NEW DELHI — In a major public statement, Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Amar Preet Singh announced on Saturday that Indian forces shot down a total of six Pakistani aircraft, including five fighter jets and one large surveillance plane, during the cross-border clashes in May. The revelation comes months after the brief but intense conflict, known as “Operation Sindoor,” which followed a deadly terrorist attack in Kashmir.
Speaking at the Air Chief Marshal L.M. Katre Memorial Lecture in Bengaluru, Air Chief Marshal Singh detailed the success of the operation. He stated that the downing of the aircraft, which included an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) or Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) aircraft, marked the “largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill” for India. The large surveillance plane was reportedly brought down from a distance of approximately 300 kilometers, a feat he attributed to the capabilities of India’s S-400 air defense system.
According to Singh, Operation Sindoor also involved precision strikes on key Pakistani military infrastructure. He cited the partial destruction of an F-16 hangar at the Shahbaz Jacobabad airfield, along with hits on two command and control centers and at least six radar sites. The air chief credited the success of the operation to a strong political will and operational freedom granted to the armed forces, noting that “no restrictions were put on us.”
The statement has been met with a denial from Pakistan’s Defense Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif. In a post on X, Asif claimed that not a single Pakistani aircraft was hit or destroyed by Indian forces. The Pakistani military has previously claimed to have shot down six Indian aircraft during the May clashes, including a French-made Rafale fighter jet. While India has acknowledged some losses, it has denied losing six aircraft.
The conflict in May, which lasted for four days, was triggered by a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir. Operation Sindoor was launched in retaliation, with India stating its strikes targeted terror infrastructure. Both sides eventually agreed to a ceasefire, but claims and counterclaims about the military outcomes have persisted.