ISLAMABAD: India’s opposition parties have launched a fierce attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, accusing it of hiding critical information about the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) losses during the May 7 air clash with Pakistan.
Opposition leaders allege that the government is compromising national security by concealing facts and bowing to external pressures, including those from former US President Donald Trump.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reiterated his accusations against PM Modi, claiming that political decisions made by the government had weakened India’s defence posture. Gandhi particularly pointed to the ceasefire negotiated by Trump and said Modi’s acceptance of it showed India’s inability to confront Pakistan.
A Congress spokesperson highlighted that Captain Shiv Kumar’s remarks about the loss of Indian aircraft in the May 7 air battle further validated their long-standing concerns. “Captain Shiv Kumar’s statement corroborates what Rahul Gandhi has been saying. It’s clear that aircraft were lost due to orders from the political leadership not to engage Pakistani military assets,” the spokesperson stated.
The remarks were made by Captain Shiv Kumar during a seminar titled “Analysis of the Pakistan–India Air Battle and Indonesia’s Anticipatory Strategies from the Perspective of Air Power” held at Universitas Dirgantara Marsekal Suryadarma in Jakarta.
Indian media outlets quoted Kumar admitting that the IAF “lost some aircraft” and attributed the losses to operational restrictions imposed by political authorities in New Delhi.
In response to the media coverage, the Indian Embassy in Indonesia issued a formal statement rejecting the reports as a misrepresentation. The embassy clarified that Kumar’s presentation emphasized civilian control over the armed forces and insisted that the operation was a limited mission targeting terrorist infrastructure, not Pakistani military installations.
The discrepancy between the official narrative and the remarks made at the seminar has fueled political tensions in India. The opposition is demanding transparency on the actual scale of military losses and the decision-making process during the 86-hour conflict between the two countries.
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated significantly in April, following an attack in Pahalgam, which resulted in 26 deaths. India immediately blamed Pakistan, and Pakistan categorically denied the accusations. However, India still went on to suspend the 65-year-old Indus Waters Treaty, cancelled Pakistani visas, closed the Wagah-Attari border crossing, and expelled Pakistan’s diplomatic staff.
On May 7, India launched missile strikes on six cities in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), killing dozens of civilians. Pakistan responded by shooting down several Indian warplanes, including three Rafale jets.
On May 10, a ceasefire was brokered by the United States, which was confirmed separately by both Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and India’s Foreign Secretary.
