Days after a ceasefire between India and Pakistan following a rapid escalation in military conflict, key differences regarding their battlefield claims remain unresolved. Among these is Pakistan’s assertion that it shot down five Indian fighter jets on May 7, the first day of intense fighting, in retaliation for Indian attacks on its territory. While this incident highlights specific types of aircraft involved, it is not a comprehensive List Of Indian Fighter Aircrafts, but rather focuses on the disputed outcome of recent aerial engagements.
As a battle of narratives has emerged following the actual fighting, it is important to examine the claims made and why they are significant.
What Happened?
Tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours erupted into military confrontation on May 7 after India conducted airstrikes on nine sites across six cities in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
India stated its actions were in response to what it termed “terrorist infrastructure,” following the deadly April 22 killings of tourists by suspected rebels in India-administered Kashmir. Gunmen killed 25 male tourists and a local pony rider in Pahalgam, an incident that triggered outrage and calls for retaliation in India. New Delhi blamed Pakistan for supporting the attackers, a charge Islamabad denied.
Pakistan reported that Indian forces struck two cities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and four sites in Punjab province on May 7, resulting in civilian casualties. India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh rejected these claims, asserting that Indian forces “struck only those who harmed our innocents.”
Over the subsequent four days, the two nations exchanged tit-for-tat strikes on each other’s airbases and deployed drones into each other’s territories. Amid escalating fears of a nuclear exchange, top US officials reportedly intervened, contacting Indian and Pakistani counterparts to urge an end to the conflict. On May 10, US President Donald Trump announced that Washington had successfully mediated a ceasefire. Despite initial accusations of violations from both sides, the ceasefire has held.
Pakistan reported on Tuesday that Indian strikes had killed at least 51 people, including 11 soldiers and several children. India, in turn, stated that at least five military personnel and 16 civilians had died. Examining claims related to specific types of top 10 multirole fighter aircraft involved provides insight into the disputed events.
What Has Pakistan Claimed?
Speaking to Al Jazeera shortly after the May 7 attacks, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed that Islamabad, in retaliation, had successfully shot down five Indian jets, one drone, and numerous quadcopters.
Later that day, Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, asserted that the warplanes had been downed within Indian territory and that neither side’s aircraft had crossed into the other’s airspace during the attacks – an assertion India also corroborated. British defence analyst Michael Clarke noted that “Neither India nor Pakistan had any need to send their own aircraft out of their own national airspace,” as their standoff weapons possessed sufficient range to reach their intended targets from within their own territory.
On Friday, Pakistan’s Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed provided more specific details, claiming that among the five downed aircraft were three Rafales, a MiG-29, and an Su-30. He presented electronic signatures for the aircraft and specified the exact locations where they were allegedly hit. Ahmed, who also serves as the deputy chief of operations, told reporters that the aerial engagement between Pakistani and Indian jets lasted slightly over an hour. He stated that at least 60 Indian aircraft were involved, including 14 French-made Rafales, while Pakistan deployed 42 “hi-tech aircraft,” such as American F-16s and Chinese JF-17s and J-10s. Comparing this to historic air combat, such as that involving wwii japanese fighter aircraft, highlights the evolution of aerial warfare capabilities.
What Has Been India’s Response?
Following a report by Chinese state news outlet The Global Times stating that Pakistan had shot down Indian fighter planes, India’s embassy in China dismissed the report as “disinformation.”
Beyond this, New Delhi has not formally confirmed or denied the specific claims regarding downed aircraft. When directly questioned about whether Pakistan had managed to shoot down Indian jets, India’s Director General of Air Operations AK Bharti offered an evasive response. He stated, “We are in a combat scenario and losses are a part of it. 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.”
Person inspects damaged shop in Gingal village, Uri district, Indian-controlled Kashmir, following Pakistan shelling.
What Else Do We Know?
Independent accounts from local and international media outlets have presented varying reports regarding Pakistan’s claims.
According to Indian security sources who spoke with Al Jazeera, three fighter jets did crash inside India-controlled territory. These sources did not specify which country the warplanes belonged to. However, given that neither side has claimed their planes crossed into the other’s airspace, any debris found in Indian-controlled territory would likely originate from an Indian aircraft.
Reuters news agency, citing four government sources in Indian-administered Kashmir, also reported that three fighter jets crashed in the region. Reports from CNN indicated that at least two jets crashed, while a French source informed the US outlet that at least one Rafale jet had been shot down. Photos captured by AP news agency photojournalists showed debris of an aircraft in the Pulwama district in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Will Both Sides Ever Agree on What Happened?
Defence analyst Michael Clarke suggested that if India had indeed lost a Rafale, it would undoubtedly be “embarrassing.” He added, “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 concluded, “India has said that ‘losses’ are inevitable, and that is probably as near as they will get to admitting a specific aircraft loss for a while.”
Source: Al Jazeera
