Flight tracking data and exclusive satellite imagery reviewed by India Today’s Open-Source Investigation (OSINT) team suggest that a VVIP aircraft matching the description used by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was present at the Nur Khan airbase around the time of the Indian Air Force (IAF) strikes on May 10, highlighting the strategic sensitivity and vulnerability of the country’s most important airbase.

The Nur Khan Air Base, located adjacent to Islamabad, supports both Pakistan Air Force (PAF) operations and serves as the principal hub for the country’s top VVIP air traffic.

Satellite imagery from space company Satellogic provided exclusively to India Today TV by Earth intelligence platform SkyFi, (mandatory hyperlink – https://skyfi.com) provides new details of the events, which took place at Pakistan’s most high-profile air base.

The Pakistan government uses a white Gulfstream G450 (G-IV-X) almost exclusively for the Prime Minister, President and Foreign Ministers. The IAF targeted the air base in Rawalpindi that likely destroyed a command and control unit, satellite pictures showed.

The aircraft in the imagery matches the profile of Pakistan’s VVIP transport—notable for its length, tail shape and rear-mounted engines. It also lacks the visible blue tail marking the other Gulfstream operated by the Pakistan Army, often used by its army chief General Asif Munir.

PAK PM’S PUBLIC MOVEMENTS ALIGN WITH AIRCRAFT PATHS

The subsequent movement of the aircraft further supports its identification. On May 12, the aircraft flew from Lahore to Sialkot using the PAK02 callsign, typically reserved for the Prime Minister. The destination and timing align with the PM’s publicly reported travel.

Two days later, the same aircraft flew to Beijing using the PAK03 callsign, consistent with the Foreign Minister’s itinerary.

Pakistan operates three Gulfstreams for VVIP use. At the time of the IAF strikes, data indicates that two Gulfstreams could have been present at the Nur Khan base while the other was positioned in Lahore.

The satellite imagery taken hours after the impact, however, shows only one at the Rawalpindi base.

REFUELLING TANKER ACTIVITY SEEN AFTER STRIKE

The same Satellogic imagery also reveals the presence of an Il-78 aerial refuelling tanker at Nur Khan following India’s strike, indicating active military operations from the base even after the incident. The Il-78 is a key asset for in-flight refuelling and supports deep-strike or extended patrol operations by fighter aircraft.

Nur Khan is not just an airbase, it is the nerve centre for Pakistan’s VVIP and high-level military aviation. Its proximity to Islamabad, and its dual-use role, make it one of the most sensitive air installations in the country.

All the available satellite imagery following the strike has indicated absolute precision by the IAF so far, with no visible missed targets at any of the locations.

This evidence offers context to why Pakistan sought a ceasefire so swiftly on May 10. The exposure of top government aircraft and aerial refuelling assets at the country’s most critical base may have underscored the risk of further escalation.

India’s decision to strike with precision, without expanding the scope to high-value leadership targets, also suggests a deliberate signalling of capability without provocation – a message clearly received.