Pakistani PM's Claim of Shooting Down Six Indian Fighter Jets Is "Completely False" – Indian Defense Chief General Anil Chauhan

Pakistani PM's Claim of Shooting Down Six Indian Fighter Jets Is "Completely False" – Indian Defense Chief General Anil Chauhan

In an interview with Bloomberg TV during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, India’s Chief of Defense Staff General Anil Chauhan rejected Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s claim that six Indian fighter jets were shot down, calling it “completely false.”

He stated, “The question isn’t just whether aircraft were shot down, but whether they were actually downed at all.” However, he declined to provide a specific number of aircraft losses on the Indian side.

Chauhan acknowledged that India had made some strategic mistakes early in the conflict but quickly identified and corrected them. Within two days, India conducted successful long-range airstrikes. “All our aircraft were back in the air,” he emphasized, highlighting the Indian military’s resilience and capability.

Many analysts have described the conflict, which began on May 7, as the most dangerous confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in the last 50 years. This marks the first time a senior Indian official has publicly acknowledged aircraft losses.

The clash was triggered by a deadly attack on April 22 in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 civilians. India blamed Pakistan-backed terrorists for the attack. Pakistan strongly denied the allegation and called for an impartial international investigation.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had claimed that Pakistan had shot down six Indian jets—though this assertion could not be independently verified. Until now, the Indian government had neither confirmed nor denied any aircraft losses.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump had claimed that American mediation helped avert a nuclear war during the conflict. While Chauhan did not comment directly on this, he said, “My personal view is that there is a huge difference between conventional warfare and the use of nuclear weapons.” He also confirmed that communication lines between India and Pakistan remained open throughout the escalation.

Chauhan also dismissed claims that Pakistan used Chinese-supplied advanced weaponry effectively. “They didn’t work,” he said bluntly. Allegations that China provided Pakistan with sophisticated air defense systems and satellite support were ineffective, he claimed.

He further stated that India was able to strike military installations up to 300 kilometers deep inside Pakistani territory, forcing Islamabad to significantly reinforce its air defenses.

Following the conflict, both nations launched diplomatic campaigns across key global capitals to rally international support—part of the ongoing geopolitical tug-of-war.

At the end of the interview, General Chauhan confirmed that the current ceasefire remains intact but warned that it depends on Pakistan’s future behavior. He concluded, “We’ve drawn a very clear red line…”