Indian Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh has publicly asserted that during Operation Sindoor, the Indian Air Force successfully downed five Pakistani fighter jets and one large military aircraft, describing the mission as a historic combat triumph enabled by full operational freedom and advanced defence systems The Economic TimesThe Times of India.
In response, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif firmly rebutted these claims, stating that allegations of Pakistan jet losses in Operation Sindoor have no basis in fact and originated solely from social media speculation. In a CNN interview, he emphasized, “It is all over social media… Indian social media, not ours, [and] the debris of the jets fell on their side” ARY NEWSDevdiscourse.
Delhi’s Press Information Bureau swiftly countered, pointing out that pro-Pakistan websites had circulated a misleading image from a 2021 MiG-21 crash to falsely claim a Rafale fighter was downed during this conflict ARY NEWSFinancial Times.
Operation Sindoor—a rapid missile and air strike targeting nine alleged terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir—marked a sharp escalation in tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack. Amid this, Asif underscored that while Islamabad is keen to avoid a full-scale war, it reserves the right to retaliate should its sovereignty be further challenged ARY NEWSFinancial Times.
Summary Highlights:
India identifies doctored imagery as the source of misinformation; Pakistan maintains a posture of de-escalation but readiness to respond if provoked.
The IAF Chief claims Operation Sindoor resulted in the downing of Pakistani aircraft and emphasizes India’s strategic success.
Khawaja Asif rebuts these assertions as Pakistan jet losses in Operation Sindoor, attributing them to social media rumors and dismissing their credibility.
