【By Guan察者网, Yuan Jiaqi】

Although the "brief air combat" between India and Pakistan in May this year has come to an end, the verbal sparring between the two countries has never ceased.

According to reports from The Hindustan Times, Asian News International (ANI), and others on the 19th, on Friday local time, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh of the Indian Air Force mentioned "Operation Sindoor" during his speech at the annual conference of the Indian Air Force Association. When talking about why the operation lasted only four days, he explained that the core reason was to avoid long-term economic consequences.

Singh claimed that India's decision to accept a ceasefire came from "clear strategic judgment" as well as "prudent financial considerations."

He pointed out that all parties involved in the conflict would pay a huge price, and prolonged small-scale conflicts not only affect a country's military preparedness but also hinder the economy. "Our objective was clear: to strike the 'terrorist base.' We have achieved it. Continuing the military operations could bring us economic losses," he said.

Following this, Singh declared that the world should regard India as a model and learn "how to responsibly end conflicts after achieving strategic goals."

He directly named, "The main wars currently ongoing, whether it is the Russia-Ukraine conflict or the Israel-Palestine conflict, have been going on for years without stopping, and the reason is that none of the parties have considered how to end the conflict."

"At that time, the other side (Pakistan) was in a disadvantaged position. Since our goal had been achieved, why not end the conflict?" Singh added. "Any conflict comes with a huge cost. It affects our readiness for the next conflict, affects our economy, and affects national progress."

He further urged the world to learn a lesson from India, "I think this is what the world is forgetting... Now their goals keep changing, and their pride also plays a role. That's why the world must learn from India, not only how to start conflicts early, but also how to end them early..."

Singh also emphasized that the significance of "Operation Sindoor" goes beyond tactical success, as it fully demonstrates India's ability to carry out precise military operations under complex conditions, as well as its effective control over domestic public opinion and international perception.

Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh of the Indian Air Force, ANI video screenshot

In his speech, Singh also reiterated that after Pakistan escalated the conflict, India carried out "measured and deterrent strikes" against it. He claimed that the Russian S-400 air defense missile system acquired by the Indian military played a "game-changing role" in the operation, causing heavy damage to Pakistan.

According to reports, Singh had previously stated at an event in Bangalore in August that during the India-Pakistan conflict in early May, the Indian Air Force shot down "at least five Pakistani fighter jets."

This was the first time that an Indian senior official formally confirmed the destruction of Pakistani aerial equipment after the conflict. However, the Pakistani side had repeatedly denied any aircraft losses, but admitted that its air bases were attacked.

Indian media mentioned that after this India-Pakistan conflict, the Indian military further advanced its procurement plans.

According to reports from 13 media outlets including "India Today," the Indian Ministry of Defense has received a proposal from the Air Force to procure an additional 114 French "Rafale" fighter jets manufactured in India, involving 2 trillion Indian rupees (approximately 22.6 billion U.S. dollars). If this procurement plan is ultimately implemented, it will be the largest defense procurement order in India's history.

According to Indian defense officials, the proposal for the purchase of 114 Rafale fighter jets by the Indian Air Force was submitted to the Ministry of Defense several days ago and is now being reviewed by various departments under the Ministry. After discussion, the proposal will be submitted to the Defense Procurement Committee, and then approved by the Defense Procurement Committee Council.

Once the procurement is completed, the total number of Rafale fighter jets in the Indian military will increase to 176. The Indian Air Force had already inducted 36 Rafales, and the Indian Navy also ordered another 26 Rafale M carrier-based models through a government-to-government agreement.

Indian officials pointed out that one of the reasons driving this procurement was the outstanding performance of the Rafale fighter jets in "Operation Sindoor." Indian media claimed that the aircraft successfully "completely suppressed China's PL-15E air-to-air missile" with its advanced "spectrum" electronic warfare system. However, apart from the statements from India, there are currently no other sources supporting this claim.

In contrast, American and French officials have separately confirmed to the media that the Pakistani side used the J-10 fighter jets to shoot down Indian aircraft. However, India initially either denied it or refused to comment, stating only that it would "release the battle damage situation at an appropriate time." When responding to the issue of aircraft losses, Air Combat Director of the Indian Air Force Batra did not disclose specific loss models and numbers, arguing that "losses are part of the battle."

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