DC Edit | At Last, Clarity On War Gains

Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh’s revelation that India's forces shot down five Pakistan jets and a large military aircraft should bring closure to endless political discussion on Operation Sindoor. Coming as this does from an authentic military source, the damage wreaked on the Pakistan air force in the air and on the ground where too it may have lost a couple of F16s in airfield hangars may well have been the reason why Pakistan DGMO rushed to make a call to his Indian counterpart.

The losses suffered may also have prompted Pakistan to keep talking to the United States, including its President Donald Trump who may then have advised it to seek a ceasefire, and which could be the reason why he keeps thumping his chest on how he brought an end to the hostilities. It was indeed kind of the inveterate peacemaker Trump to act to defuse rather than take sides in the conflict.

Even if it was loath to admit it lost any aircraft, possibly one Rafale too, the government could have said all this in Parliament when Operation Sindoor was the subject of a lengthy debate. By not using the floor of the House to reveal this, a situation was created in which the doubters spouted conspiracy theories and repeatedly questioned the process by which India agreed to cease hostilities even though it was in a position of greater strength at that point.

It is the source of the IAF revelation that lends credibility to the fact of Indian superiority in the air using aircraft, missiles and drones to pepper the enemy country while India’s S-400 defence system, supplied by Russia, thwarted most of the projectiles that came from the other side. This is not only a matter of national pride in the efficacy of our defence forces but also a reassurance that our systems can stand up to the test when India is under attack.