India had air superiority over Pak in 72 hours: US expert praises Op Sindoor

A year after Operation Sindoor, US military expert John Spencer said India achieved air superiority over Pakistan within 72 hours. He said the campaign showed India's evolving capacity in precision strikes, drones and integrated air defence.

In Short

• India gained air superiority over Pak within 72 hours of Op Sindoor
• IAF struck Pakistani radar and missile sites using advanced drones
• S-400 air defence systems limited Pak aircraft operations significantly

A year after Operation Sindoor, US military expert John Spencer said that India achieved “air superiority” over Pakistan within 72 hours of the conflict, calling the operation a major demonstration of the country's evolving military capabilities and integrated warfare systems.

In an analysis revisiting the May 2025 conflict which was triggered by the Pahalgam terror attack the previous month, Spencer said early global narratives focused heavily on reports of Indian aircraft losses and projected Pakistan as having gained the upper hand.

However, he argued that the broader campaign ultimately showed India dominating the battlefield and forcing Pakistan into a ceasefire.

“By the morning of May 10, India had achieved air superiority, while Pakistan was increasingly unable to sustain operations,” Spencer wrote.

In the early hours of May 7 last year, India launched Operation Sindoor — a series of precision air and missile strikes targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the terror attack that claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists.

Under the operation, Indian forces struck nine terror camps across Pakistan and PoK, targeting bases linked to the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba outfits. At least 100 terrorists were killed in the strikes. Hostilities ended on May 10 after military-level talks between Pakistan and India.

According to Spencer, Pakistan initially scored a tactical success by downing several Indian aircraft, including at least one Rafale and one Mirage 2000. But he said the larger campaign quickly shifted in India’s favour as the Indian Air Force systematically targeted Pakistan’s air defence network.

Over the next two days, Indian forces reportedly struck multiple Pakistani radar and missile sites, including HQ-9 air defence systems, using loitering munitions such as Israeli-made Harop and Harpy drones. Spencer said these strikes severely weakened Pakistan’s ability to detect and respond to incoming attacks.

He also highlighted the role of India’s S-400 air defence systems, claiming they forced Pakistan to reassess how and where its aircraft could operate. According to the report cited by Spencer, several Pakistani aircraft, including F-16s and JF-17s, were lost during the campaign.

The decisive phase came on May 10, when India launched coordinated long-range missile strikes on multiple Pakistani airbases, including Nur Khan, Murid, Sargodha and Jacobabad. Spencer said the strikes targeted command centres, drone facilities, radar systems and aircraft infrastructure deep inside Pakistan.

By midday on May 10, Pakistani authorities were seeking a ceasefire, Spencer noted, arguing that the move was driven by “battlefield conditions” rather than diplomatic pressure.

He also praised India’s integrated air defence systems, saying Pakistan’s retaliatory drone and missile attacks failed to inflict significant damage. India’s layered defence network, combining Akashteer systems, electronic warfare and anti-aircraft guns, intercepted or disrupted most incoming threats, he said.

Calling Operation Sindoor a defining moment in modern Indian military strategy, Spencer said the campaign demonstrated India’s growing strengths in drones, precision strikes, air defence integration and network-centric warfare.

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