In a rare public admission, senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy confirmed that Pakistan shot down five Indian jets during the recent border conflict. He pointed to the underperformance of Rafale jets as a key reason behind the losses and criticised the Modi government for blocking investigations into the matter.
Jet Losses and Combat Performance
Swamy revealed that Pakistani forces, using Chinese aircraft, successfully downed five Indian planes, including Rafale fighters. “Chinese planes performed better than our French Rafales,” Swamy said. “The Rafale is not suited to India’s defence needs.” His comments dealt a blow to the credibility of India’s high-profile French jet acquisition.
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Allegations of Corruption
Swamy went further, alleging corruption in the Rafale deal. “There was corruption in the Rafale purchase,” he said. “But nothing will be investigated as long as Modi remains prime minister.” He accused the current leadership of suppressing scrutiny and said there would be no accountability for the combat losses.
India-Pakistan Clash Overview
The conflict began after a deadly attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir left 26 civilians dead. India blamed Pakistan without providing evidence. In retaliation, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, targeting Indian military positions and downing six fighter jets—three of them Rafales—as well as several drones.
The fighting ended with a US-brokered ceasefire on May 10, after 87 hours of intense military action.
Military Response and Silence
When questioned about the losses, Indian Air Marshal AK Bharti declined to confirm details, stating, “Losses are part of combat,” and claiming Indian objectives were met. However, he refused to elaborate, citing ongoing concerns about revealing information to the adversary.
Casualty Figures and Damage
Pakistan’s military reported that 53 people were martyred in Indian strikes during the confrontation, including 13 soldiers and 40 civilians.
Swamy’s remarks have intensified calls for transparency and a reassessment of India’s defence procurements amid rising public concern over the Rafale jet’s performance and the political cover-up surrounding it.
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