Takeaways from Operation Sindoor

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 2 June 2025 Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan on Saturday seemed to confirm that India had lost fighter jets in the dogfight with the Pakistan Air Force during Operation Sindoor on May 8. Chauhan spoke to Bloomberg TV in Singapore, but did not mention whether the jet(s) downed were Rafales, MiGs or Sukhois; he said “yes” when prodded if India did lose fighter aircraft. Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces/Videograb ----- “What is important is… not the jets being downed but why they were downed,” said Chauhan in the interview. When the reporter asked again if at least one jet was down, Chauhan said, “Yeah.” “So the good part is that we are able to understand the tactical mistake which we made, remedy it, rectify it and then implement it again after two days and fly all our jets again targeting at long range, which I said.” "Military Operation In Pakistan Reveals Weaknesses Of India's Air Force New Delhi has begun to acknowledge the loss of several fighter jets during 'Operation Sindoor.' Military experts suggest that at least one Rafale may be among the destroyed aircraft. This would mark the first loss in combat for the French aircraft." By Sophie Landrin (New Delhi, India, correspondent) and Elise Vincent Published on May 8, 2025, at 10:53 am (Paris), updated on May 10, 2025, at 11:12 am The Telegraph (Calcutta), Le Monde and other publications as well as news agencies have begun to state categorically that Indian Army, esp. its Air Force also suffered during the Operation Sindoor. It's not something to criticise or look down upon. This happens in modern warfare. However powerful a country may be and even if it wins, it doesn't come out of the war unscathed. Mind you, this quasi war lasted for hardly 3 or 4 days. While Pakistan suffered a lot, India also suffered. Though Pakistan didn't give India a run for its money, it did inflict some damages upon India. Fortunately, a ceasefire was declared soon. Had the 'war' continued, more damages would have been recorded on both sides. After the 1971 War and the Kargil skirmishes in 1999, India didn't actually fight in the last 55 years. So, the losses of aircraft are understood. The point is, no war is a cakewalk. Our media must understand this and exercise restraint. Wars aren't fought in a studio. Don't create a euphoria for a war. Remember the famous war dictum, if you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by. This quote from The Art of War by Sun Tzu speaks to the strategy of patience and strategic thinking in warfare. It suggests that by biding one's time and observing the actions of one's enemies, opportunities for victory may present themselves without the need for direct confrontation. By waiting and planning strategically, one may be able to achieve their goals without having to engage in conflict. This quote reminds us of the importance of patience, observation, and clever tactics in achieving success, whether in warfare or in other areas of life. So, talk of peace and not of war. No war has ever done any good for mankind. Don't rush headlong into anything. ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/current-affairs/takeaways-operation-sindoor/d/135742 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism