India Admits Jet Losses but Strikes Back Hard in Pakistan Conflict
In a significant and rare admission, India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, has confirmed that India lost at least one fighter jet during the recent four-day conflict with Pakistan in early May 2025. This revelation came during his remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, where he discussed the aerial engagements and India's response during what has become the most intense standoff between the two nuclear neighbors since 1999.
The conflict was triggered by a deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam, located in Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 22. The attack claimed 26 lives, and India swiftly pointed fingers at Pakistan for supporting the armed group behind the incident — a charge Islamabad vehemently denied. What followed was a fierce exchange involving missiles, drones, and artillery that left more than 70 people dead on both sides, including civilians and military personnel.
While Pakistan claims to have shot down five Indian jets — including three Rafale fighters — General Chauhan has categorically refuted this, labeling it “absolutely incorrect.” However, he did acknowledge that India did face initial losses in the air on May 7. Importantly, Chauhan emphasized that what truly mattered was learning from those early setbacks. Within 48 hours, India adapted its combat strategies and carried out a series of aggressive retaliatory strikes targeting deep into Pakistani territory.
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According to Chauhan, Indian fighter jets including Rafales, Sukhoi-30MKIs, and Mirage 2000s carried out precision strikes on multiple Pakistani airbases and radar stations. These strikes, executed between May 7 and May 10 under Operation Sindoor, penetrated Pakistani air defenses and hit targets with meter-level accuracy. Indian pilots used an arsenal that included BrahMos, Rampage, Crystal Maze-2, and Scalp missiles.
General Chauhan also downplayed the effectiveness of Pakistan’s air defenses, many of which are of Chinese and Turkish origin. He mentioned that despite Pakistan’s preparedness for the first wave of Indian strikes, the subsequent raids caught them off guard and inflicted considerable damage on strategic infrastructure.
Though tensions ran high during the conflict, Chauhan stated that both nations displayed rationality, steering the situation away from the nuclear threshold. He acknowledged that while the U.S. may have played a behind-the-scenes role in encouraging a ceasefire on May 10, there was never a moment when the conflict escalated to the point of contemplating nuclear engagement.
The CDS further emphasized that India remains on high alert and will respond "precisely and decisively" to any future cross-border terror attacks. Despite Pakistan’s close ties with China, Chauhan noted there was no sign of Beijing providing tactical or real-time support to Islamabad during the hostilities.
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