📅 Date: October 21, 2025
📍 Location: Leh, Ladakh / New Delhi
In 
a powerful gesture of solidarity and morale-boosting, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF), celebrated Diwali with air warriors stationed in Ladakh, just months after leading India’s decisive aerial campaign—Operation Sindoor—against Pakistan.
The visit comes on the heels of the IAF’s high-impact strikes during Operation Sindoor, launched in May 2025 in retaliation to a Pakistan-backed terror attack in South Kashmir’s Pahalgam. The operation targeted nine major terrorist hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including Muridke and Bahawalpur, strongholds of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
During his Diwali address to the troops, Air Chief Marshal Singh praised the IAF’s “bold and precise” execution of the operation, which he said had restored the rightful place of offensive air action in the national consciousness. He emphasized that the campaign demonstrated how air power can decisively shape military outcomes in just days, and called on air warriors to remain vigilant and innovative in the face of future threats.
“Our performance in Operation Sindoor fills us with professional pride,” Singh said. “We proved to the world how air power can be effectively used in shaping military outcomes.”
The operation also saw India’s air defence systems intercept and neutralize retaliatory drone and missile attacks from Pakistan, preventing civilian casualties and infrastructure damage. In a subsequent counterstrike, the IAF reportedly inflicted significant damage on key Pakistani air bases, including the destruction of five fighter jets, four radar stations, and two command centers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who celebrated Diwali aboard INS Vikrant with Navy personnel, also referenced the operation, stating that the joint might of India’s Army, Navy, and Air Force forced Pakistan to “bend its knees” during the conflict.
The IAF Chief’s visit to Ladakh, a region of strategic importance, was seen as a symbolic reaffirmation of India’s military readiness and a tribute to the personnel who played a pivotal role in the operation.
