The element of surprise that was present during the Balakot airstrikes was missing in Operation Sindoor. You may recall that 12 Mirage 2000s, escorted by 4 Su-30MKIs, penetrated deep into Pakistani airspace, bombed Jabba Top, and returned safely. However, one positive aspect of Operation Sindoor is the availability of undeniable proof to assess the damage inflicted on Pakistani jihadi infrastructure and airbases — something that was lacking after the Balakot strike. Back then, only a blurry satellite image showing three holes in a building at Jabba Top was released, which wasn’t convincing enough.