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Clarification from the Indian Embassy in Indonesia

On Sunday, the Indian Embassy in Indonesia addressed comments made by its defense attaché during a recent seminar. The attaché suggested that the Indian Air Force (IAF) lost aircraft to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor due to political constraints. This clarification followed Congress's criticism, which accused the Modi government of misleading the public regarding military losses during a four-day conflict with Pakistan in May.

Controversy Surrounding the Defense Attaché's Remarks

The remarks made by the Indian defense attaché in Indonesia sparked significant controversy. He indicated that the IAF suffered losses in the early stages of Operation Sindoor because they were ordered to avoid attacking Pakistani military installations and instead target only terrorist sites. A video surfaced online on Sunday, allegedly showing Captain Shiv Kumar stating that the IAF lost aircraft to Pakistan on May 7 during Operation Sindoor due to directives from political leadership.

Embassy's Response to the Comments

In response to the video of Captain Shiv Kumar's comments from June 10, the Indian Embassy clarified that the officer was merely stating that the Indian armed forces operate under political leadership, unlike some neighboring countries. Captain Shiv Kumar was addressing a seminar at a university in Jakarta, discussing air power in the context of the India-Pakistan conflict.

Congress Seizes on the Comments for Political Gain

Meanwhile, Congress referenced Captain Shiv Kumar's remarks to claim that the IAF lost aircraft to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. They accused the government of misleading the nation on this issue. The Indian Embassy in Indonesia posted on social media, stating that the defense attaché's comments were taken out of context and that media reports misrepresented the intent and significance of his statements.

Objective of Operation Sindoor: Targeting Terrorist Infrastructure

The embassy's statement emphasized that the Indian armed forces, unlike some neighboring countries, operate under political leadership. It also clarified that the goal of Operation Sindoor was to target terrorist infrastructure and that Indian actions were not provocative. The defense attaché noted that due to orders from political leadership, the IAF could not strike Pakistani military installations during the initial phase of the operation.

Loss of Aircraft Due to Political Constraints

He explained, 'We lost some aircraft, and this was solely due to the political leadership's directive not to attack military installations or their air defense systems.' He added, 'However, after the losses, we adjusted our strategy and targeted military installations, successfully neutralizing the enemy's air defense systems, which allowed us to conduct our attacks using air-to-surface and surface-to-surface missiles with ease.'

Terrorist Attack in Pahalgam

These military actions were in response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals on April 22. The Pakistani army retaliated by shelling Indian villages near the Line of Control, leading to the deaths of at least 22 Indian civilians and eight security personnel. After four days of conflict, India and Pakistan reached an agreement to cease fire on May 10.

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