Reporter Pan Jiajia / Comprehensive Report
Indian Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan confirmed on May 31 that an Indian fighter jet was shot down during the recent India-Pakistan conflict. However, he emphasized that the focus should be on understanding the reasons behind the downing of the aircraft rather than the numbers. He stated that tactical errors have been corrected, leading to successful follow-up strikes.

According to reports from Al Jazeera, Chauhan confirmed during an interview at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore that Indian aircraft suffered losses in the early stages of operations but declined to provide details. He mentioned, “The important thing is to clarify why the losses occurred and what actions to take afterward.”

Regarding Pakistan's claim that it shot down six Indian aircraft, including the French-made Mirage fighter jets, Chauhan firmly denied this statement, stating that it was “absolutely incorrect.” Regarding whether Indian jets were shot down by the Chinese J-10C fighter jet, he did not respond directly.

This incident stems from a terrorist attack in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people, mostly tourists. This triggered a rapid deterioration in India-Pakistan relations, leading to a four-day military conflict that began on May 7, during which cross-border firing occurred in the disputed Kashmir region, with both sides claiming to have shot down each other's aircraft. Fearing that the conflict could escalate between two nuclear-armed nations, the international community, including the United States, actively intervened, resulting in a ceasefire agreement reached on May 10.

Chauhan stressed that even with the ceasefire now in place, India will closely monitor Pakistan's subsequent actions, stating that if there is another terrorist attack, India will respond strongly without hesitation.