Islamabad, 31 May 2025: Shot Down Its Fighter Aircraft India has officially acknowledged the loss of its combat aircraft during a recent four-day border confrontation with Pakistan, marking the first time New Delhi has admitted to such aerial losses.
The confirmation was made by General Anil Chauhan, India’s Chief of Defence Staff, during an interview with Bloomberg TV while attending the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
His remarks offered the clearest indication so far of Indian aircraft being brought down during the military escalation that unfolded earlier this month.
READ MORE: Indian Air Force Collects Pieces of Destroyed Fighter Jets
India Silent on Jet Count, Questions Remain
While General Chauhan did not disclose the precise number of aircraft lost, he emphasized that the focus should be on the circumstances behind the losses rather than the quantity.
He was quoted as saying that the cause of the downings carried more significance than the numbers, and he labeled Islamabad’s claim of downing six Indian jets as “completely incorrect.”
Shot Down Its Fighter Aircraft the Indian military chief stopped short of validating Pakistan’s detailed assertion but confirmed, for the first time, that Indian jets were indeed downed during the confrontation.
Pakistan Asserts Major Aerial Success
Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during a speech in Lachin city commemorating Azerbaijan’s Independence Day, reiterated that Pakistan’s Air Force had successfully downed six Indian fighter aircraft during the height of the conflict.
According to Sharif, the strikes occurred between May 6 and 7, with four of the jets identified as French-manufactured Rafales.
READ MORE: PAF Shoots Down Another Indian Su-30 Fighter Jet
He stated that all six aircraft were neutralized on the very first night of the skirmish, crediting Pakistan’s aerial defense capabilities for the rapid response. This claim, however, has not been independently verified.
Shot Down Its Fighter Aircraft the unfolding narrative from both sides continues to spark debate, with India’s selective acknowledgment and Pakistan’s detailed account painting contrasting pictures of the same conflict.
