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**Summary:**
India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, has acknowledged for the first time that the Indian Air Force (IAF) suffered losses during clashes with Pakistan on May 7th. While declining to specify the number of fighter jets lost, Chauhan emphasized the importance of understanding the reasons behind the losses and rectifying those mistakes. He refuted Pakistan’s claim of shooting down six Indian warplanes, highlighting that India learned from its tactical errors and successfully executed subsequent strikes deep inside Pakistan. This confirmation comes after previous official briefings that did not deny the losses, and amidst reports of lost Rafale fighter jets.
**News Article:**
**Indian CDS Confirms IAF Losses in May Clash with Pakistan, Refutes Exaggerated Claims**
**Singapore -** In a significant acknowledgement, India’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Anil Chauhan, has confirmed that the Indian Air Force (IAF) sustained losses during clashes with Pakistan earlier this month. The statement marks the first official confirmation of losses after weeks of speculation and conflicting reports.
Speaking to Bloomberg TV in Singapore on Saturday, while attending the Shangri-La Dialogue, General Chauhan declined to specify the exact number of fighter jets lost on May 7th. He emphasized the focus should be on understanding the reasons behind the losses, rather than the numbers themselves. “What is important is that – not the jet being down, but why they were being down,” he stated. “Why they were down, what mistakes were made – that are important. Numbers are not important.”
Chauhan also addressed Pakistan’s claims of downing six Indian warplanes, calling them “absolutely incorrect.” While acknowledging the IAF did suffer losses during the conflict, the CDS highlighted the lessons learned and the subsequent adjustments made to tactics.
“The good part is that we are able to understand the tactical mistake which we made, remedy it, rectify it and then implement it again after two days and flew all our jets again, targeting at long range,” Chauhan told Bloomberg TV. He later reiterated this to Reuters, stating, “So we rectified tactics and then went back on the 7th, 8th and 10th in large numbers to hit air bases deep inside Pakistan, penetrated all their air defenses with impunity, carried out precision strikes.”
Previously, during and after the four-day conflict, official media briefings stopped short of confirming any losses. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Air Marshal A.K. Bharti, director-general of air operations, had acknowledged a combat situation with the understanding of losses, but declined to provide details. General Chauhan’s statement is the first official confirmation of losses.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif claimed earlier this month that his country had shot down six Indian fighter jets, including three French Rafales. Reports in foreign publications, including CNN, BBC, Le Monde and France 24, have circulated regarding the loss of Rafale fighter jets. The Indian government has yet to confirm the specific types and total number of aircraft lost during the May 7th engagement.
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