India's air superiority during Operation Sindoor forced Pakistan for ceasefire: Swiss think tank

A newly released report by a Swiss defence think tank says that India’s Operation Sindoor in May 2025 fundamentally changed the air power balance in South Asia, ending with New Delhi securing effective control of the skies and forcing Pakistan to agree to a ceasefire within four days. The study, published by Switzerland’s Centre for Military History and Perspective Studies (CHPM) and written by military historian Adrien Fontanellaz, reconstructs in detail the 88-hour aerial confrontation between India and Pakistan from May 7 to May 10. It stands out as one of the most thorough independent examinations of the conflict to date.

According to the report, India ultimately dismantled Pakistan’s air defence posture and strike capability, finishing the conflict on its own strategic terms. Operation Sindoor followed a deadly terror attack on civilians in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which Indian authorities attributed to Pakistan-based terrorist organisations. The report says that India’s political leadership authorised a response designed to be highly visible and forceful, accepting escalation risks to re-establish deterrence.

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When did Operation Sindoor happen?

In the early hours of May 7, the Indian Air Force conducted coordinated precision strikes against major terrorist hubs associated with Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Facilities in Bahawalpur and Muridke were hit using long-range weapons, with damage assessments confirming extensive destruction. The Swiss study notes that the scale, depth, and joint planning of these attacks exceeded any previous Indian response. Pakistan reacted, leading to one of the largest aerial confrontations in the region in recent decades. Dozens of aircraft from both sides were involved across multiple fronts. Leveraging Chinese-origin PL-15 missiles, airborne early warning platforms, and networked targeting, the Pakistan Air Force inflicted losses on Indian formations during the first night. This phase, the report says, gave Islamabad an early narrative advantage despite being tactically limited in scope.

Where all did the Indian Air Force hit in Pakistan?

Rather than defining the conflict, that initial exchange prompted a rapid shift in India’s approach. Over the next several days, the IAF executed a focused campaign to suppress and destroy Pakistan’s air defence systems. Using standoff munitions such as SCALP-EG and BrahMos, along with multi-axis strikes, Indian forces degraded radar coverage and surface-to-air missile sites. With Pakistan’s defensive network weakened, India escalated operations against key Pakistani air bases. Precision strikes targeted runways, logistics hubs, and support infrastructure, significantly curtailing the PAF’s ability to generate sorties. The Swiss analysts describe these attacks as unprecedented in both accuracy and persistence during an India–Pakistan crisis.

The report also highlights the effectiveness of India’s integrated air defence and command architecture. Systems such as the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCCS), linked with the Army’s Akashteer network and layered missile defences including Akash, Barak-8, and S-400, successfully neutralised Pakistani retaliatory attempts. By May 10, the study concludes, Pakistan’s ability to contest airspace had been decisively eroded. With air bases under continuous pressure and air defences compromised, Islamabad no longer had viable escalation options. India, having achieved functional air superiority, controlled the pace of operations, prompting Pakistan to seek a ceasefire.