Pakistan Air Force Claims to Down Indian Fighter Jets in May Conflict

Islamabad, Dec 2 (PTI) Pakistan's Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sindhu, made unsubstantiated claims on Tuesday that his forces had successfully shot down "modern" Indian fighter jets and defense systems during a conflict with India in May.

The assertions follow comments from India's Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, who stated in October that at least a dozen Pakistani military aircraft, including US-made F-16s and Chinese-made JF-17s, were either destroyed or damaged during Indian strikes as part of Operation Sindoor.

Speaking at the passing out parade at the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Academy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Air Marshal Sindhu contended that Pakistani forces had "shot down" several of India's most advanced aircraft, including multiple Rafales, Su-30MKIs, Mirage 2000s, MiG-29s, and unmanned aerial systems.

He provided no evidence to support these claims.

Sindhu described the May conflict as a "fierce aerial engagement" and also claimed that Pakistani forces targeted Indian "bases and ground assets" across the country, allegedly neutralizing the "state-of-the-art S-400 air defense system and command-and-control centers."

These allegations are the latest in a series of claims by Pakistan of downing Indian aircraft after the May hostilities, none of which have been substantiated.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as retaliation for the Pahalgam attack that resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians.

The subsequent military exchanges continued for four intense days, concluding with an agreement to cease military actions on May 10.