India says it shot down Pakistani planes, while the latter accuses it of dishonesty
August 9, 202589 ViewsRead Time: 2 minutes
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The Indian Air Force chief said on Saturday that India shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and another military aircraft during clashes that occurred in May, in the first statement of its kind issued by India after its worst military conflict in decades with its neighbor Pakistan.
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif rejected this statement, saying that India did not hit or destroy a single Pakistani aircraft.
At an event held in Bangalore, southern India, Indian Air Force Marshal A.B. Singh confirmed that most of the Pakistani planes were shot down by a Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile system owned by India.
He noted that electronic tracking data confirms the execution of these strikes.
He said: "We have confirmed the downing of at least five fighter jets and one large aircraft," adding that the large aircraft, which could be a reconnaissance plane, was shot down from a distance of 300 kilometers.
He added: "This is actually the largest recorded surface-to-air shootdown ever."
Singh did not specify the types of fighter jets that were shot down, but he said that the airstrike also hit another reconnaissance aircraft and "a few F-16 fighter jets" that were in hangars at two air bases in southeastern Pakistan.
The Pakistani Defense Minister accused India of dishonesty in a post on "X", saying: "If the truth is in doubt, both sides should open their aircraft inventories for an independent investigation, although we suspect that this will reveal the reality that India seeks to hide."
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif rejected this statement, saying that India did not hit or destroy a single Pakistani aircraft.
At an event held in Bangalore, southern India, Indian Air Force Marshal A.B. Singh confirmed that most of the Pakistani planes were shot down by a Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile system owned by India.
He noted that electronic tracking data confirms the execution of these strikes.
He said: "We have confirmed the downing of at least five fighter jets and one large aircraft," adding that the large aircraft, which could be a reconnaissance plane, was shot down from a distance of 300 kilometers.
He added: "This is actually the largest recorded surface-to-air shootdown ever."
Singh did not specify the types of fighter jets that were shot down, but he said that the airstrike also hit another reconnaissance aircraft and "a few F-16 fighter jets" that were in hangars at two air bases in southeastern Pakistan.
The Pakistani Defense Minister accused India of dishonesty in a post on "X", saying: "If the truth is in doubt, both sides should open their aircraft inventories for an independent investigation, although we suspect that this will reveal the reality that India seeks to hide."
