India Acknowledges Fighter Jet Losses in Clash with Pakistan
For the first time, India has officially acknowledged losing fighter jets during its brief but intense military confrontation with Pakistan earlier this month.
However, the Indian government has not disclosed the number or type of aircraft lost during the conflict.
The two nuclear-armed neighbors narrowly avoided full-scale war after a dramatic escalation in hostilities, which included deadly cross-border shelling and drone strikes from both sides.
The violence resulted in the deaths of numerous civilians and marked one of the most serious confrontations between the countries in recent years.
Pakistan’s military previously claimed it had shot down six Indian jets, including three Rafale fighters supplied by France, during the initial aerial combat. Both countries asserted they had successfully downed each other’s aircraft during what has been described as the most extensive air battle since World War II, reportedly involving over 125 aircraft.
India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, confirmed that Indian forces suffered losses in the air early in the conflict. However, he refrained from providing further details.
"What really matters is not just that the jets were brought down, but understanding the reasons behind it," Gen Chauhan said during an interview with Bloomberg TV at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
"The positive takeaway is that we identified the tactical error, corrected it, and resumed operations two days later with renewed precision."
In a separate discussion with Reuters, Gen Chauhan said Indian forces launched retaliatory airstrikes on the 7th, 8th, and 10th of the month.
He noted that Indian aircraft penetrated deep into Pakistani territory, bypassing air defences and executing precise strikes on military targets.
He also mentioned that the Indian Air Force deployed a variety of aircraft and munitions during its large-scale operations on the 10th.
Earlier, Air Marshal AK Bharti, India’s Director General of Air Operations, stated in a press briefing that “losses are an inherent part of warfare.”
He also claimed that Indian forces had successfully downed Pakistani jets. In contrast, Pakistani officials have denied losing any aircraft, though they did confirm that some of their air bases sustained damage, which they described as minor.
India has previously claimed responsibility for striking at least eight Pakistani air bases, including one near Islamabad, during the retaliatory missions.
