India top general admits aerial losses in recent conflict with Pakistan
India’s Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan has acknowledged that the country experienced some initial setbacks in the air during its recent military clash with Pakistan, although he refrained from disclosing specific details.
“The key issue isn’t just the losses, but understanding why they happened and how we respond moving forward,” General Chauhan stated during an interview at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore on Saturday.
The two nuclear-armed neighbors were involved in a four-day confrontation earlier this month, marking their most intense exchange since the Kargil conflict of 1999. The hostilities ended with a ceasefire on May 10. Reports indicate that over 70 people were killed during the escalation, which involved missile strikes, drone attacks, and artillery exchanges. However, both sides have provided differing accounts of the casualties.
India claimed it targeted and eliminated over 100 suspected militants in air raids on alleged terror camps within Pakistani territory. Pakistan, rejecting this assertion, reported that the strikes killed more than 30 civilians. On the Indian side, authorities stated that around 20 civilians, mainly from the Kashmir region, lost their lives in the violence.
The conflict was triggered by a deadly attack on April 22 in the tourist town of Pahalgam, located in Indian-administered Kashmir. The assault claimed the lives of 26 people, most of them tourists. India accused Pakistan of backing the armed group responsible for the incident—an allegation Islamabad firmly denied.
Amid the conflict, Pakistan asserted that it had shot down at least five Indian fighter jets, including three Rafale aircraft. General Chauhan rejected these claims as “completely baseless,” but confirmed that India did lose at least one military aircraft.
While Pakistan has denied losing any aircraft, it admitted that some of its airbases were struck, although it characterized the resulting damage as limited.
Despite the cessation of hostilities, General Chauhan emphasized that India remains prepared to act decisively. He reiterated that any future attacks linked to groups operating from Pakistani territory would be met with a “precise and resolute” response.
.png "Advertisement")
