Indian air force indirectly admits Rafale shot down

Ag Reuters

NEW DELHI/MUZAFFARABAD: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has finally, albeit indirectly, admitted that it suffered aircraft losses in combat with Pakistan days after the Pakistani military said it had shot down three Rafale and two other Indian aircraft.

Responding to a question at a news briefing whether the IAF suffered losses, Indian Air Marshal AK Bharti said on Sunday that “losses are a part of combat” without giving details but added that all its pilots were back home after fighting with Pakistan this week.

As the US-brokered ceasefire that came into effect Saturday afternoon holds between Pakistan and India, New Delhi on Sunday again claimed truce violations. Pakistan rejected a similar allegation made by India’s foreign secretary on Saturday as well as on Sunday. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had said Pakistan remains committed to the “faithful implementation of ceasefire”. The commitment was unequivocally reiterated by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif on Sunday.

India’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) sent a “hotline message” to Pakistan’s DGMO on Sunday about alleged violations of the ceasefire, a top Indian army officer told Reuters.

“Sometimes, these understandings take time to fructify, manifest on the ground,” Lt-General Rajiv Ghai, the Indian DGMO, told a media briefing, referring to the truce.

He claimed his Pakistani counterpart called him on Saturday afternoon and proposed the two countries “cease hostilities” and “urgently requested for a ceasefire”. The ISPR DG rubbished this claim in Sunday’s press briefing.

The US media has reported that, alarmed by intelligence signalling further escalation, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles drove urgent mediation. Vance warned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of catastrophic risks and encouraged direct talks between India and Pakistan.

US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire on Saturday, saying it was reached after talks mediated by Washington. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said India and Pakistan had also agreed to start talks on “a broad set of issues at a neutral site”.

While Islamabad has thanked Washington for facilitating the ceasefire and welcomed Trump’s offer to mediate on the Kashmir dispute with India, New Delhi has not commented on US involvement in the truce or talks at a neutral site.