Categories
Indian Navy official claims jets were lost during Operation Sindoor due to political constraints, while the government responds saying the statement was misquoted.
IndiaNavy lost several fighter jets on the first day of its recent military clash with Pakistan because the government had initially limited its strikes to terrorist targets, avoiding Pakistani military installations, according to Captain Shiv Kumar, India’s defence attaché to Indonesia.
However, the Indonesian embassy stated that the comments had been “misquoted” and were a “misrepresentation.” “Media reports misrepresented the presentation,” the embassy clarified, emphasizing that India’s armed forces operate under civilian leadership—unlike Pakistan’s military, which it described as the de facto ruler of the country, accused of harboring terrorism for political purposes and using it as a tool of state policy.
He made these remarks during a seminar in Jakarta on June 10, which had not been previously disclosed to the public or the media.
He was responding to assertions made by an Indonesian aerospace expert, who claimed that the Indian Air Force had lost five fighter jets — three Rafales, one MiG-29, and one Sukhoi-30 — as well as a tactical drone.
Operation Sindoor was India’s direct military retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack on 22 April, where Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 people, the majority of them tourists.
I may not fully agree with the claim that India lost many aircraft, but it’s true that we did suffer some losses,” said Captain Shiv Kumar. “These occurred primarily due to restrictions imposed by the political leadership, which prevented us from targeting Pakistan’s military installations and air defence systems.
India adapted its strategy following initial setbacks in the air, ultimately gaining full control over Pakistan’s airspace.
“After those early losses, we revised our approach and began targeting their military installations,” he explained. “We focused on suppressing and destroying enemy air defences—what’s referred to in military terms as SEAD and DEAD. This allowed our attacks, using surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missiles, to proceed unchallenged. By May 8, 9, and 10, India had achieved total air superiority,” he told.
Official Response and Embassy Clarification
The Ministry of Defence declined to issue a comment regarding Kumar’s remarks. However, the Indian Embassy in Jakarta released a statement clarifying that his comments had been “taken out of context.”
“The media reports mischaracterized both the intent and content of the presentation,” the statement read. “The briefing highlighted that the Indian Armed Forces function under the authority of civilian political leadership—unlike in some neighbouring nations. It further clarified that Operation Sindoor was aimed solely at dismantling terrorist infrastructure, and that India’s actions were not intended to escalate tensions.”
General Anil Chauhan, India’s Chief of Defence Staff, acknowledged during a speech in Singapore on 31 May that India had lost fighter jets on 7 May due to tactical missteps. He noted that these errors were swiftly addressed, enabling the Indian Air Force to return with enhanced strength and conduct precision strikes deep within Pakistani territory, effectively countering its air defences.
Despite these public remarks by senior defence officials regarding the loss of aircraft, the Indian government has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
Table of Contents
Orders Were Clear: Only Terror Camps to Be Targeted, Says Navy Official
During a 35-minute presentation, Navy official Kumar emphasized that the armed forces were given explicit instructions by the government to strike only terrorist camps.
“There were to be no attacks on military installations, civilian areas, or any targets not directly linked to terrorism,” he stated at the seminar titled “Analysis of the Pakistan-India Air Battle and Indonesia’s Anticipatory Strategies from the Perspective of Air Power.
READ ALSO……..Reactor Explosion at Sigachi Industries in Telangana’s Pashamylaram Leaves at Least 8 Dead
