New Delhi/Jakarta: The Indian Embassy in Indonesia has clarified that remarks made by its Defence Attaché regarding Indian Air Force (IAF) jet losses during Operation Sindoor were “misrepresented” and “taken out of context.” The statement came after political backlash in India, particularly from the Congress Party, which alleged the government was hiding the truth about military setbacks.
During a seminar in Jakarta on June 10, Captain Shiv Kumar, India’s Defence Attaché to Indonesia, acknowledged that the IAF lost “some aircraft” during airstrikes targeting terror-linked infrastructure in Pakistan. He attributed the losses to political constraints that barred Indian forces from attacking Pakistani military assets or air defences.
“Only because of the constraint given by the political leadership to not attack the military establishment or their air defences,” Captain Kumar said, explaining why the IAF suffered losses in the initial phase. He noted that strategy was later revised to suppress enemy air defences and conduct deeper precision strikes using BrahMos missiles.
Following media coverage and political criticism, the Indian Embassy in Jakarta issued a statement asserting that the officer’s comments had been misinterpreted.
“His remarks have been quoted out of context, and the media reports are a misrepresentation of the intention and thrust of the presentation,” the embassy said.
It further explained that Operation Sindoor was aimed strictly at terror infrastructure, under instructions to maintain a non-escalatory stance.
“The presentation conveyed that Indian Armed Forces operate under civilian control, unlike in some neighbouring countries,” it added—an apparent reference to Pakistan’s military influence over its government.
The Congress Party seized on the controversy, with spokespersons accusing the Modi government of hiding military losses and misleading the public. Party communications head Jairam Ramesh demanded transparency and questioned why the Prime Minister had not briefed Parliament or held an all-party meeting.
Senior leader Pawan Khera called the remarks “a direct indictment” of the central government, alleging a cover-up of national security issues.
“They know they’ve compromised security, and they fear what we will expose,” Khera claimed.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan had earlier acknowledged tactical losses during Operation Sindoor, without providing specific figures. In a May interview, he said India later adopted more aggressive tactics, rejecting Pakistani claims of downing six Indian jets as “absolutely incorrect.”
