'We Hit Targets, Not Count Body Bags': Air Marshal Bharti on Pakistan Casualties in Operation Sindoor

Air Marshal AK Bharti, addressing the media on Sunday, offered a firm response regarding Pakistan Army casualties during Operation Sindoor, a series of precision strikes launched by India on May 7. The operation was conducted in retaliation to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that claimed the lives of 26 tourists.

Bharti confirmed that the strikes achieved their "desired effects on enemy targets", but refrained from commenting on the number of Pakistan Army casualties. When pressed, he responded emphatically:

“Our job is to hit the target, not to count the body bags. If there have been casualties, it is for them to count.”

No Disclosure on Weaponry

Air Marshal Bharti declined to share specifics about the weapons and ammunition used, citing operational secrecy:

“I never mentioned any of the weapons and calibre that we used—we leave it at that.”

Focused Objective, Strategic Messaging

Bharti stressed that the aim of the Indian Air Force was to neutralize terror infrastructure and not engage in casualty metrics. His statements aligned with India's broader strategy to project precision and professionalism in military retaliation while maintaining operational ambiguity.

Operation Sindoor marks one of the most significant cross-border precision strike operations since Balakot in 2019, with India asserting heavy losses inflicted on the Pakistani military.