India confirms loss of fighter jets in May clashes with Pakistan

India has acknowledged the loss of an unspecified number of fighter jets during its recent four-day military conflict with Pakistan, marking the first public admission of aerial losses in the May 2025 hostilities.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, India's Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan confirmed the losses in an interview with Bloomberg TV.

He, however, emphasised the importance of understanding the reasons behind the losses rather than focusing solely on the number of aircraft downed.

The conflict, which erupted on May 7 following a gruesome attack in Indian- controlled Kashmir on April 22, which saw gunmen kill 26 civilians in what India called an act of terrorism orchestrated by Pakistan. Leaders in Islamabad denied involvement.

It saw intense aerial engagements between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Pakistan claimed to have shot down six Indian fighter jets, including three Rafale aircraft.

General Chauhan refuted these claims, labelling them as “absolutely incorrect.”

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“Why they were down, what mistakes were made - that are important,” Chauhan said when asked about the fighter jets. "Numbers are not important,” he added.

“The good part is that we are able to understand the tactical mistake which we made, remedy it, rectify it, and then implement it again after two days and flew all our jets again, targeting at long range,” Chauhan said.

The comments are the most direct yet from an Indian government or military official on the fate of the country's fighter jets during the conflict with Pakistan that erupted on May 7.

Earlier this month, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country shot down six Indian fighter jets, an assertion that hasn't been independently verified. India's government had earlier refrained from commenting on the issue.

In response to the initial setbacks, India revised its military tactics, conducting precision strikes deep into Pakistani territory between May 7 and 10. These operations reportedly penetrated Pakistani air defences and targeted key air bases.

The clash was the worst between the nuclear-armed neighbours in half a century, with both sides trading air, drone and missile strikes, as well as artillery and small arms fire along their shared border.

The conflict concluded with a ceasefire declared on May 10.

Both sides have since engaged in diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions, though the situation remains fragile.

As both nations assess the aftermath of the conflict, the international community continues to monitor the situation closely, urging restraint and dialogue to prevent further escalation.