On May 7th, a sudden pot exploded over the border of Kashmir, and the Indian Air Force launched an airstrike called “Operation Shindul” and headed straight to several bases in the Pakistani-controlled area.The result was a counterattack by the Pakistani Air Force, and the two aircraft pursued in the sky, on an unprecedented scale, with hundreds of aircraft mixed together.
This 5.7 air battle ended in a few days on the entire line ceasefire on May 10, India unilaterally announced that the Pakistani side also followed the reconciliation.
Pakistan used Chinese-made J-10C fighter jets and Thunderbolt-15 missiles, and India's Rafale and Su-30MKI also contributed a lot. However, as soon as the results were announced, India suffered a lot of losses. Pakistan confirmed that it shot down at least three Rafales, a Su-30MKI and a MiG-29.
The global military community is now staring at this case study, feeling that it is Eastern equipment and the western top goods head hard clash, the rules have to rewrite. ceasefire so urgent, estimated that the highest level of India has uranium, afraid to hit down again, the air force loses more.
The trigger for escalating border friction
India and Pakistan, the enemies, have been fighting for Kashmir endlessly since their separation in 1947. Every small friction can make a big scene, and this time is no exception. At the end of April 2025, the Indian-controlled Kashmir area was attacked again, killing many people. India pointed at the militants supported by Pakistan. The Indian government couldn't bear it and directly sent planes to bomb across the border in the early morning of May 7, targeting several training camps in Pakistani-controlled areas.
The Pakistani Air Force responded quickly. The J-10C and JF-17 squadrons quickly took off, with early warning aircraft commanding from behind. The entire exchange of fire did not cross the border too deep, but over-the-horizon missiles flew everywhere, and neither side dared to chase with all their might. This is a bit similar to the Barakot air strike in 2019. At that time, India also bombed the camp and Pakistan captured a pilot. After a few days of trouble, the situation was relaxed.
But this time the scale is bigger, India launched hundreds of aircraft, Pakistan is almost the same, electronic warfare, data chain all up. The Indian Air Force wanted to be cheap, as a result of the radar showed nothing, the missile came. 9th Pakistan announced the performance, saying it was a selective strike, not all open fire.
The Su-30MKI was also upgraded, comparable to the real war, and the short board was revealed. The JF-17 and the JF-10C on the other side, low cost, good maneuverability, plus the missile range, the Indian pilots were estimated to not react. Global intelligence agencies later analyzed that this air battle marked the normalization of the fourth generation of large-scale combat aircraft, the days of unilateral crushing in the past Gulf War, did not return.
India lost five aircraft and Pakistan lost zero. This war-to-loss ratio is there. There is great pressure on Indian domestic public opinion. The Modi government quickly stopped and avoided Congress holding it accountable. The Palestinian side was also smart and did not pursue and fight hard, leaving a way out.
The missile stealth thing is too infiltrating
The most eye-catching of the air war was the performance of the F-15 missile. This thing is not new, it was in service a decade ago, but this hand opened in the real war, makes the back cold. The radar warning system of the Indian Army, should scream when the missile is locked, can be recorded, no movement.
In the record of the Pakistan intercepted calls, the Indian Command Center had a wind to call a teammate, twice failed, the pilot saw, next to the aircraft has exploded in pieces.This shows that the missile has not opened the radar throughout, by satellite and data chain guidance, the end segment is activated, leaving the opponent's response time only a few seconds.
The Indian pilots estimated that even the enemy could not be seen anywhere, and the global military now digged this detail, it seems too typical. The U-15 is used for composite maneuvering, inertia plus Beidou plus active radar, hidden power, range of hundreds of kilometers, the SPECTRA interference system of the wind can not bear at all.
The Pakistani J-10C detection distance is 190 kilometers, the fire is 140 kilometers away, the Indian squadron still thought safe. Western media used to love black Chinese equipment, this time also shut down, Reuters directly said, it is the Chinese weapons and French goods in front of the match, the Eastern missiles won.
The Egyptian and Turkish Air Force sent people to Pakistan to take over, and Turkey even changed the design targets of the KAAN fighter aircraft to aggravate remote detection. After the Indian Air Force was finished, it simply stopped flying the human fighter aircraft group, switched to drone and missile patrol, internal reports directly indicated the failure of the warning was hard wounded.
Think about it, in the past, air combat relied on dog fighting, but now beyond visual range has become the mainstream, and whoever gets the missile first wins. As soon as this detail is exposed, it is no wonder that India is in a hurry to cease fire. If it continues to consume, the morale of the Air Force will collapse, and the budget will have to bleed heavily to upgrade the system. Pakistan's steady game proves that low-cost equipment can also achieve high cost performance, and export orders are expected to explode.
Armies around war reports.
At the end of the air battle, the world’s military began to explore the smell of a wolf, and the U.S. Pentagon simulated that F-35 pilots practiced flashing away from the F-15 in a virtual scene, where the data chain fusion was repeated.
The European think tank issued a report saying that Oriental equipment is ahead in stealth strikes, and suggested that European missiles follow suit. The Russian Su-57 project also learned from it and adjusted the interface to be compatible with similar guidance. The Egyptian Air Force visited Pakistan to dismantle missile fragments and measure propellant composition; Turkish engineers changed parameters and improved detection.
Why are you so concerned? Because this is the first time that China has exported weapons on a large scale in actual combat, although the J-10C is a low-end version, its performance is outstanding. Pakistan's use of it to kill the Rafale is equivalent to hitting the West in the face. China's military industry has gone from following to running side by side, and now it is partially leading the way.
In the past, the U.S. Gulf War shocked the world. This time, the 5.7 air war between India and Pakistan was the same. The rules have changed. Over-the-horizon confrontation has become the norm. Early warning aircraft and satellite data links determine the outcome, and stand-alone performance takes a back seat. After the Indian Air Force suffered losses, it quickly increased its budget and bought more Rafale upgrade kits. However, the lessons learned from actual combat were evident, and it might not be possible to catch up even if the money was wasted. The Pakistani air force has high morale, increased training, and emphasized intelligence sharing.
China has a low-key side, and Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group continues to iterate without publicity, but orders will definitely rise. The global arms sales market was turbulent, and the share price of Dassault France fell, fearing that Gusty Wind's reputation would be damaged; China's Chengfei stock price was stable and its export prospects were bright.
The shutdown behind the ceasefire.
The ceasefire agreement was signed on May 10, the Indian-Pakistani border was silent, India announced comprehensive coverage of Kashmir, the Pakistani side responded quickly, not much trouble. Why so in a hurry? The Indian Air Force lost real, five aircraft were missing, the pilots were not killed, the domestic media was dealt with, but Congress questioned could not hide.
Pakistan also has to consider that its economy relies on aid, its international image cannot be ruined, and its record of shooting down is enough to show off. External pressure is high, the United States is busy with Middle East affairs and does not want to see another fire in South Asia; China has mediated diplomacy and emphasized restraint; and the United Nations Security Council has expressed its position and called for dialogue. Compared with 2019, this upgrade is faster, but the temperature is also faster. Both sides have learned their lesson and know that in the shadow of nuclear power, conventional warfare can easily get out of control.
India’s street demonstrations dispersed, the Air Force shifted downward patrol intensity, drones on the sky; the Pakistani side strengthened border defense, data center optimization links. A few months ago, in October 2025, the United Nations report discussed, representing the double annex, circle technical terms. Egypt signed the first J-10C, Turkey announced the KAAN new parameters. The Indian Air Force restructured, the simulation room expanded, engineers twisted the screw server.
The global air force iteration, hidden missiles to the target, Kashmir sky multi-layer caution. This ceasefire is not only a breath, but also strategic adjustment, India reflecting on the risk of cross-border, Pakistan consolidating defense advantages. In the long run, the door of the dialogue is not closed, but the military game continues, who upgrades the equipment first, who takes the lead. The military consensus is, 5.7 air warfare lessons deep, don't let the small friction become a catastrophe.
India and Pakistan have finally awakened this time. Border stability relies on restraint rather than braving. Future peace in South Asia will depend on how the major powers push it, but at least, this time there is no major disaster, and everyone is relieved of breath. Anyway, military technology is changing with each passing day. Who dares to take it lightly? The military leaders of various countries are circling around the war reports, which will probably take a while.