Sparks Renewed Debate Over Operation Sindoor, Losses, and U.S. Role in Ceasefire.
🗣️ Trump’s Bold Statement at White House Dinner
At a private dinner with Republican lawmakers at the White House, former U.S. President Donald Trump made a dramatic claim that “five jets were shot down” during the recent India-Pakistan military confrontation following the Pahalgam terror attack.
“Planes were being shot out of the air — five, five, four or five — but I think five jets were shot down actually,” Trump said, without specifying which country’s aircraft were downed.
His comments have reignited focus on Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory strike operation that followed the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people, including tourists.
🚨 What Is Operation Sindoor?
- Launched on the night of May 7.
- Triggered by the Pahalgam attack on April 22.
- Involved joint operations by the Indian Air Force, Army, and Navy.
- Targeted “terror infrastructure and military assets” in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
- The operation lasted approximately 72 hours, with precision missile and air strikes up to 300 km inside Pakistan, according to Indian military officials.
🇮🇳 🇵🇰 Conflicting Claims on Air Losses
🛩️ Pakistan’s Allegations:
- Claims to have shot down multiple Indian aircraft, including three Rafale fighter jets.
- Alleges it captured Indian pilots, but has not provided verifiable evidence.
🇮🇳 India’s Position:
- Acknowledges some aircraft losses, but strongly denies losing Rafales or any pilots being captured.
- Air Marshal A.K. Bharti stated on May 11 that all pilots returned safely.
- Indian Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan confirmed IAF losses but emphasized that: “What is important is not the jet being downed, but why they were downed.”
✋ France Weighs In:
- Eric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation (Rafale manufacturer), called Pakistan’s claim “factually incorrect”. “What Pakistan is claiming about downing three Rafales is simply not true,” he told Challenges, a French magazine.
🔍 Strategic Gains and Precision Strikes
General Chauhan also highlighted India’s rapid tactical adaptation:
- Follow-up waves of long-range strikes were carried out successfully.
- Precision targeting of highly defended Pakistani airfields demonstrated significant operational depth.
“We struck targets deep inside, 300 km in, with metre-level precision,” said Chauhan at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
🤝 Ceasefire & Trump’s Mediation Claim
🕊️ Trump’s Version:
- Claimed the May 10 ceasefire was the result of U.S. diplomatic pressure.
- Said the U.S. used trade negotiations as leverage to de-escalate tensions.
“We said, you guys want a trade deal? We’re not doing one if you’re throwing around weapons — maybe nuclear weapons,” Trump said.
🇮🇳 India Pushes Back:
- Firmly denies any U.S. mediation.
- Maintains that the conflict was resolved bilaterally without outside intervention.
- Indian officials have rejected claims that the U.S. threatened to halt trade talks to force peace.
🧾 Summary of Key Points
- Trump claimed 5 jets were downed, but offered no specifics.
- Operation Sindoor was India’s largest tri-service response since Balakot.
- Pakistan made unverified claims of Indian losses.
- India admitted losses but dismissed exaggerated figures.
- Both sides maintain conflicting narratives around ceasefire mediation.
- No independent verification has been provided for most aerial loss claims.
📌 Conclusion
While Trump’s remarks may reignite debate over the military escalation and subsequent ceasefire, the lack of detail and independent verification raises more questions than answers. The operation, losses, and diplomatic dynamics remain contested — with both India and Pakistan sticking to starkly different versions of events.
