An aerial clash between India and Pakistan has been described as one of the biggest air battles since the end of World War II. Over 100 Indian and Pakistani fighter jets reportedly clashed in a ferocious, hour-long dogfight, with both sides deploying advanced air combat platforms. The showdown on Wednesday, May 7, marked the first large-scale combat encounter between cutting-edge Chinese and Western airpower systems, including Pakistan’s Chinese-made J-10Cs and India’s French-made Rafale jets.
The historic dogfight set the tone for a broader military escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors—one that has rattled regional stability and drawn the attention of global military strategists and policymakers alike.
More than 100 fighter jets from India and Pakistan were involved in a major aerial engagement that occurred on May 6 and 7, 2025, Pakistani officials have confirmed, making it one of the largest and longest dogfights in recent global aviation history.
Beginning of Conflict
Tensions had been simmering since April 22, following a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed at least 26 tourists. India swiftly blamed Pakistan, an accusation Islamabad strongly denied, calling instead for an independent investigation. Despite the call for diplomacy, the events triggered a downward spiral.
On May 6, India launched what it termed Operation Sindoor, striking six Pakistani locations from within its airspace, including Sialkot, Bahawalpur, and areas in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. These strikes, which reportedly targeted what India called “terrorist infrastructure,” killed 31 civilians, according to Pakistani authorities.
In response, Pakistan scrambled its fighter jets, marking the beginning of a nightlong aerial engagement over one of the world’s most militarized borders.
Pakistan’s retaliation: Five Indian jets downed
On May 7, Pakistani forces claimed to have downed two Indian jets, with confirmations of three more later in the morning. Speaking to Bloomberg TV, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif stated, “We shot down five Indian planes and multiple unmanned aerial vehicles. Our retaliation was swift and proportionate.”
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, confirmed the downing of five Indian jets: three French-made Rafales, one Russian Su-30, and one MiG-29. These engagements reportedly took place over Akhnoor, Ambala, Barnala, and Jammu.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar added, “[We shot jets down] in Akhnoor, Ambala, Barnala and in Jammu. We also shot down quadcopters and a big drone. It is an ongoing situation, we need to see what India does.”
Chinese J-10 vs French Rafale: A Technological face-off
Perhaps the most strategically significant development was the reported combat use of China’s J-10C aircraft, which Pakistani sources say downed at least two Rafale jets. U.S. officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, noted that this encounter marked one of the first real-world tests of China’s PL-15E air-to-air missile system against the European MBDA-manufactured Meteor missile, carried by Rafale jets.
“The PL-15 is a big problem. It is something that the U.S. military pays a lot of attention to,” said a U.S. defense industry executive. Meanwhile, Douglas Barrie, Senior Fellow for Military Aerospace at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, remarked, “You have arguably China’s most capable weapon against the West’s most capable weapon.”
First Use of Chinese PL-15 Missile in Combat
The aerial combat saw the confirmed combat debut of the Chinese-made PL-15E air-to-air missile. Fragments of the missile landed in Indian territory during the skirmish. Known for its long range and electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM), the PL-15 is designed to rival the U.S.-made AIM-120 AMRAAM.
Pakistani authorities said the missile was deployed by Chinese J-10C and Pakistani JF-17 fighters, supported by U.S.-supplied F-16 Vipers. In total, 42 Pakistani aircraft engaged 72 Indian jets during the night of May 6–7.
Drone Warfare
In what officials have described as an emerging front in the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict, drones were deployed at an unprecedented scale. According to Pakistan’s military, 84 Indian drones were shot down between May 7 and May 10, with several quadcopters intercepted in cities including Lahore, Attock, and Karachi.
Indian forces employed Israeli-manufactured Harop kamikaze drones and Heron surveillance drones. India, one of Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) biggest defense clients, used these drones to hit Pakistani air defense installations.
On the night of May 8-9, India alleged that Pakistan launched a massive drone offensive, deploying 300–400 UAVs across 36 locations along the Line of Control and into Indian territory. Indian officials accused Pakistan of using Turkish Asisguard Songar drones and Chinese-made kamikaze drones such as the Byker YIHA III.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army stated that “Pakistan used drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions and fighter jets,” with the goal of testing Indian air defense systems.
Pakistan launches counter-offensive Operation ‘Bunyan-um-Marsoos’
In retaliation for India’s May 6 strikes, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos in the early hours of May 10. According to the Pakistani military, the operation targeted 26 strategic Indian military installations.
Among the key targets were Indian Air Force bases at Suratgarh, Sirsa, Adampur, Bhooj, Nalia, Bathinda, Barnala, Halwara, Avantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Mamoon, Ambala, Udampur and Pathankot. Pakistan also claimed to have destroyed BrahMos missile storage facilities in Beas and an S-400 missile defense system in Adampur.
Pakistan launches Fatah missiles at Indian air bases and missile storage sites in a major retaliatory strike. pic.twitter.com/pnlo49huFs
— IRIA (@IRIA_Research) May 10, 2025
The details of the military operation were shared by Pakistan military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Operations) Vice Admiral Raja Rab Nawaz. Lt Gen Chaudhry declared, “These facilities were used to launch attacks that killed innocent Pakistani civilians. Their destruction was necessary and justified.”
Pakistan retaliated against India’s missile strikes by deploying its Fatah-I and Fatah-II missile systems. The Fatah-I, a multiple launch rocket system, has a range of over 140 km, while the longer-range Fatah-II extends up to 400 km, enhancing Pakistan’s precision strike and deterrence capabilities.
Earlier, Pakistan conducted a successful training launch of the Fatah system and Abdali weapon system, a surface-to-surface missile with a range of 450 kilometers.
Civilian Impact and Diplomatic Fallout
The rapid escalation left a trail of devastation on both sides of the border. At least 11 Pakistani soldiers were martyred and 78 injured while defending the country against what the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) described as India’s “unprovoked and reprehensible attacks.” Additionally, 40 civilians — including seven women and 15 children — lost their lives, and 121 others were wounded in the Indian strikes.
The conflict also affected civilian life beyond the battlefield. Pakistan postponed the remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL X), while India suspended the Indian Premier League (IPL) for a week. Both nations also closed their airspace at various points, causing widespread disruption in commercial air traffic.
Escalation Timeline: From Kashmir to Ceasefire
April 22: A terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, kills 26 tourists. India blames Pakistan, which denies involvement and calls for an independent probe.
April 23–30: India suspends the Indus Waters Treaty, closes key borders, and expels Pakistani diplomats. Pakistan responds in kind, escalating the diplomatic standoff.
May 6–7: India launches Operation Sindoor. Pakistan responds with aerial interceptions, downing five jets and a drone.
May 8–9: Widespread drone warfare ensues. Both sides accuse each other of targeting civilian and military infrastructure.
May 10: Pakistan launches Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, striking key Indian military assets.
May 11: A full ceasefire is announced. Air traffic resumes in Pakistan later that night.
Global reactions
The 2025 conflict has raised serious questions about South Asia’s military balance, especially regarding the integration of next-generation technologies like drones, long-range precision missiles, and advanced radar-guided air-to-air weapons.
The United States, China, Russia, and France have all been closely monitoring the situation. In Washington and Beijing, the performance of platforms like the Rafale, PL-15 missile, and J-10C is seen as a valuable case study for future potential conflict scenarios in the Indo-Pacific.
“The air warfare communities in China, the U.S. and Europe will be poring over every detail,” said Douglas Barrie of IISS. “This is a rare opportunity to evaluate modern air combat systems in a real-world scenario.”
Ceasefire holds, but fragile peace remains
While U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed a mutually agreed-upon ceasefire on May 11, the situation remains precarious. Analysts warn that without addressing the underlying disputes—chief among them Kashmir, water resources, and cross-border terrorism—future flare-ups remain a real possibility.
For now, the guns are silent. But with both countries having showcased their advanced military capabilities, the 2025 conflict may well have reshaped the strategic calculus in South Asia and beyond.
