Key Takeaways
- Controversy erupts over Defence Attache’s remarks on Op Sindoor aircraft losses
- Indian Embassy clarifies Defence Attache’s remarks, saying they were quoted out of context
- Congress leader Pawan Khera accuses Modi government of misleading the nation on aircraft losses
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New Delhi: The Indian Embassy in Indonesia today sought to clarify the remarks on Operation Sindoor made by the Defence Attache at a seminar, saying that he had been quoted out of context.
The controversy arose from media reports quoting a portion of Defence Attache Captain Shiv Kumar’s remarks during a 35-minute presentation on Operation Sindoor.
To a query that India had lost many aircraft, he said that India “did lose some aircraft and that happened only because of the constraint given by the political leadership to not attack their (Pakistan’s) military establishment or their air defences. But after the loss, we changed our tactics and went for their military installations. So, we first achieved success of destruction of their military air defences, and that is why all our missiles were able to easily go through, our Brahmos, and surface-to-surface missiles,” Indian Defence Attaché to Indonesia Capt Shiv Kumar is quoted as saying.Following media reports on his remarks, the Indian Embassy in a late evening statement said:
“We have seen media reports regarding a presentation made by the Defence Attache at a Seminar.
“His remarks have been quoted out of context and the media reports are a mis-representation of the intention and thrust of the presentation made by the speaker.
“The presentation conveyed that the Indian Armed Forces serve under civilian political leadership unlike some other countries in our neighbourhood.
“It was also explained that the objective of Operation Sindoor was to target terrorist infrastructure and the Indian response was non-escalatory.”However, the Congress was quick to seize upon the controversy.
Congress leader Pawan Khera, posting a picture of a media report on the subject, wrote on X: “The Modi government has misled the nation from the start – failing to disclose the aircraft losses during Operation Sindoor. “There were oblique references to losses in air combat on 6/7 May, during a briefing by the DG Air Ops (Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti) when he said – “we are in a combat situation and losses are a part of combat.”
“Then, it was left to Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan to make the first official admission of our attrition in the air while speaking to Bloomberg TV on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
“And now, in another shocking revelation by Capt. Shiv Kumar, it has emerged that the Indian Air Force lost fighter jets to Pakistan on the night of May 7, 2025 during its targeting of Pakistan’s terror-linked sites “only because of the constraint given by the political leadership.”“This is a direct indictment of the Modi Government, particularly Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. No wonder they are ducking our demand for a Special Session of Parliament like the plague. They know they’ve compromised national security, and they’re terrified of what the Congress Party will expose before the people of India.”
His post was reposted by senior party leader Jairam Ramesh.
