Op Sindoor: Indian Army chief finally admits losses of aircraft

Singapore: Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan on Saturday acknowledged losses of aircraft in recent hostilities with Pakistan but dismissed as "absolutely incorrect" Islamabad's claim of downing six Indian jets.

Chauhan, in an interview with Bloomberg TV, asserted it is more important to find out why the aircraft were lost so that the Indian military could improve tactics and hit back again.

"I think what is important is not the jet being downed but why they were being downed," he said.

Gen Chauhan was asked whether India lost combat jets during the four-day military clashes with Pakistan earlier this month.

"The good part is that we were able to understand the tactical mistakes that we made, remedied, rectified, and then implemented again after two days. We flew all our jets again, targeting at long range," he said.

"Absolutely incorrect," Gen Chauhan said when asked about Pakistan's claim of shooting down six Indian jets during Operation Sindoor.

Previously, Indian Air Force's Director General of Air Operations, Air Marshall AK Bharti, acknowledged that “losses are a part of combat” and said all IAF pilots returned home safely.

Air Marshall Bharti made the remarks at a media briefing on May 11 when asked about Indi'a aircraft losses during Operation Sindoor.

Gen Chauhan is in Singapore to participate in the Shangri-La Dialogue. In a diplomatic victory for India’s ongoing global campaign against terrorism, Colombia has retracted its earlier statement expressing sympathy for Pakistan following Operation Sindoor after objections were raised by India.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who is leading an all-party delegation to Latin America, voiced disappointment with Colombia's initial reaction during a press conference in Bogotá on Thursday. He noted that Colombia's message of condolence over Pakistani casualties failed to acknowledge the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.