NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition in the Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi on Monday blasted the BJP government for its silence on the number of aircraft India lost in the conflict with Pakistan.
“EAM (External Affairs Minister) Jaishankar’s silence isn’t just telling, it’s damning. So I’ll ask again: How many Indian aircraft did we lose because Pakistan knew?” he said in a post on X.
“This wasn’t a lapse. It was a crime. And the nation deserves the truth,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, Chairman of All India Congress Committee (AICC) Media and Publicity Department, Pawan Khera, stated that Rahul Gandhi has raised questions regarding the silence of the external affairs minister on the issue.
He emphasised the significance of this, noting that US President Donald Trump has, over the past week, repeatedly claimed in various countries that he intervened to mediate and stop the war.
“Prime Minister Modi and the Foreign Minister will have to answer why this was done,” he said.
“The government should answer how many aircraft the country loses? What losses did the country suffer?” he asked.
Khera accused the BJP of engaging in petty politics on matters of national interest, claiming that the party assumes the opposition will stay silent and refrain from asking questions related to the country’s security.
“We will keep asking questions,” he noted.
Indian Defence Expert Praful Bakshi, while talking to the Indian media, said that only the Indian government has the authority to disclose its war losses, especially if the war is ongoing or tensions are high. “This is because the enemy could otherwise take advantage of it,” he added.
“If the government has decided that, for the security of the country, this information cannot be revealed, it will not be revealed,” he said.
“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know which bases could come under attack if the war is started,” he said.
“We do not wish to disclose how many aircraft we had, how many remain, or how many were purchased, or the reasons behind those purchases. Given the current situation, there is no need for such information to be made public,” said the expert.
Tension between India and Pakistan escalated after the April 22 attack in the Pahalgam area of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). India swiftly blamed Pakistan without presenting any credible evidence.
Pakistan condemned the attack and strongly denied the Indian allegations as baseless. Pakistan also offered a neutral and transparent international investigation into the incident.
However, New Delhi did not respond to Pakistan’s offer and continued with its aggressive posture.
On the night of May 6-7, India launched a series of air strikes on Pakistan, resulting in civilian casualties.
Pakistan responded firmly and downed five Indian fighter jets and destroyed a brigade headquarters and several military posts. Both sides then exchanged missiles, which stretched over the week.
On May 10, when tensions between the two countries peaked, US President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire had been reached between India and Pakistan.
According to the government, 40 civilians — including 7 women and 15 children — lost their lives in the Indian aggression, and 121 others sustained injuries.
