Pakistan caught off guard during Operation Sindoor, reacted late to Indian strikes, says aerial warfare analyst Tom Cooper

Austrian aerial warfare analyst and historian Tom Cooper

Pakistan’s reaction during Operation Sindoor was not immediate, as it was initially caught off guard and required time to process the situation before responding, said Austrian aerial warfare analyst and historian Tom Cooper.

He was speaking at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026 on Saturday.

Reflecting on his research into the operation, Cooper said he was struck by the mismatch between Pakistan’s official narrative and information that was readily verifiable through social media.

“It turns out that Indian airstrikes came in, hit selected targets in Pakistan and there was no response from them. There was no reaction for at least 15 minutes. The only report was about the launch of 2-3 surface-to-air missiles from Nur Khan air base. So whatever happened was after like one hour later after the Indian airstrikes on terrorist camps inside Pakistan,” he said at the event.

India launched Operation Sindoor following the April 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, carrying out targeted strikes across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The military said it hit nine prominent terror launchpads associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hizbul Mujahideen.

“During these strikes, Indian armed forces completed their mission safely. There was absolutely no damage and on the contrary the Pakistanis were taken by surprise,” said Cooper.

The Pakistanis were late in reacting to the strikes, Cooper said, adding that they were taken by surprise and it took them time to comprehend as well as make a decision about their move.

The offensive was launched by India shortly after midnight on May 7 last year, focusing on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The clashes persisted until a ceasefire on May 10, marking four days of intense exchanges that included the use of jets, missile systems, armed drones and artillery.