Hours after India claimed to have downed multiple advanced Pakistani fighter jets, Islamabad admitted that one of its aircraft was damaged, though it sought to downplay the scale of India’s air strikes.
At a press briefing on Sunday, Pakistan Army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry acknowledged the loss but described it as “minor damage to only one aircraft”, without disclosing the model or circumstances. He added that no Indian pilot was in Pakistani custody.
Meanwhile, Indian Air Force (IAF) Air Marshal AK Bharti, Director General of Air Operations, confirmed that Pakistani jets were shot down during “Operation Sindoor”, India’s coordinated aerial assault on terror camps and military installations across the border.
“We have downed a few planes,” Air Marshal Bharti said. “While we’re still assessing technical data, I won’t reveal exact numbers due to ongoing operational concerns.”
He confirmed Indian combat losses, but assured that all IAF pilots returned safely. “Losses are a part of combat, but our objectives—especially neutralising terror infrastructure—have been decisively met,” he added.
One of India’s precision missile targets was the Markaz Taiba complex in Muridke, identified as a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) training centre. Visuals shared by Reuters and ANI show the compound heavily damaged, suggesting a direct hit by Indian missiles.
The conflict escalated after Pakistan launched strikes on Indian civilian and military targets, following India’s earlier assault on terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the heartland.
India retaliated with surgical precision, reportedly damaging key Pakistani air bases. On Saturday, both countries agreed to a ceasefire understanding after Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) reached out to the Indian side.
However, tensions simmered again as Pakistan launched drone incursions into Indian cities just hours after the ceasefire, prompting a stern warning from New Delhi.
