“Air War Over the Subcontinent: Pakistan Claims Five Indian Jets Downed in High-Stakes Cross-Border Strike”

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – In a rapid escalation of hostilities between two nuclear-armed rivals, India has initiated a series of deep-penetration strikes on what it alleges to be terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistan, while Islamabad claims to have executed a punishing aerial retaliation, downing as many as five Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter aircraft.

Labelled “Operation Sindoor”, the Indian military campaign reportedly targeted nine high-value sites across Pakistan’s Punjab and Kashmir regions, with New Delhi asserting these locations were command nodes for cross-border attacks orchestrated against Indian interests.

In a statement issued shortly after the strikes, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry condemned the operation as “an unprovoked and blatant act of war,” stating that while Indian fighter jets did not cross into Pakistani airspace, they “violated Pakistan’s sovereignty using standoff weapons, targeting civilian population.”

This confrontation follows weeks of rising tension after a deadly incident in Pahalgam, in India-administered Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives and was swiftly attributed by Indian intelligence to armed groups allegedly backed by Islamabad.

As the regional security environment deteriorated further, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence told Reuters that its air defence forces had engaged and successfully downed five Indian fighter jets, a claim that—if validated—would mark one of the most significant single-day air losses for India in decades.

“The Indian Air Force jets shot down so far include three Rafale multirole fighters, one Sukhoi Su-30MKI, and one MiG-29,” the spokesperson said, stressing that the aircraft were downed inside Indian airspace, suggesting the engagement may have taken place using long-range intercept capabilities.

“No Pakistani Air Force aircraft has been lost,” he added, while confirming that Indian missile strikes on six Pakistani targets had resulted in the deaths of at least eight civilians.

Reports in Pakistani media have also surfaced alleging that Indian military personnel were captured during the exchange, possibly referring to pilots from the downed aircraft, though official confirmation remains absent.

According to the defence ministry spokesperson, Indian forces employed advanced standoff munitions, including SCALP cruise missiles and HAMMER precision-guided bombs, during the nighttime assault—indicating a well-coordinated, high-precision campaign leveraging India’s most modern strike capabilities.

“Two Indian Air Force aircraft have been confirmed shot down,” said Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, a senior commander in Pakistan’s Armed Forces.

“There are other reports of multiple damages… but I can confirm at least two aircraft have been downed,” he added, reinforcing the narrative of a successful defensive counter-strike.

In Islamabad, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar echoed the military’s defiant tone, declaring that the country’s armed forces were delivering a response that is “crushing and resolute, fully aligned with the sentiments of the nation.”

“This country will hold the enemy accountable for every single drop of its martyrs’ blood,” he said, underscoring the emotive and political significance of the conflict.

India’s Ministry of Defence, in its earlier official communique, claimed that the airstrikes were carefully calibrated and “India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and method of execution.”

Citing intelligence gathered over the past several months, an Indian defence source told Reuters that the targets included headquarters of the Islamist militant organisations Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)—groups with long-standing histories of cross-border violence and previously linked to major terror incidents in India.

Indian broadcaster CNN News-18 reported that the operation resulted in the deaths of 12 suspected militants and at least 55 injuries, quoting sources within India’s security establishment—although Reuters has not independently verified these figures.

Should Pakistan’s claims of shooting down three Rafale fighter jets prove accurate, it would constitute a staggering loss for the Indian Air Force, given that the Dassault Rafale, developed by France, is widely regarded as the IAF’s most advanced and capable multirole combat platform.

As of May 2025, India operates a full fleet of 36 Rafale fighters, all of which were delivered by France and deployed to two premier squadrons: the No. 17 “Golden Arrows” based in Ambala and the No. 101 “Falcons” stationed at Hasimara near the contested China border.

These Rafales include both EH (single-seat) and DH (twin-seat) land-based variants equipped with Meteor BVR missiles, SCALP cruise missiles, Spectra electronic warfare suites, and state-of-the-art AESA radars.

India is also expanding its Rafale inventory, having inked a $7.4 billion deal in April 2025 for 26 Rafale M carrier-based variants for the Indian Navy—comprising 22 single-seaters and 4 trainers—with delivery schedules spanning 2029 to 2031.

If fully realized, the total Indian Rafale fleet would rise to 62 aircraft, with an additional 40 Rafales reportedly under evaluation to compensate for ageing fleet numbers and attrition.

Alongside Rafale, India’s frontline airpower remains anchored by the Su-30MKI, of which over 260 units are currently in service, including 12 new airframes on order to replace combat losses and enhance readiness.

On the other side of the border, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) maintains a robust force of approximately 450 aircraft, including front-line fighters, trainers, AEW&C platforms, and electronic warfare systems.

Its operational inventory features a rapidly modernizing fleet including J-10C multirole fighters, around 75 F-16s in various configurations, and over 150 JF-17 Thunder jets across Blocks I to III—equipped with PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles and AESA radar.

Legacy assets such as Mirage III/V and F-7PGs still serve in secondary roles, although they are gradually being phased out in favor of newer platforms.

The intensity and technological sophistication of the current air conflict reflect a sobering reality: South Asia is now home to two heavily armed, adversarial air forces, both equipped with precision strike capabilities, advanced combat aircraft, and long-range missile systems.

With rhetoric hardening on both sides and no immediate signs of de-escalation, the region teeters on the edge of a broader conflict—one that could draw in strategic stakeholders far beyond the subcontinent.

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA