Four days after a ceasefire was established between India and Pakistan, key disagreements about their military encounters remain. Pakistan claims it shot down five Indian fighter jets on May 7, the first day of renewed fighting, in retaliation for Indian airstrikes on its territory.
Tensions escalated on May 7 when India bombed nine locations across six cities in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. India stated these strikes targeted what it described as "terrorist infrastructure." This action followed the tragic killings of 26 tourists in Kashmir by suspected militants on April 22, which sparked outrage in India. New Delhi accused Pakistan of supporting the attackers, a claim Pakistan denied.
In the days following the initial strikes, both countries exchanged attacks on each other’s airbases and deployed drones into each other’s territories. With fears of a nuclear conflict rising, U.S. officials intervened, urging both nations to de-escalate. On May 10, President Donald Trump announced a successful mediation that resulted in a ceasefire, which has held despite initial accusations of violations from both sides.
Pakistan reported that Indian strikes resulted in at least 51 deaths, including 11 soldiers and several children, while India acknowledged its losses, stating that five military personnel and 16 civilians had died.
Pakistan’s Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, claimed that in response to the Indian attacks, they shot down five Indian jets, a drone, and several quadcopters. The military spokesperson, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, added that these aircraft were downed within Indian territory and asserted that neither side had crossed into the other’s airspace during the conflict.
British defense analyst Michael Clarke noted that both countries had the capability to strike targets without entering each other’s airspace. He explained that their weapons systems have sufficient range for such operations.
On May 7, Pakistan’s Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed claimed that among the downed aircraft were three Rafale jets, a MiG-29, and an Su-30. He provided details about the aircraft involved and the locations where they were hit. The confrontation reportedly involved around 60 Indian aircraft and 42 Pakistani jets.
India has not officially confirmed or denied the claims of lost jets. When asked about the situation, India’s Director General of Air Operations, AK Bharti, refrained from providing specifics, stating that losses are part of combat but emphasizing that all Indian pilots returned safely.
Reports from various media outlets have offered differing accounts of the incidents, with some Indian security sources suggesting that three fighter jets crashed in Indian-controlled territory. However, no confirmations were made regarding the ownership of the downed planes. Other reports indicated that at least one Rafale jet might have been shot down.
As both nations continue to present conflicting narratives, analysts suggest that if India did indeed lose a Rafale, it would be an embarrassing situation for the country. For now, both sides seem unlikely to reach a consensus on the events that transpired.