Pakistan lost over 100 soldiers in Operation Sindoor strikes, says Lt General Rajiv Ghai

According to Ghai, the Indian military had anticipated Pakistan’s reactions and was prepared several steps ahead.

Pakistan’s posthumous gallantry awards suggest that its military suffered over 100 casualties during Operation Sindoor in May, Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) Lt General Rajiv Ghai said on Tuesday.

Lt Gen Ghai outlined India’s measured but decisive military response following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people. Ghai, who was the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) at the time, said a retaliatory operation was inevitable.

He was speaking at the Army Chiefs of UN Troops Contributing Nations conference in New Delhi.

“Between April 22 and the night of May 6-7, operations were evolving and unfolding. We prioritised targets, made precautionary deployments along the borders, and ensured the enemy was deterred,” he said.

Moreover, the mission, he stated, required extensive coordination across the Army, Air Force, Navy, and multiple government agencies.

The final list of targets was selected following an exhaustive assessment, and executed alongside a “proactive information warfare campaign.” Despite communication between the DGMOs of both nations, Pakistani drones repeatedly violated Indian airspace, prompting the Indian Air Force to respond, Ghai said.

According to Ghai, the Indian military had anticipated Pakistan’s reactions and was prepared several steps ahead.

“We had war-gamed four to five moves in advance. We struck them on the second layer, a move they didn’t anticipate along the LoC, which is why they suffered such heavy casualties,” he explained.

He also revealed that the pre-dawn strikes on May 7 eliminated over 100 terrorists, and that it took 88 hours for Pakistan to request a cessation of hostilities. “Our actions were precise, controlled, and non-escalatory. We acknowledged them publicly to maintain credibility,” he said.