Strike on Pakistan’s Nuclear Base Turned the Tide: India Won, Says Analyst
News Desk: Renowned combat aviation expert and military historian Tom Cooper has called India the “clear-cut” victor in the recent India-Pakistan conflict, citing New Delhi’s successful precision strikes on key Pakistani military infrastructure — notably a suspected nuclear weapons storage facility.
In a detailed blog post, the Austrian analyst remarked, “When one side is bombing nuclear weapons storage facilities of the other, and the other has no ability to retaliate, that’s a clear-cut victory in my books.” He attributed Pakistan’s push for a ceasefire to the scale and impact of India’s offensive, particularly the strike on Mushaf Air Base, part of the PAF’s Sargodha nuclear complex.
Following escalating hostilities, a ceasefire was declared after a direct conversation between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both nations on May 10. The ceasefire took effect the same day at 5 PM. India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed the details during a briefing on Operation Sindoor, while the Indian government emphasized the decision stemmed from bilateral communication — countering U.S. President Donald Trump’s earlier claim of brokering the truce.
Cooper was critical of Western media narratives and dismissed the need for public relations diplomacy, stating, “Frankly, can’t care less about PR efforts by CNN & Co, or New Delhi’s reluctance to declare a military win.”
He noted that the Indian Air Force (IAF) effectively suppressed Pakistan’s aerial defenses and pushed the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) away from the border, creating space for deep strikes. He argued that Pakistan’s inability to protect its strategic sites exposed a significant vulnerability.
Meanwhile, the IAF denied targeting the Kirana Hills region, a known nuclear area. Air Marshal AK Bharti stated, “We did not know about it. And we have not hit Kirana Hills, whatever is there.”
Despite some voices in India expressing disappointment over what they saw as a premature ceasefire, Cooper maintained that India had already decisively tilted the balance. He likened it to the 1991 Gulf War, where strategic impact outweighed aircraft loss statistics.
Cooper concluded, “Nobody sane lets the enemy bomb both entrances to a nuclear weapons facility. Yet that’s exactly what happened — and that defines the outcome.”
