Field Marshal Asim Munir Rises as Pakistan Rewards Military Chiefs Behind Crushing Blow to India

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA – In a bold demonstration of both military recognition and strategic messaging, the Government of Pakistan has conferred unprecedented promotions and service extensions on two of its most senior military leaders following their commanding roles in the recent Pakistan-India military confrontation.

General Syed Asim Munir, currently serving as Chief of Army Staff (COAS), has been promoted to the exalted rank of Field Marshal, the highest position within Pakistan’s British-influenced military hierarchy, for his operational leadership during Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, a high-intensity cross-border military campaign against Indian forces.

This elevation marks only the second time in Pakistan’s history that the title of Field Marshal has been awarded—the first being in 1959 to General Mohammad Ayub Khan—underscoring the historical weight of this decision.

A statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) following a high-level cabinet session chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif revealed a unanimous government decision to extend the tenure of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, for his instrumental role in leading Pakistan’s air campaign during the conflict.

“The Government of Pakistan has approved the promotion of General Syed Asim Munir (recipient of Nishan-i-Imtiaz Military) to the rank of Field Marshal in recognition of his role in safeguarding the nation and defeating enemy forces through high-level strategy and courageous leadership during Operation Marka-i-Haq and Operation Bunyanum Marsoos,” the statement read.

In a post to platform X, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated,

“Today, Pakistan salutes Field Marshal Asim Munir as well as our brave countrymen, soldiers, martyrs, and their families.”

The PMO described General Munir’s command as one of “exemplary courage and determination,” highlighting his role in coordinating a synchronized, full-spectrum joint-force campaign across multiple domains of conflict.

Despite assuming the rarely conferred rank of Field Marshal, Munir will retain his command as Chief of Army Staff, ensuring continuity in strategic leadership amid heightened regional tensions.

In his first response following the promotion, Munir expressed gratitude to God and dedicated the honor to “the people of Pakistan, the Armed Forces, and especially the martyrs and veterans, both military and civilian.”

“I thank the President, Prime Minister, and the Federal Cabinet for their trust,” he added in an official statement issued via Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), noting that the title reflects “the trust of the nation—millions of Asims have laid down their lives for Pakistan.”

“This is not an individual award, but a tribute to the armed forces and the people of Pakistan,” he declared.

Commissioned into the Frontier Force Regiment via the Officers Training School Mangla, General Munir rose through the ranks rapidly, becoming a three-star general in 2018 and assuming command of the army just months later.

His prior roles included a tenure as Director General of Military Intelligence in 2017 and a brief but significant appointment as head of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in 2018, giving him extensive cross-domain experience in both operational command and national intelligence architecture.

In parallel, the decision to extend Air Chief Marshal Sidhu’s tenure highlights the Pakistan Air Force’s central role in contesting and defeating Indian aerial superiority during the early days of the conflict.

Cabinet ministers unanimously praised Sidhu for his meticulously executed aerial operations and high-level strategic planning, which contributed significantly to Pakistan’s ability to seize the initiative in the contested airspace.

Under Sidhu’s direction, the Pakistan Air Force launched a series of offensive and defensive sorties that reportedly resulted in the downing of six Indian Air Force aircraft, including three Dassault Rafale multirole fighters, a MiG-29, a Sukhoi Su-30MKI, and a Mirage 2000.

The simultaneous loss of these high-value platforms delivered a humiliating blow to India’s military prestige and cast serious doubt on New Delhi’s claims of aerial dominance over Pakistan.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar later disclosed to local media that Pakistani jets had engaged a swarm of 75–80 Indian aircraft in what he described as the “largest air engagement in South Asian history.”

According to Dar, all six aircraft were destroyed by PAF J-10C multirole fighters, using PL-15E Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missiles—China’s latest long-range radar-guided munitions, known for their high no-escape zone and advanced ECM resistance.

While India has yet to officially acknowledge the losses, mounting digital forensics, flight telemetry data, and visual evidence from both open-source intelligence (OSINT) and eyewitness reports increasingly point toward a significant tactical defeat for the IAF.

Pressed for comment on the fate of the three Rafales, IAF Air Marshal A.K. Bharti cryptically responded,

“We are in a wartime scenario; losses are part of battle,”
but declined to elaborate, fueling speculation that the aircraft had indeed been shot down.

For regional analysts, Bharti’s opaque answer was interpreted as an unofficial admission of significant attrition in India’s frontline fighter fleet.

Under Sidhu’s stewardship, the PAF has deepened its strategic cooperation with China, acquiring advanced platforms like the J-10C, which proved decisive in the latest conflict.

The two nations continue to co-develop the JF-17 Thunder, a lightweight, multirole combat aircraft that forms the backbone of Pakistan’s aerial strike capabilities and has been widely exported.

In a major shift in regional airpower calculus, China is now expediting delivery of the fifth-generation stealth fighter J-35A to Pakistan, reportedly bringing forward initial deployment by six months.

Developed by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC), the J-35A is expected to begin arriving in Pakistan by early 2026, with reports suggesting Islamabad will take delivery of up to 40 units over a two-year span.

Once operational, the J-35A fleet is projected to tilt the airpower balance dramatically in Islamabad’s favor, particularly as India continues to rely on its existing fleet of 4th and 4.5 generation fighters such as the Su-30MKI and Rafale.

According to retired PAF Air Commodore Zia Ul Haque Shamshi, the integration of the J-35A could provide Pakistan with a 12-to-14-year generational edge in stealth capabilities over India.

“India is unlikely to field a fifth-generation combat aircraft in that window, which gives Pakistan a significant strategic advantage,” Shamshi asserted.

As both nations rearm and re-evaluate their doctrines in light of the conflict, Pakistan’s rapid modernization, tactical success, and elevation of its senior military leadership appear poised to reshape South Asia’s military power dynamics for the foreseeable future.

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA