Pakistan lost over 100 military personnel, 12 aircraft during Op Sindoor: DGMO Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai

Indian Army’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai on Tuesday said that Pakistan is believed to have lost over 100 military personnel along the Line of Control (LoC) during Operation Sindoor.

He said the assessment was based on a list of gallantry awards and posthumous honors conferred by Pakistan’s military following the operation.

#WATCH | Delhi | Director General Military Operations Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai says, "... The fact that the Pakistan army and its chief were under duress at the time is known to everybody. There was a need for him to revive not only his image, but that of the Pak army itself. The best… pic.twitter.com/BLaxgaAuYR

— ANI (@ANI) October 14, 2025

“Pakistanis possibly unwittingly let out their awards list last month on the 14th of August, and the number of posthumous awards that they awarded suggests to us now that their casualties on the LoC were also in excess of 100… Actions were carried out on the LoC and we were prepared for this,” he said.

He further said that Pakistan lost at least 12 aircraft during the May conflict, reaffirming earlier claims made by Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, Chief of the Air Staff.

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The Pakistan Army, he said, acted under significant internal pressure during Operation Sindoor.

“It was evident that the Pakistan Army and its leadership were under duress at the time. There was a pressing need for them to revive their public image, and the only method they chose — as cowardly as it may have been — was predictable,” he added.

He said the Indian response was inevitable but measured.

“We had clarity in our objectives. We targeted terrorist infrastructure. Once that was accomplished, it was not our intent to escalate the situation unless forced to do so,” Ghai explained.

He also confirmed that Pakistan responded with cross-border firing immediately after Indian forces engaged terror targets. However, there was no direct kinetic contact between Indian and Pakistani troops.

He emphasised that Indian forces were prepared for Pakistani reactions across the LoC and had executed their operations with precision and restraint.

Calling the operation a “fusion of military precision and diplomatic agility,” he said, “This was a fusion of military precision and diplomatic agility, informational superiority and economic leverage… I’m speaking about the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 being put into abeyance the moment the terror attack was perpetrated at Pahalgam….”

#WATCH | Delhi | Director General Military Operations Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai says, "88 hours is what it took for the enemy to come and ask for a cessation of hostilities. You're well aware of that. For that call to be made by my counterpart, then. We achieved our political and… pic.twitter.com/iBciGUvFxQ

— ANI (@ANI) October 14, 2025

Revealing striking details of the Indian Air Force’s precision strikes carried out on May 7 against terror infrastructure in Pakistan, particularly targeting Lashkar-e-Taiba strongholds in Muridke and Bahawalpur, Lt Gen Ghai, said, “If we come down to Muridke — the terror hub of Lashkar-e-Taiba — you can see on the screen the Indian Air Force strike, along with before-and-after images. Several high-value targets were neutralised.”

#WATCH | Delhi | Director General Military Operations Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai says, "If we come down to Muridke. This is the terror hub of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. That's the Indian Air Force strike you can see on the screen right on top. The before and after pictures, some high-value… pic.twitter.com/W0H1peEvd8

— ANI (@ANI) October 14, 2025

He said over 100 terrorists were eliminated during the early morning strikes, describing the operation as a significant blow to Pakistan-based terror groups.

Referring to satellite images from Maxar Technologies of Bahawalpur, another known terror hotspot, Ghai pointed out clear evidence of missile and rocket impacts.

“The visuals clearly show where the rockets and missiles struck. What was surprising, even to us, was the open flaunting of the terror-military nexus,” he said.

Lt Gen Ghai also highlighted how a UN-designated terrorist was seen leading prayers for the deceased, attended by top Pakistani military officials.

“No less than the GOC of Pakistan’s 4 Corps was present at the funeral ceremony, along with several prominent figures. The picture says it all — caution had been completely discarded,” he added.

Talking about the Pahalgam attack perpetrators, he said that “it took us 96 days but we did not let them rest. When these three were found and terminated clinically, it seemed as if they were exhausted from running, and they also seemed very malnourished… Often, people can turn around and ask us where they have vanished. But it is sometimes like searching for a needle in a haystack.”

The Army carried out Operation Sindoor in retaliation to Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. The operation targeted nine terror sites including the hub of Lashkar-e-Taiba among others. The military operation was halted on May 10 after bilateral talks between the two nations.

With inputs from agencies