Singapore/New Delhi, May 31: In what may be described as Indian military’s first clear acknowledgement of losses in the four-day military clashes with the neighbouring country, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan revealed that India rectified tactics and hit deep inside Pakistani territory after suffering loss of aircraft in the recent military clashes with Pakistan.
Gen Chauhan, however, dismissed as “absolutely incorrect” Islamabad’s claim of downing six Indian jets.
The CDS, in an interview to Bloomberg TV, said India flew all its jets and carried out high-precision strikes to hit back at Pakistan after ascertaining the reasons for the initial losses.
The Chief of Defence Staff declined to specify the losses in terms of numbers but clearly pointed out the fact that the Indian military struck deep inside Pakistani territory that, New Delhi said, forced Islamabad to plead to stop the hostilities.
“I think what is important is not the jet being downed but why they were being downed,” Gen Chauhan, currently on a visit to Singapore, said.
Gen Chauhan was asked whether India lost combat jets during the four-day military clashes with Pakistan earlier this month.
“So the good part is that we were able to understand the tactical mistakes which we made, remedy it, rectify it and then implement it again after two days and flew all our jets again targeting at long range,” he said.
“Absolutely incorrect,” he said when asked about Pakistan’s claim of shooting down six Indian jets during Operation Sindoor.
“I think what is important is not the jets being downed but why they were being downed,” added Gen Chauhan who played a key role in mounting India’s massive offensive against Pakistan.
Indian Air Force’s Director General of Air Operations, Air Marshal AK Bharti, had acknowledged that “losses are a part of combat” and said all IAF pilots returned “home safely”. He made the remarks at a media briefing on May 11 in responding to a question on Pakistan’s claim of downing Indian jets.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan using long-range weapons such as the Brahmos cruise missile in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions on May 10. (PTI)
