Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Jul 19: US President Donald Trump has claimed that five fighter jets were downed during the recent India-Pakistan military conflict following the Pahalgam terror attack. Speaking at a private dinner with Republican lawmakers, Trump referred to the military escalation in May without clarifying which side lost the aircraft.
"In fact, planes were being shot out of the air. Five, five, four or five, but I think five jets were shot down actually," Trump said, reigniting debate over the high-intensity four-day conflict after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, including tourists.
The conflict, codenamed Operation Sindoor by India, involved coordinated precision strikes deep into Pakistani territory. While Pakistan claimed it had downed several Indian jets—including three Rafales—and captured pilots, it has provided no evidence to support its assertions.
India, on the other hand, has denied losing Rafale jets or having pilots captured. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in May, admitted the Indian Air Force did lose aircraft but dismissed exaggerated claims by Pakistan.
"What is important is not the jet being downed, but why. Numbers are not important," Gen Chauhan stated, highlighting India's ability to recalibrate tactics and deliver deep strikes with metre-level precision.
On June 15, Eric Trappier, CEO of French Rafale-maker Dassault Aviation, called Pakistan’s claims “factually incorrect,” saying, "What Pakistan is claiming about downing three Rafales is simply not true."
Trump also took credit for brokering the ceasefire announced on May 10, stating, "We said, you guys want to make a trade deal—we're not making it if you're throwing around weapons." India, however, maintains that no foreign mediation occurred and that the resolution was achieved bilaterally without any trade-related pressure.
Operation Sindoor began late on May 7 and involved joint efforts by India's Army, Navy, and Air Force, targeting what India termed terror infrastructure and military positions across the LoC and into Pakistan. By May 11, Air Marshal A.K. Bharti confirmed that all Indian pilots had returned safely.