Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has strongly refuted the claims made by Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh regarding the downing of Pakistani jets during Operation Sindoor in May 2025. Asif dismissed the IAF chief's statement as "implausible," "ill-timed," and politically motivated.
The IAF chief's statement, a first of its kind months after the conflict, alleged that Indian forces shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and one Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft during the operation. According to Singh, the AEW&C kill was executed at a distance of 300 kilometers using the Russian-built S-400 Triumf system, which he hailed as a "game-changer" that crippled Pakistan's aerial battle management network.
Asif, in a statement shared on social media, countered that not a single Pakistani aircraft was hit or destroyed by India. Instead, he claimed that Pakistan had destroyed six Indian fighter jets, neutralized S-400 air defense batteries, and downed multiple Indian unmanned aerial vehicles, while also disabling several Indian airbases. He added that Indian losses along the Line of Control (LoC) were disproportionately heavier.
Asif questioned the timing of the IAF chief's statement, pointing out that it came three months after the conflict, while Pakistan had immediately provided detailed technical briefings to international media. He noted that independent observers, including world leaders, senior Indian politicians, and foreign intelligence assessments, had acknowledged the loss of multiple Indian aircraft, including Rafales. He accused India of using senior military officers to mask the "strategic shortsightedness" of Indian politicians and the "monumental failure" of India's political leadership during the confrontation.
Challenging the Indian narrative, Asif proposed that both countries open their aircraft inventories for independent verification to reveal the truth. He warned that "comical narratives" crafted for domestic political expediency increase the risk of strategic miscalculation in a nuclearized environment. Asif reaffirmed that any violation of Pakistan's sovereignty would be met with a "swift, surefire and proportionate response," recalling Pakistan's response during Operation Bunyanum Marsoos.
The Defence Minister's statement reiterated that responsibility for any escalation would rest with leaders who "gamble with South Asia's peace for fleeting political gains". He emphasized that "wars are not won by falsehoods but by moral authority, national resolve, and professional competence".
The Indian Air Force has not commented on claims regarding the loss of its aircraft.