In a significant development, India’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has acknowledged that Pakistan downed Indian fighter jets during the recent conflict.
Speaking to Bloomberg TV at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, General Chauhan admitted, “We made mistakes during the air battle, which we have since realised and corrected.”
He emphasised the importance of understanding the reasons behind the losses rather than focusing on the number of jets downed, stating, “What is important is that, not the jet being down, but why they were being down.”
General Chauhan dismissed Pakistan’s claim of downing six Indian jets, including three Rafales, as “absolutely incorrect.” However, he did not provide an alternative figure.
He highlighted that after initial setbacks, India revised its tactics and conducted precision strikes deep into Pakistan between May 7 and May 10, successfully penetrating air defenses and hitting key air bases.
He asserted that these operations were carried out without any consideration of nuclear escalation, stating, “There’s a lot of space before that nuclear threshold is crossed.”
Adding to the discourse, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy admitted in a podcast interview that Pakistan shot down five Indian Air Force jets during the conflict.
He attributed the losses to the superior performance of Chinese-made fighter jets used by Pakistan, stating, “Pakistan shot down five of our aircraft using Chinese fighter jets.”
Swamy criticised the performance of the French-made Rafale jets and alleged corruption in their procurement, asserting that an investigation is unlikely under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership.
French Military Addressed the Incident
During a routine press briefing in Paris, a French military spokesman also addressed the incident. He said that the available details remain unclear and that many aspects still require confirmation.
He explained that France is closely monitoring Rafale’s performance in this conflict and remains in direct contact with its partner India to gather accurate information.
Reports indicate that hundreds of aircraft engaged in the battle, and France aims to extract as many lessons as possible from this experience.
A terrorist attack triggered the conflict known as Operation Sindoor, was triggered by a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, which killed 26 people.
India attributed the attack to Pakistan-backed terrorists and launched airstrikes on May 7 targeting alleged terrorist infrastructure across the border. Pakistan claimed to have downed six Indian jets in response.
Both nations declared a ceasefire on May 10 after intense fighting involving fighter jets, missiles, drones, and artillery.
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