New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) made a significant claim on Friday stating that it had shot down five Pakistani fighter jets during a brief aerial conflict in May of this year. According to Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh the head of the IAF the destroyed aircraft included American-made F-16s and Chinese-origin JF-17 fighter jets. The statement made during the Air Force’s annual press conference has brought the tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors back to the surface.
“As far as the air defence kill is concerned, we have a long-range strike evidence… Coupled with that, five fighter aircraft, high-tech fighters between the class of F-16 and JF-17, our system tells us,” Air Chief Marshal Singh stated. He also reported that Indian forces inflicted “substantial damage” on Pakistani airbases, radar systems and command centers under ‘Operation Sindoor’. According to the IAF Chief a long-range surface-to-air missile successfully struck a large aircraft from a distance of over 300 km marking a historic “kill.”
The conflict was triggered by a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in April which resulted in the deaths of 26 Indian tourists. India blamed Pakistan-based terrorist groups for the attack retaliating with airstrikes inside Pakistan on May 7, 2025, under ‘Operation Sindoor’. This was followed by four days of intense air and ground skirmishes between the two nations, culminating in a ceasefire agreement on May 10.
Pakistan’s Rebuttal
Pakistan has outright rejected India’s claims, describing them as “implausible” and “fabricated.” According to Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, these claims are questionable and he asked why India did not make such assertions until months after the conflict had ended, especially when Pakistan had immediately presented detailed information and evidence to international media.
Conversely Pakistan claimed it had shot down six Indian fighter jets during the conflict, including a French-made Rafale. While India has acknowledged “some losses,” it has denied the loss of six jets. The IAF chief dismissed Pakistan’s claims as “fascinating stories” intended only to mislead its own public.
Amid the conflicting narratives from both sides, there has been no independent verification of these claims. The incident highlights the tense security situation in South Asia and the intensity of the information warfare between the two countries.
