New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has stirred controversy once again with his remarks on the recent India-Pakistan conflict following the Pahalgam terror attack, claiming that “five jets were shot down” during the brief but intense exchange. Speaking at a private dinner with Republican lawmakers at the White House, Trump referenced the military escalation but did not specify which side’s aircraft were downed.
“In fact, planes were being shot out of the air—five, five, four or five—but I think five jets were shot down actually,” Trump stated, referencing the conflict that unfolded in early May after the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 people, including tourists.
Trump’s statement reignited attention on Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory military campaign launched on May 7, involving air, naval, and ground forces. Over the course of 72 hours, India conducted long-range precision strikes targeting what it described as terrorist camps and military infrastructure deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Pakistan has repeatedly claimed that its air force downed multiple Indian jets, including three French-built Rafale fighters, and allegedly captured Indian pilots during the engagement. However, no evidence has been presented to support these assertions.
India, while acknowledging the loss of aircraft, has rejected Pakistan’s version of events, particularly denying the loss of any Rafales or the capture of Indian personnel. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Indian Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan stated:
“What’s important is not the number of jets downed, but the reason they were lost. India quickly adapted its tactics and succeeded in conducting accurate strikes, even on heavily defended airfields, over 300 kilometres inside Pakistan.”
Indian officials have reiterated that all Indian pilots returned safely, and the Indian Air Force did not lose any Rafale jets. On June 15, Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, also dismissed Pakistan’s claims as “factually incorrect” in an interview, reinforcing India’s official stance.
Trump further claimed that it was US diplomatic pressure that led to the ceasefire declared on May 10, suggesting that the threat of halting trade negotiations played a pivotal role in calming tensions.
“We stopped a lot of wars. India and Pakistan were going at it. It was getting bigger and bigger. We solved it through trade pressure. We said, ‘You want a trade deal? Then stop throwing weapons,’” Trump said.
However, India has strongly denied that any foreign intervention played a role in ending the hostilities. Officials maintain that the crisis was resolved bilaterally, and there were no trade-related ultimatums involved.
The operation itself marked a rare coordinated response involving India’s Air Force, Army, and Navy, launched in the wake of one of the deadliest terror attacks in recent years. India targeted what it described as terror infrastructure, while maintaining that its own forces suffered minimal losses.
Despite the conflicting narratives, India has remained firm on its position, challenging both Pakistan’s claims and Trump’s assertions of US mediation. As political rhetoric continues to swirl, the true picture of what transpired during Operation Sindoor remains partly veiled behind layers of diplomacy and strategic silence.
