ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday dismissed as “implausible” and “comical” the Indian Air Force chief’s claim that India had shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and a surveillance aircraft during clashes in May. The statement marks India’s first such assertion three months after the conflict, which Pakistan says resulted in six Indian jets being downed, including advanced Rafale aircraft.
Speaking at an event in Bengaluru, Indian Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh alleged that India’s Russian S-400 missile system had destroyed the Pakistani aircraft, including an “F-16” and a large surveillance plane at a range of 300 km. He called it the “largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill.” However, he provided no visual or verifiable evidence, nor did he specify the types of jets allegedly hit.
In a sharp response on X (formerly Twitter), Asif questioned why India waited three months to make these claims, while Pakistan had immediately presented technical evidence to international observers. He asserted that not a single Pakistani jet was lost, whereas India suffered heavy losses, including Rafales, S-400 batteries, and drones, with several airbases temporarily disabled.
The defence minister challenged India to allow independent verification of both sides’ aircraft inventories, warning that false narratives for political gains risk dangerous miscalculations in a nuclear-armed region. He reiterated Pakistan’s stance that any violation of its sovereignty would invite a “swift and proportionate” response, with India bearing full responsibility for escalation.
The US had previously mentioned “five jets” being downed during the conflict, without specifying which side’s aircraft were hit. Pakistan maintains that no planes were lost, while India’s military leadership has acknowledged losses but denied the scale claimed by Islamabad. The conflicting narratives highlight the ongoing tensions between the two nuclear rivals.