Conflicting Claims Emerge Over Downed Fighter Aircraft in India-Pakistan Escalation

Four days after India and Pakistan reached a ceasefire following a rapid escalation in a military conflict between them, key differences between their battlefield claims remain unresolved, particularly concerning pak fighter aircraft involvement and reported losses. As a battle of narratives takes over from the actual fighting, we take stock of what is known about these claims and their significance.

Tensions between India and Pakistan erupted into military confrontation on May 7 after India bombed nine sites across six cities in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. India stated it had struck what it called “terrorist infrastructure” in response to the deadly April 22 killings of tourists by suspected rebels in India-administered Kashmir, an act New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-backed fighters, a charge Islamabad denied. Gunmen on April 22 shot dead 25 male tourists and a local pony rider in the picturesque meadows of Pahalgam, triggering outrage and calls for revenge in India. Pakistan countered that Indian forces on May 7 struck two cities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and four sites in Punjab, killing civilians. India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh rejected the Pakistani claims, reiterating that Indian forces “struck only those who harmed our innocents.” Over the next four days, the two nuclear-armed neighbours were engaged in tit-for-tat strikes on each other’s airbases, while unleashing drones into each other’s territories. Amid fears of a nuclear exchange, top officials from the United States made calls to Indian and Pakistani officials to end the conflict. On May 10, US President Donald Trump announced that Washington had successfully mediated a ceasefire between the nuclear-armed neighbours. Despite initial accusations of violations by both sides, the ceasefire has continued to hold so far. Pakistan reported on Tuesday that Indian strikes killed at least 51 people, including 11 soldiers and several children, while India has said at least five military personnel and 16 civilians died.

Pakistan’s Claims of Downing Indian Jets

Among the most contentious claims is Pakistan’s assertion that it shot down five Indian fighter jets on May 7, the first day of fighting, in response to Indian attacks on its territory. Speaking to Al Jazeera shortly after the May 7 attacks, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed Islamabad, in retaliation, had shot down five Indian jets, a drone, and many quadcopters.

Later the same day, Pakistan’s military spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry refined the claim, stating the warplanes had all been downed inside Indian territory, and aircraft from neither side crossed into the other’s territory during the attacks – an assertion India seconded. According to British defence analyst Michael Clarke, who is a visiting professor in the Department of War Studies at King’s College, London, “Neither India nor Pakistan had any need to send their own aircraft out of their own national airspace.” He added that their standoff weapons had long enough ranges to reach their targets from within their own airspace.

On Friday, Pakistan’s Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed provided more specific details. He claimed that among the five downed aircraft were three Rafales, a MiG-29, and an Su-30. He further offered electronic signatures of the aircraft and the exact locations where the planes were purportedly hit. Ahmed, who is also the deputy chief of operations, told reporters that the aerial engagement between Pakistani and Indian jets lasted for just over an hour. He stated that the confrontation featured at least 60 Indian aircraft, among them 14 French-made Rafales, while Pakistan deployed 42 “hi-tech aircraft,” including American F-16s, Chinese JF-17s, and J-10s. The performance of a 6th jet fighter in such scenarios remains a subject of future development, but the aircraft involved in this conflict represent different generations.

India’s Limited Response to Downed Aircraft Claims

India has offered a limited and indirect response to Pakistan’s claims regarding the downed aircraft. After Chinese state news outlet The Global Times reported that Pakistan had brought down Indian fighter planes, India’s embassy in China described the report as “disinformation.” However, beyond that, New Delhi has not formally confirmed or denied the reports of specific aircraft losses.

When asked specifically whether Pakistan had managed to down Indian jets, India’s Director General of Air Operations AK Bharti avoided a direct answer. He acknowledged that “We are in a combat scenario and losses are a part of it,” but stated, “As for details, at this time I would not like to comment on that as we are still in combat and give advantage to the adversary. All our pilots are back home.” This statement implies some form of loss without confirming the nature or number of aircraft involved, and it does not specifically address claims about all gen 5 fighter jets or earlier generations allegedly shot down.

What External Reports Suggest

Beyond the official accounts, local and international media outlets have reported different versions that partially align with some of Pakistan’s claims of downed jets, though the exact number and nationality remain debated. According to Indian security sources who spoke to Al Jazeera, three fighter jets crashed inside India-controlled territory. While they did not confirm which country the warplanes belonged to, with neither side suggesting that Pakistani planes crossed into Indian airspace, any debris found in Indian-controlled territory is likely from an Indian plane.

Reuters news agency also reported, citing four government sources in Indian-administered Kashmir, that three fighter jets crashed in the region. Reports in CNN indicated that at least two jets crashed, while a French source told the US outlet that at least one Rafale jet had been shot down. Photos taken by AP news agency photo journalists showed debris of an aircraft in the Pulwama district in Indian-administered Kashmir. The conflicting reports and the visible evidence of aircraft debris contribute to the ongoing ambiguity surrounding the actual number and type of aircraft lost by each side. The legacy of aircraft design, including types like the douglas fighter aircraft from a much earlier era, highlights the continuous evolution of military aviation technology involved in such confrontations.

Why the Discrepancy Matters

Defence analyst Michael Clarke commented on the potential implications of these conflicting claims. He said if India has indeed lost a Rafale, a relatively modern and sophisticated fighter jet, that would certainly be “embarrassing” for the Indian Air Force. “If it came down inside Indian territory, which must be the case if one was destroyed, then India will want to keep it only as a rumour for as long as possible,” Clarke added. He interprets India’s statement that “losses” are inevitable as being “probably as near as they will get to admitting a specific aircraft loss for a while.” This reluctance to confirm specific losses publicly highlights the strategic communication challenges and the “battle of narratives” that accompany military engagements, even after a ceasefire is in place. The specific types of aircraft mentioned, such as the MiG-29 and Su-30, represent key stages in the development of first gen jet fighters through to modern designs, each having played roles in various global conflicts. The use of aircraft in combat, whether in the real world or simulated environments like a vr fighter jet simulator, underscores the ongoing importance of air power in military strategy.
A man examines his damaged shop in Uri, Indian-administered Kashmir, following shelling during the recent India-Pakistan conflict involving fighter aircraft.

Conclusion

While the immediate military conflict between India and Pakistan has paused with a ceasefire, the truth behind the claims of downed fighter aircraft, particularly the fate of Indian jets allegedly shot down by pak fighter aircraft, remains murky. Pakistan has made specific, detailed claims about the number and types of Indian aircraft destroyed, supported to some extent by various media reports citing sources and photographic evidence of debris within Indian-controlled territory. India, however, has largely remained silent on the specifics of its losses, offering only general acknowledgements that casualties and losses are inherent in combat. This divergence in accounts leaves a key aspect of the recent escalation unresolved, highlighting the difficulty in verifying battlefield claims in real-time and the role of strategic ambiguity in post-conflict narratives.

Source: Al Jazeera