Uttam Kumar Reddy said after today’s statement by Gen Chauhan, there is a need to understand why Indian fighter aircraft were downed, what mistakes were made
N Uttam Kumar Reddy (DC image)
HYDERABAD: Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, former Indian Air Force fighter pilot, on Saturday said it was time for the Centre to come clean on the losses suffered by the Indian Air Force during Operation Sindoor targeting Pakistan.
At a press conference in New Delhi, Uttam Kumar Reddy said: “The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Anil Chauhan, today confirmed India lost some of its fighter aircraft in the four-day operation. Earlier too, the Director General of Air Operations Air Marshal A.K. Bharati in his media briefing, when asked about reports of fighter aircraft losses by the IAF, had said losses are normal in combat, but that the pilots came home adding that the objectives were achieved.”
Making it clear that everyone in the Congress took great pride in the IAF’s achievements during Operation Sindoor, and that the party had nothing but respect and great admiration for their successes during the operation, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that following Gen. Chauhan statement, there was a need to understand why the aircraft were downed, and what mistakes were made that led to these losses.
Speaking to the media at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi, Uttam Kumar Reddy also said when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asked similar questions, the BJP ecosystem had attacked him as being ‘anti-national and unpatriotic’. “Will Gen. Chauhan be now called anti-national and unpatriotic because he said we lost fighter aircraft in the conflict,” the former IAF official asked.
“When the firing was from within international borders from both sides, and we still lost our fighter aircraft, a serious reassessment of technology we use is required so lessons are learnt and we can improve in those aspects,” he said. He said India lost some of its frontline Rafale aircraft during the conflict.
“Now that there is a ceasefire that is holding, the Government of India must come clean. It is understandable that during combat operations, details may have been withheld. Every country informs its public about the losses inflicted on the enemy and its own losses. The entire country must realise that for some reason, the Government of India is not being upfront with whatever happened,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy also pointed out how Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who heads the IAF, expressed his unhappiness at least thrice on how under-prepared the IAF was with India facing a two-front threat. “This needs to be taken seriously and India needs to strengthen its air force. Against the sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons of fighter aircraft, India has only 31 squadrons, with each squadron having a strength of 16 to 18 aircraft,” he said.
“The Indian government must wake up to this reality and strengthen our armed forces considerably more. The IAF chief said the air force needs 35 to 40 new aircraft annually. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is supposed to deliver 35 aircraft but has failed. He also pointed to talent shortage in the IAF, which is a matter of serious concern. He said technology delayed is technology denied,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
“The Congress party supports rapid indigenisation and when in power, it ensured the armed forces received everything they needed. We must accept that both in quality and quantity on this front, we have fallen behind. The government must take urgent steps. The government must be more transparent and reassess technological needs,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
At a press conference in New Delhi, Uttam Kumar Reddy said: “The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Anil Chauhan, today confirmed India lost some of its fighter aircraft in the four-day operation. Earlier too, the Director General of Air Operations Air Marshal A.K. Bharati in his media briefing, when asked about reports of fighter aircraft losses by the IAF, had said losses are normal in combat, but that the pilots came home adding that the objectives were achieved.”
Making it clear that everyone in the Congress took great pride in the IAF’s achievements during Operation Sindoor, and that the party had nothing but respect and great admiration for their successes during the operation, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that following Gen. Chauhan statement, there was a need to understand why the aircraft were downed, and what mistakes were made that led to these losses.
Speaking to the media at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi, Uttam Kumar Reddy also said when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asked similar questions, the BJP ecosystem had attacked him as being ‘anti-national and unpatriotic’. “Will Gen. Chauhan be now called anti-national and unpatriotic because he said we lost fighter aircraft in the conflict,” the former IAF official asked.
“When the firing was from within international borders from both sides, and we still lost our fighter aircraft, a serious reassessment of technology we use is required so lessons are learnt and we can improve in those aspects,” he said. He said India lost some of its frontline Rafale aircraft during the conflict.
“Now that there is a ceasefire that is holding, the Government of India must come clean. It is understandable that during combat operations, details may have been withheld. Every country informs its public about the losses inflicted on the enemy and its own losses. The entire country must realise that for some reason, the Government of India is not being upfront with whatever happened,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy also pointed out how Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who heads the IAF, expressed his unhappiness at least thrice on how under-prepared the IAF was with India facing a two-front threat. “This needs to be taken seriously and India needs to strengthen its air force. Against the sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons of fighter aircraft, India has only 31 squadrons, with each squadron having a strength of 16 to 18 aircraft,” he said.
“The Indian government must wake up to this reality and strengthen our armed forces considerably more. The IAF chief said the air force needs 35 to 40 new aircraft annually. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is supposed to deliver 35 aircraft but has failed. He also pointed to talent shortage in the IAF, which is a matter of serious concern. He said technology delayed is technology denied,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
“The Congress party supports rapid indigenisation and when in power, it ensured the armed forces received everything they needed. We must accept that both in quality and quantity on this front, we have fallen behind. The government must take urgent steps. The government must be more transparent and reassess technological needs,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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