has the Kaveri engine been delayed for so many years? The Kaveri project's troubled journey can be traced to a combination of technical complexity, geopolitical setbacks, and infrastructure gaps. Key challenges include: Aerothermal and metallurgical hurdles that India had no prior experience in addressing. Lack of critical materials, such as single-crystal turbine blades, due to sanctions imposed after India's 1998 nuclear tests. Inadequate domestic facilities, forcing India to depend on Russia's CIAM for high-altitude testing. Shortage of skilled manpower for such advanced aerospace engineering efforts. The collapse of a proposed partnership with French firm Snecma by 2013, which was expected to transfer key engine core technologies. These bottlenecks left the engine underpowered and overweight, especially for the Tejas platform, which ultimately opted for the more powerful GE F404 and later GE F414 engines. How is the Kaveri engine being repurposed for UCAVs and future platforms? Although its application in Tejas fighter jets has been shelved, the Kaveri engine began to be reimagined for newer defence platforms. A derivative of the engine is currently under development for powering Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs), including the upcoming Ghatak stealth UCAV. Notably, private sector participation has begun to play a role. Firms like Godrej Aerospace have delivered crucial engine modules, and recent in-flight testing suggests the project has picked up momentum after years of inertia. What role is the Indian Navy playing in the Kaveri engine programme? After being delinked from the Tejas programme, the Indian Navy emerged as a key stakeholder in the Kaveri project's next phase. The Kaveri Marine Gas Turbine (KMGT), a maritime variant of the original jet engine, is being developed to power smaller warships. GTRE has modified the original engine by adding a shaft mechanism, which allows it to drive marine propellers. The KMGT has undergone extensive testing at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam, delivering 12 Megawatts (16,000 horsepower) of propulsion power—sufficient to provide 'boost power' for smaller naval vessels during combat manoeuvres. In contrast, larger ships like the Shivalik-class frigates use General Electric's LM2500 gas turbines, which offer nearly double the boost at 22 MW. However, the engine has passed performance tests, meeting Navy specifications, but still remains in the development and validation stage before large-scale production and deployment can commence. How much has India spent on the Kaveri engine and what are the gains? The DRDO had spent nearly ₹3,000 crore on the Kaveri engine programme by 2016, the last estimate that was provided of the project by late Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in the Lok Sabha in August of that year. While critics highlight the cost overruns and delays, defence analysts argue that the technological know-how and R&D infrastructure developed through the project will pay long-term dividends, especially in aerospace materials, turbine dynamics, and indigenous testing capabilities. With its future in UCAVs and naval applications, and a growing chorus pushing for accelerated development, the Kaveri engine project appears to be entering a new phase of relevance.
Business Recorder
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Rhetoric versus restraint: narrative warfare meets military discipline
India, grappling with strategic overreach, has now lost track of its own narrative. Its blend of fabrications, false flags, and unverified battlefield claims has spiraled into a full-blown cognitive warfare crisis. What began as a calculated information campaign to control perception has slipped into a delusional space where fiction overrides battlefield fact. The hasty and provocative framing of the Pahalgam incident as a Pakistan-sponsored terror attack—without providing any forensic evidence — has once again backfired, as Indians themselves are raising questions about its fidelity. Even groups such as the TTP or BLA known for extreme propaganda have now been outpaced by the scale of India's narrative distortions. Delhi's operational behaviour dwarfs even irregular warfare's most notorious disinformation models. Simply put, India has traded tactical credibility for cinematic optics. On the night of 7th May, India launched illegitimate and indiscriminate strikes in Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab, targeting civilians—among them women, children, and the elderly. In stark contrast, Pakistan's response was marked not by noise or bluster, but by precision and discipline. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) acted swiftly, intercepting Indian Air Force (IAF) intrusions and shooting down multiple fighter aircraft and UCAVs across both the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC). Simultaneously, ground forces executed accurate counterstrikes, destroying hardened military targets along the Indian front. Not a single civilian site was hit in Pakistan's retaliatory operations. There was no panic. No overreaction but Just a deliberate, calculated reply that underscored operational clarity and strategic restraint. Outmaneuvered in the kinetic domain, India shifted gears—pivoting from battlefield setbacks to a manufactured media blitz. On the nights of 7 and 8 May, it falsely claimed that Pakistan had launched coordinated airstrikes on 15 Indian cities. The assertion lacked any intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) confirmation or battle damage assessments, resembling Bollywood scripting more than battlefield reality. As India grasped at straws, it escalated further by launching three ballistic missiles—two landed near Amritsar, while the third was intercepted by Pakistan's Integrated Air Defence (IAD) systems. These were not retaliatory strikes—they were theatrics aimed at stoking communal flames and to salvage a failed operational thrust. In a crisis where truth limped behind, fiction sprinted ahead — and Delhi ran with it. Simultaneously, India deployed Israeli-origin Harop and Harpy loitering munitions against radar installations, air defence grids, and civilian zones across Pakistan. Despite the scale of the drone incursion, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and national air defence units neutralized them through a mix of hard-kill intercepts and soft-kill electronic warfare—ensuring zero threat to civilian airliners. One notable target was a PSL cricket venue—clearly chosen for psychological effect rather than any tactical value. This wasn't air dominance. It was a move meant to spread fear, disguised as military strategy; targeting civilian areas in a bid to compensate for battlefield setbacks. So far, Indian aggression has resulted in 33 civilian deaths, including 17 women and seven children, with over 60 others injured. Yet Pakistan has refused to be baited. On the night of 8–9 May, India fabricated another narrative — claiming five PAF aircraft were shot down and a pilot captured. There was no wreckage, no footage, no radar trail — only noise crafted for domestic consumption. Pakistan's crisis management throughout this phase has reflected a disciplined application of the escalation ladder. Each Indian provocation has been met with either a calibrated response or deliberate restraint, guided by operational judgment and escalation control. Retaliation remains an option—retained with both credibility and strategic confidence. The timing, method, and axis will be of Pakistan's choosing. This is not hesitation; it is strategic patience underpinned by capability. Internationally, the tide is beginning to shift. Independent analysts, foreign media outlets, and open-source intelligence communities are increasingly questioning the validity of India's claims. Pakistan's composure, precision, and control are steadily earning it diplomatic space. While India has pursued escalation dominance through fiction, Pakistan has preserved deterrence through discipline. India's setbacks in the 2025 conflict extend far beyond the tactical sphere. While its economy remains capable of absorbing the financial blow, the real damage lies in the erosion of strategic credibility. The confirmed loss of five combat aircraft—including high-value Rafales, MiG-29s, and Su-30MKIs—has inflicted a material cost exceeding $1 billion. Yet, more significant than the monetary impact is the symbolic defeat. These were not merely machines lost in combat; they were pillars of deterrence, now reduced to wreckage. India may still have resources in reserve, but it is no longer fighting from a position of moral or strategic strength. The losses reflect a pattern of overreach and misjudgment—an outcome where India may have bitten off more than it could chew. In warfare, perception often hits harder than payloads, and for Delhi, the weight of these losses will be felt long after the smoke clears. As the fog lifts and dust settles, what remains is clarity—and a steady hand commanding through chaos. A posture grounded in patience and discipline, not impulse. Pakistan did not flinch. It absorbed unprovoked aggression, rejected fiction, and responded with precision. No theatrics. No overreach. Just a calibrated force. In a region on the brink, it is not the loudest that prevails, but the most disciplined. The storm has not yet passed away, but Pakistan stands firm—resolute, measured, and ready. This restraint, coupled with deliberate ambiguity around the nuclear threshold, acts as a force multiplier—injecting fear and uncertainty into the Indian calculus. The storm may still be brewing, but Pakistan remains unshaken—measured in tone, resolute in purpose, and operationally prepared. The crisis followed the basic logic of the Nuclear Chicken Game—a theory where two sides move toward mutual destruction to force the other to back down. The strategy relies on appearing ready to escalate, even at high risk. The side that looks more resolved—sometimes even irrational—can gain the upper hand. But the danger lies in misreading signals or pushing too far. The scenario can be likened to two people hanging from a rope off a cliff—if one pulls out a knife and threatens to cut the rope, both fall. But the very threat may compel the other to let go first. That is the paradox of Nuclear Chicken: irrationality used deliberately to achieve rational ends. This situation presents two stark interpretations of conduct of Gen Syed Asim Munir (now Field Marshal): either he is a master strategist—calculating, disciplined, and precise in his application of nuclear brinkmanship—or a dangerously detached actor, disturbingly comfortable with the specter of mass destruction as a means of asserting strategic resolve. However, the weight of evidence favors the former. Field Marshal's measured maneuvering amid extreme pressure, his deliberate navigation of escalation ladders, and his nuanced understanding of deterrence thresholds suggest not recklessness, but a sophisticated application of game theory and high-order strategic reasoning. In the dense fog of a nuclear-shadowed conflict, Gen Munir exhibited intelligence, restraint, and command discipline—hallmarks of leadership operating at the uppermost echelon of strategic decision-making. During the 2025 Indo-Pak conflict—fought under the persistent shadow of nuclear escalation and marked by stark asymmetries in conventional capabilities—Pakistan's military and political leadership demonstrated rare clarity of purpose and strategic control. Despite India's larger force structure and greater conventional capacity, Gen Munir managed to hold strategic ground. He maintained operational balance, kept escalation in check, and ensured cohesion across military and political domains under sustained pressure. His conduct revealed a strong grasp of escalation control, signaling under pressure, and the broader mechanics of high-stakes military confrontation—hallmarks of credible leadership in a conflict shaped by advanced deterrence dynamics. The turning point came when US Vice President JD Vance, who had initially dismissed the conflict as 'not America's business,' reversed his position after reviewing classified intelligence on Pakistan's strategic posture—signaling that Islamabad's calibrated messaging had registered at the highest levels. What had started as a regional flashpoint was now drawing global attention. Pakistan's measured clarity in a moment of extreme pressure did not just prevent further escalation—it also reinforced the credibility of its deterrent posture in the eyes of key international actors. A pivotal moment in the conflict came with reports of several high-value Indian Air Force platforms being downed. Pakistan claimed to have neutralized multiple Rafales, Su-30MKI, MiG-29, and IAI Heron UAV. India confirmed the loss of only a few aircraft, with all pilots reported safe, but open-source imagery and debris analysis strongly suggest that two Rafales were effectively destroyed—dealing both an operational and symbolic blow to the IAF. Pakistan's measured response demonstrated strength while avoiding unnecessary escalation, reinforcing strategic stability and ensuring the credibility of its second-strike capability remained intact. Under General Munir's military leadership, Pakistan showcased a careful balance of deterrence, clarity, and disciplined restraint—key elements of effective command in the nuclear age. In the 2025 Indo-Pak conflict, Pakistan, guided by the shrewd military leadership at the helm, secured a definitive strategic and operational triumph. Pakistan's armed forces executed precise, coordinated responses—neutralizing Indian air and missile incursions, degrading key assets, and exposing the hollowness of India's information warfare. Prime Minister Modi's May 12 address, which framed 'Operation Sindoor' as a counter-terrorism success and threatened to stop water flows to Pakistan, reflected political damage control rather than a position of strength. His attempt to blur the line between Pakistani military forces and non-state actors revealed a rattled leadership, struggling to regain narrative control. In contrast, Gen Munir's disciplined restraint and calculated strategic signaling preserved deterrence and averted uncontrolled escalation. Pakistan's posture—measured, methodical, and backed by credible force—demonstrated both political maturity and military preparedness. The signal now extends well beyond the immediate theatre: Pakistan remains prepared — not for provocation, but for the preservation of regional stability. In the final assessment, it was not rhetorical escalation, but disciplined and deliberate military conduct that upheld strategic stability in South Asia. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
