India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, has acknowledged for the first time that Indian fighter jets were lost during recent confrontations with Pakistan, though he stressed that the armed forces swiftly addressed the missteps and launched renewed strikes.

Speaking to Bloomberg at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, General Chauhan refuted claims by Pakistan’s Prime Minister that six Indian jets — including four Rafales — were shot down. “That figure is entirely baseless,” he said, adding, “The real issue isn’t the number of aircraft lost, but understanding why the losses happened and correcting those errors.”

In a separate interaction with Reuters, General Chauhan clarified that the setbacks occurred on May 7, at the onset of Operation Sindoor. “Yes, there were losses early on,” he said, “but what mattered was how we responded. We analyzed our tactical mistakes, corrected them promptly, and struck back effectively on May 8 and May 10.”

He noted that the Indian Air Force quickly regrouped and carried out precision strikes deep inside Pakistani territory, demonstrating resilience and strategic clarity.

Operation Sindoor: India’s Retaliation for Pahalgam Terror Attack

The recent military escalation followed a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 25 tourists were killed. India responded with Operation Sindoor, targeting nine terror camps across the border. In retaliation, Pakistan launched drone assaults on Indian military bases and civilian areas near the border.

India countered by deploying long-range BrahMos missiles to strike eleven Pakistani airbases, in what was described as one of the most assertive military responses in recent years.

Earlier Silence on Jet Losses

Until now, Indian authorities had avoided confirming any aircraft losses. Air Marshal AK Bharti, head of air operations, had previously said at a media briefing that “losses are expected in any conflict,” but emphasized that all Indian pilots had returned safely.

“Our aim was to neutralize the threat — and we did. The rest, including specific asset losses, is operational detail and still sensitive,” he added.

No Nuclear Brink, Despite Foreign Concerns

General Chauhan also dismissed any suggestion that the confrontation approached nuclear escalation. Despite international concern and claims by former U.S. President Donald Trump that his intervention averted a potential nuclear crisis, Chauhan maintained that both sides kept communication open to manage escalation.

“There’s ample space between conventional warfare and the nuclear threshold,” he said.

Chinese Weapons Underperform, Says India

In a sharp critique of Pakistan’s defense systems, the General said India’s ability to carry out accurate strikes on well-defended targets exposed the ineffectiveness of Chinese-supplied weaponry used by Pakistan.

“Despite being equipped with advanced Chinese systems, they failed to stop our aircraft and missiles from reaching targets over 300 kilometers inside their territory,” he said. “We achieved meter-level precision on highly protected airbases.”

The remarks mark the most direct acknowledgment yet of India’s operational setbacks and successes during the recent conflict, as well as a clear message on military preparedness and regional power dynamics.