In Part I of the same title, published in the Daily Times, Pakistan, on June 2, 2025, I argued that India is far from becoming a regional powerhouse, despite having claimed the title for over a decade. India has been successful on one account only: it has successfully sold its narrative to Western capitals that it can counter China’s rise in the region, and therefore it must be supported by them in all its endeavours. This Indian narrative was publicised by the Indian diaspora, which has a strong presence at The Hill (Washington D.C.) and other European capitals. So, the Indians started to acquire a wide range of military arms, equipment, and munitions, including some with the transfer of technology as well. Since the Indian economy was performing well, mainly due to massive investments by Western allied countries, India quickly absorbed the influx of new weapon systems to project and challenge China’s rise in the region.
The Western capitals missed the Indian trick. What India was getting to stand in front of China, was placed against Pakistan, its arch-rival and a nuclear weapons state with immense military potential to stop India’s aggressive designs.
The PAF, very intelligently and boldly, employed a combination of J 10C with PL 15Es to achieve a record kill of a Rafale aircraft from a distance of 192km.
Whether it is the Russian-made state-of-the-art air defence systems, including the S-400, the Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft from France, or the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), as well as the Heron Mk2 and Harop drones from Israel, India, has acquired everything it asked for. There was no ban or restriction on India acquiring arms and equipment from any of the producers. Likewise, India quickly concluded multiple foundational agreements, including the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) and the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), which marked a significant step in strengthening military cooperation between the two countries, forming a “troika of foundational pacts.” However, it took some 18 years to conclude the foundational agreements, which culminated in the signing of the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) between India and the United States on October 27, 2020. BECA has significantly enhanced India’s potential for real-time intelligence and targeting information, which could be utilised against Pakistan in any future military engagement.
As expected, India’s preparation was never for China, because the country has gone well beyond India and is becoming a potential challenger to the US’ supremacy in multiple domains. Therefore, India deployed all its newly acquired inventory against Pakistan and used a choreographed incident in Pahalgam to attack the tourists on October 22, 2025. Like always, without any worthwhile investigations, India’s narrative that it was a terrorist attack by Pakistan was accepted by Western capitals, and India was silently authorised to take revenge by attacking the alleged sponsoring country at will.
As planned, India made full use of sympathetic sentiments from the Western capitals. It launched missile and drone attacks on mosques and madrasas across the Line of Control (LoC) as well as the international border on the night of May 6-7, 2025. Since India’s strategy of stage management was not new to Pakistan, its armed forces had been preparing for India’s offensive since the Pahalgam incident. While some of the missiles and suicidal drones could not be stopped and reached their targets, a potential air offensive by the Indian Air Force (IAF) was met with a resolute response by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The IAF package consisted of the French Rafale, Russian SU-30MKI, Mirage 2000s, and MiG-29s, and was well supported by Electronic Warfare and Airborne Early Warning Systems. India’s military offensive “Operation Sindoor” was met with Pakistan’s own “Buyan-un Marsoos”, a solid wall, and it proved to be one.
The IAF’s package of over 80 aircraft was met with a resolute response from PAF’s pack of 35 aircraft, and the two rivals engaged in an intense and high-tech aerial engagement. It lasted for over 55 minutes and is considered the longest and largest aerial battle in modern history. In the process, PAF shot down several fighter jets of IAF, including Rafale, SU-30, and a Mirage 2000.
The PAF’s response on the night of May 6-7, 2025, forced the IAF to remain grounded for the next two days and review its strategy. The same was accepted by the Indian Chief of Defence Services, General Anil Chohan while giving an interview with Bloomberg. Chohan admitted that the jets were shot down, but insisted that the number was not significant; the cause of such failure needs to be investigated. The outcome of IAF’s investigations was that it would remain on the ground for the period of the conflict, and Russian BrahMos and the Israeli Herpys and Heron Drones would accomplish the task of attacking PAF’s critical infrastructure. In the process, India did achieve some marginal successes in pacifying its people and media, which were questioning the IAF for downing its aircraft by the PAF. Not only did the IAF jets that the PAF destroyed in the air, but it also neutralised two batteries of S-400 and a BrahMos facility.
The PAF made full use of its own cyber, space, and electronic interception capabilities in the process of eliminating the IAF on that fateful night. The PAF, very intelligently and boldly, employed a combination of J 10C with PL 15Es to achieve a record kill of a Rafale aircraft from a distance of 192km.
It was only possible due to the PAF’s ‘Bold and Beyond Borders’ strategy that the TEAM PAF was under the direct supervision and command of ACM Zaheer Ahmad Babar from the nerve centre. He was not only controlling the employment but also called to shoot, only due to his homework on the hybrid employment of air, cyber, space, and EW, before and during the aerial engagement. By the Grace of Allah, the PAF achieved what one could only dream of. Therefore, I insist that India is far from becoming a regional power capable of challenging China’s rise, which, in my opinion, has already occurred.
The writer of this article has authored three international books: “Nuclear Deterrence and Conflict Management Between India and Pakistan” “South Asia Needs Hybrid Peace” and “Understanding Sun Tzu and the Art of Hybrid War.”