Combat analyst Tom Cooper on Operation Sindoor: 'Indian govt not bragging, have seen IAF striking Pakistan nuclear facility'

Austrian military historian and combat aviation analyst Tom Cooper speaking to CCN-News18

Austrian military historian and combat aviation analyst Tom Cooper hailed the Indian government for being “cautious enough" not to brag too much about its strikes against Pakistan under Operation Sindoor.

“The government in India, New Delhi, and top brass of the armed forces are cautious enough not to brag too much about this, even to deny it, but we have seen videos showing strikes on one of the… no actually, two defence nuclear weapons storage facilities in Pakistan…,” Cooper told News18.

According to him, India could strike Pakistan's nuclear facilities and Islamabad would have no means to hit back. “This caution means they are absolutely sure Pakistan can’t keep back, Pakistan has no means to pull these weapons out and put them on missiles or aircraft and shoot them at India," Cooper said.

The remarks by Cooper came days after India and Pakistan announced halting of military action from both sides. On Monday, the Indian Armed Forces provided evidence that India had downed a Pakistani Mirage fighter jet, as well as PL-15 air-to-air missile and Turkish-origin Songar drones.

Replying to a question of Pakistan initiating the talks for a ceasefire, Cooper told CNN-News18 that “Pakistan is receiving blow after blow, but India is receiving no blow at all”.

“… and in grand total, when you consider the scope of the outcome, it does not matter whether India has lost five or 50 combat aircraft. Important is that Pakistan was at the receiving end of Indian airstrikes and couldn’t do anything against them," he said.

He termed India’s recent strikes against Pakistan a “clear-cut victory" and said that Pakistan has largely been unable to defend itself from the Indian strikes, and has been receiving blow after blow. , “This is a clear-cut victory. The moment the Indian Air Force started striking nuclear weapon storage facilities in Pakistan, it was absolutely clear that Pakistan is, not entirely defenceless, but largely unable to defend itself from Indian strikes," said Cooper.

Taking to X, BJP IT Department in-charge Amit Malviya wrote, “Tom Cooper is one of the most respected combat aviation historians in the world—an Austrian analyst, prolific author, and expert on air wars ranging from the Middle East to South Asia. So when he calls India’s air campaign a clear-cut victory, the world listens."

The Indian armed forces executed Operation Sindoor, where 24 precision strikes on nine different targets were carried out in a span of 25 minutes in the early hours of May 7. This was in response to the 22 April Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 lives.