China’s Expert Dismisses Delayed Indian Claims
China’s former defense attaché to South Asia, Prof. Cheng Xizhong, has categorically rejected India’s belated assertion that it downed six Pakistani aircraft during May’s Operation Sindoor, calling the claims “comical, implausible, unconvincing, and mere self-amusement”. Cheng, now a senior fellow at Beijing’s Charhar Institute, emphasized that India has failed for over three months to provide radar data, wreckage photos, or any verifiable evidence to support its allegations. In stark contrast, Pakistan immediately shared detailed technical reports and evidence with international media after the conflict ended.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Demands Transparency
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif swiftly challenged India’s narrative, declaring that “not a single Pakistani aircraft was hit or destroyed” during the clashes. He invited independent verification of both nations’ aircraft inventories, stating India’s “comical narratives” risked dangerous miscalculation in a nuclearized region. Asif reiterated Pakistan’s documented success in downing six Indian jets, including three Rafales and destroying S-400 air defense systems, calling this an “indisputable fact”.
International Corroboration of Indian Losses
Multiple global sources confirm Pakistan’s account. France’s Air Chief Gen. Jérôme Bellanger verified the loss of three Indian fighters, including a Rafale, marking its first combat defeat. The Washington Post, using visual evidence analysis, confirmed at least two Indian jets were shot down. India’s own defense attaché to Indonesia, Capt. Shiv Kumar, tacitly acknowledged PAF’s strikes in June. U.S. officials found no evidence that Pakistani F-16s were damaged, contradicting India’s hangar-strike claims.
PAF’s Tactical Mastery Exposed Indian Weaknesses
Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed, PAF’s deputy operations chief, revealed that Pakistan tracked 70+ Indian aircraft, including 14 Rafales using advanced electromagnetic systems. Deploying just 42 jets in a defensive counter-air strategy, the PAF downed six Indian aircraft within 40 minutes, including three Rafales, one Su-30MKI, and one MiG-29. All engagements occurred within Pakistani airspace, with no cross-border incursions. The conflict highlighted India’s critical intelligence failures, notably the downing of Rafales by PAF’s J-10 fighters using PL-15 missiles.
Domestic Criticism and Geopolitical Fallout
India’s claims faced skepticism at home. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera questioned why Operation Sindoor halted abruptly despite “advancing,” hinting at external pressure. Analysts warn such fabrications, aimed at placating domestic audiences, dangerously escalate regional tensions. With U.S. President Trump ambiguously citing “five jets downed” without attribution, Pakistan’s call for evidence-based dialogue grows increasingly urgent to prevent renewed conflict.