'We should go for the kill': IAF chief Amar Preet Singh led India's bold mission to strike Pakistan's Nur Khan base

Indian Air Force (IAF) Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh was the key strategist behind India's successful attack on Pakistan's Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi, which marked the turning point in the four-day intense escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

According to defence sources, quoted by News18, Air Chief Marshal Singh personally selected the top IAF pilots for the high-stakes operation, ensuring maximum precision and impact. “We should go for the kill," he reportedly said, pumping up the pilots for the crucial mission.

The final go-ahead for the mission was granted by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

In the daring operation, India targeted a critical Pakistan Air Force (PAF) installation which houses multiple transport squadrons, aerial refueling units and a training ground for future air force leaders.

The air base also lies in close proximity to the headquarters of Pakistan’s Strategic Plans Division, which oversees and secures the country’s nuclear arsenal—now estimated to comprise 170 or more warheads.

India's strike at the heart of Pakistan—the base lies nearly 10km from Islamabad—exposed Pakistan's deepest fears of its nuclear command authority being decapitated.

A US official familiar with Pakistan’s nuclear programme told The New York Times that Pakistan feared that its nuclear command authority was being targeted by India. "It could have been interpreted as a warning that India could do just that."

According to sources, the strikes also forced Pakistan army chief General Asim Munir to hide himself in a bunker for two hours. News18 reported that following the attack, General Munir was relocated from his official residence to a secure location.

The Pakistan army later confirmed the deaths of 11 personnel, including 5 from the Pakistan Air Force.

The attack triggered a diplomatic scramble in Islamabad, with Pakistan urgently reaching out to the United States, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and China for mediation, sources said.

Subsequently, Pakistan initiated contact with India for DGMO-level talks, which were held on May 10. During the talks, both sides mutually agreed to halt all military action and firing, effectively declaring a ceasefire after four days of hostilities.

Sources indicate that Air Chief Marshal Singh’s decision to target Nur Khan was intended to send a clear message asserting IAF dominance over the PAF.