Poor public diplomacy. The Modi government needlessly dispatched India’s CDS to a forum in Singapore, where he handed a propaganda victory to Pakistan by acknowledging Indian warplane losses.
Brahma Chellaney
security expert
1
The government must answer why the admission of losses was made abroad and its implications for the country’s defence preparedness.
Mallikarjun Kharge
Congress president and leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha
1
Key Facts
- Pakistan claimed to have shot down six Indian Air Force planes on May 7, 2025, during the opening of Operation Sindoor, but India initially neither confirmed nor denied these losses.
- Air Marshal AK Bharti acknowledged losses as part of combat after the ceasefire on May 10, 2025, stating, “We are in a combat scenario and losses are part of combat.”
- CDS Gen Anil Chauhan confirmed losses on May 7 but denied Pakistan's claim of six planes, stating losses occurred in the initial stages but not to the extent Pakistan claimed.
- Chauhan revealed that 15% of operational time during Operation Sindoor was wasted countering fake news and disinformation.
- Chauhan admitted a tactical mistake caused Indian warplane losses during Operation Sindoor in interviews to Bloomberg TV and Reuters in Singapore, but emphasized swift rectification and further attacks.1
- Veterans and opposition leaders criticized the timing and venue of Chauhan's admission, calling it poor diplomacy and a propaganda victory for Pakistan.1