India Shows Clear Edge, Out Guns Pak In Military Strikes: NYT, WaPo
Photo: Indian Defense Research Wing
India-West News Desk
WASHINGTON, DC – India demonstrated a decisive advantage over Pakistan in targeting high-value military assets during their recent four-day confrontation, according to in-depth analyses published by The New York Times and The Washington Post. The reports, backed by high-resolution satellite imagery and expert assessments, highlight the intensity and precision of Indian strikes following the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in retaliation, striking terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Both nations exchanged drone attacks and precision-guided missiles in what has been described as the most significant military engagement between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in over five decades.
According to The New York Times, India had a clear edge in targeting military facilities and airfields. “The latter stretch of fighting shifted from symbolic strikes and shows of force to attacks on each other’s defence capabilities,” the report noted. The most sensitive target hit was the Nur Khan Air Base, located near Pakistan’s army headquarters and nuclear command infrastructure. Satellite imagery reviewed by the Post revealed two mobile control centres at Nur Khan were destroyed, with video footage showing smoke rising from the base.
The Washington Post reported that Indian strikes damaged runways and structures at six Pakistani airfields. These included hangars, control towers, and radar facilities. Strikes reached as deep as 100 miles into Pakistan, with significant damage at Bholari and Shahbaz air bases. At Bholari, a hangar housing a Saab 2000 Airborne Early Warning aircraft was hit, with satellite images showing a 60-foot-wide hole in its roof. At Shahbaz, a 100-foot-wide hole was observed in another hangar, alongside a damaged control tower.
Crucially, India appeared to target key operational assets. At Sukkur Airport, which serves both military and civilian purposes, a radar site was destroyed. At Mushaf air base and Sheikh Zayed International Airport, large craters were seen in runways. According to Planet and Maxar imagery, these were being repaired shortly after the attacks.
The Pakistani military confirmed infrastructure damage and six fatalities among its air force personnel—five at Bholari and one at Mushaf. The Post, citing Dawn, reported significant damage to Sheikh Zayed Airport’s Royal Lounge.
Christopher Clary, a South Asia expert, told the Post that the satellite evidence confirmed India had inflicted “meaningful—though not devastating—damage.” Analyst Walter Ladwig observed that striking so many facilities marked a major strategic shift in India’s approach, which had previously confined operations to PoJK or remote areas. “India is now treating terrorist attacks as grounds for conventional military reprisals,” he said.
India said it struck 11 bases and termed its action “measured and calibrated.” Over 100 militants linked to terror groups including JeM, LeT, and HM were reportedly killed in Operation Sindoor. Pakistan responded with cross-border shelling and drone attempts, before both sides agreed to cease hostilities on May 10.
