Indian military confirms losing fighter jets in clashes with Pakistan

DELHI – Indian military has confirmed for the first time that it lost fighter jets in recent clashes with Pakistan in May 2025 following Pahalgam incident.

Anil Chauhan, chief of defense staff of the Indian Armed Forces, admitted it while talking to Bloomberg TV on Saturday in Singapore where he attended the Shangri-La Dialogue. However, he did not share the number of jets lost by India in the skirmishes.

The statement has endorsed the Pakistan’s claim it shot down multiple Indian planes including Rafael in clashes with India.

In the escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, Pakistan Air Force shot down six Indian fighter jets during the night of May 6–7. The action came in retaliation to missile strikes launched by the Indian Air Force on six locations inside Pakistan, including several mosques and civilian areas. Among the targeted sites were Subhan Mosque in Ahmedpur East (Bahawalpur), Bilal Mosque in Muzaffarabad, Abbas Mosque in Kotli, Umalkura Mosque in Muridke, Kotki Lohara village in Sialkot, and an area in Shakargarh.

Read more: “BJP Leader Admits Pakistan Downed Five Indian Aircraft During Conflict

Pakistan successfully downed six Indian aircraft, including three Rafale jets, one Su-30MKI, one Mirage 2000, and one MiG-29 — all within a tight 40-minute window. Notably, no Pakistani aircraft entered Indian airspace or engaged in close-range combat.

General Chahuan emphasized the underlying reasons behind the incident, stating, “The issue is not just that jets were downed, but what led to that response.”

He confirmed the loss of Indian jets during the confrontation and noted that, despite the intensity of the four-day standoff, it never escalated toward a nuclear threat.