Operation Sindoor: Chinese origin PL-15 missile used by Pakistan ‘missed its target’, says Air Marshal AK Bharti

Chinese-made PL-15 missile “missed its target” as Pakistan fired it towards India during its response to Operation Sindoor, Air Marshal AK Bharti said during a press briefing on Monday.

“Some of the results achieved in countering the enemy vector systems are now being shown on the screen,” Air Marshal Bharti said as images of destroyed Pakistani weapons appeared during the press briefing.

“Shown on the screen is a probable enemy PL-15 missile of Chinese origin. This missile has missed its target and you can see pieces that are available with us now,” he said.

However, Bharti, who is the Director General of Air Operations, did not provide details on what target the Chinese PL-15 missile missed.

Earlier, Pakistan had admitted the usage of the PL-15 missile in its recent air battle with India, as it attempted to escalate tensions with the neighbouring country.

Bharti said that the Indian armed forces successfully intercepted the Chinese PL-15 missile and debris of it were recovered later.

Turkish-origin drones shot down

Air Marshal Bharti also informed during the DGMO press briefing that Pakistan also deployed numerous drones that were thwarted by indigenously-developed counter systems and air defence personnel.

“Numerous waves of drones and unmanned combat aerial vehicles employed by Pakistan were also thwarted by the indigenously developed soft and hard kill counter-UAS systems and the well-trained Indian Air Defence personnel,” he said.

The DGMOs further showed the wreckage of Turkish-made drones YIHA and Songar that were shot down by India.

Indian air defence system thwarted Pak attacks

The Indian air defence system effectively thwarted Pakistani attempts to target Indian installations, Bharti said.

The robust AD environment, comprising assets from the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, included multilayered sensors and weapon systems, indigenously developed soft and hard-kill counter-UAV systems, and highly trained personnel.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 and struck nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir in response to a ghastly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam last month in which 26 people were killed.

In addition to eliminating over 100 terrorists, the strikes destroyed 11 air bases inside Pakistan and inflicted significant damage on their military capabilities, the senior-most officials of three armed forces – Lieutenant General Rajeev Ghai (Director General Military Operations), Vice Admiral A N Pramod (Director General Naval Operations), and Air Marshal A K Bharti (Director General Air Operations) earlier revealed. The air, land and sea operations were carried out with calibrated restraint, with an emphasis on minimising civilian casualties.