Air Marshal Patnaik Hails Coordination in Operation Sindoor Against Pakistan

Recalling India's operation following the terror attack at Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, the Air Marshal praised the Air Force for the prowess showcased, along with the combined work of political leadership and the efforts of the Air Force, the Navy and the Army.

He further appreciated the timing of the conclusion of the operation, stating that it prevented "significant loss of life and infrastructure."

"It is a prime example of the Air Force's training and capabilities given by the predecessors. It was a combination of political leadership and senior Armed Forces direction to the operational units as to how to tackle the situation... I think it was stopped at the right time, which prevented significant loss of life and infrastructure... There was excellent coordination among the Army, Navy, Air Force, and civilian support with strong direction from National leadership," he told ANI.

Meanwhile, as part of the lessons learnt during Operation Sindoor, the defence forces are looking to operationalise the tri-services Joint Operations Control Centre (JOCC) at a location in the Delhi Cantonment area within this month.

According to officials, the armed forces are also considering the development of a deep underground command and control centre at an alternate location in the near future to further strengthen operational preparedness.

The proposed JOCC will be staffed by officers and personnel from all three services and is expected to provide top commanders with an integrated, real-time operational picture across the Army, Navy and Air Force.

The concept of the JOCC has been discussed in multiple meetings of the Chiefs of Staff Committee held under the leadership of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

The CDS has also submitted recommendations regarding the creation of Theatre Commands to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is expected to hold detailed consultations with stakeholders in the Ministry on the proposal.

Operation Sindoor was launched in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, prompting a strong military response from India.

Indian armed forces struck terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).In Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, 2025, India successfully destroyed nine major terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), targeting Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen facilities. Indian armed forces killed over 100 terrorists in action.

Pakistan responded with drone attacks and shelling, which led to a four-day conflict between the two neighbouring countries. India showed formidable defence and conducted retaliatory strikes, destroying Radar installations in Lahore and Radar facilities near Gurjanwala.

Following significant damage, Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) reached out to the Indian DGMO, and a ceasefire was agreed on May 10, bringing an end to the hostilities.

- ANI