Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh has asserted that Indian forces shot down five Pakistani fighter jets during the intense clashes that occurred in May of this year. Speaking on Friday at the 93rd Air Force Day celebrations, Singh stated that the destroyed aircraft included F-16 and JF-17 class jets. He linked his statement to recent remarks made by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the United Nations, where Sharif had downplayed India's actions during the conflict. Singh stated that Pakistan continues to weave "manohar kahaniyan" (fascinating tales), but the facts remain unaltered. He added that India inflicted heavy damage on Pakistan's air capabilities during "Operation Sindoor".
The May 2025 confrontation, which followed a terror attack in Kashmir, marked the most significant escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors since the Balakot airstrikes in 2019. Operation Sindoor was launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, in which Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 people, mostly tourists.
This is not the first time the IAF chief has made such claims. In August, Singh claimed that the IAF downed six Pakistani aircraft in May, including a large surveillance or early-warning plane, with much of the damage inflicted by India's S-400 missile systems. On Friday, however, he specifically reiterated the fighter jet losses. He also praised the country's air defense systems for successfully repelling or shooting down Pakistani missiles or drones during the nearly 100-hour conflict.
Singh affirmed that Pakistan requested a ceasefire on May 10. He also rubbished Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif's claims about Indian jets being destroyed, labeling them Pak Army propaganda to mislead Pakistani citizens.
According to Singh, India struck a large number of Pakistan's airfields and installations during Operation Sindoor. He stated that radars in at least four places, command and control centers in two places, runways at two places, and three hangars in three different stations were damaged.
While India claims to have inflicted heavy damage, Pakistan has strongly denied the Indian version of events. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif dismissed Singh's statement as "implausible and politically motivated," asserting that not a single Pakistani aircraft was lost. He challenged India to open both nations' aircraft inventories for independent verification. Pakistan has said it shot down six Indian fighter jets during the conflict, including the French-made Rafale. India has acknowledged some losses but denies losing six aircraft. On Friday, Singh declined to respond to questions on Pakistan's claim of downing Indian jets.
The May fighting was sparked by an attack on Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir, which New Delhi said was backed by Pakistan. Both sides used fighter jets, missiles, artillery, and drones during the four-day conflict, resulting in casualties, before agreeing to a ceasefire. Islamabad denied involvement in the Kashmir attack.
