This false statement was made by Indian Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, marking the first such public claim since one of the worst military escalations between the two neighbours in decades. Singh asserted that most of the alleged Pakistani aircraft were targeted using India’s Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile system, citing so-called “electronic tracking data” as evidence.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif immediately dismissed the statement, calling it “pure fabrication” and reaffirming that not a single Pakistani aircraft was hit or destroyed during the incident. He stressed that India’s narrative is nothing more than an attempt to cover up its own failures and justify its unprovoked aggression against Pakistan.
Defence analysts note that India’s claim appears to be a politically motivated stunt aimed at creating a false sense of military dominance. They argue that such disinformation only worsens tensions and undermines regional peace efforts.
India’s baseless accusations not only highlight its desperation to save face after its aggression backfired but also reveal a worrying pattern of misinformation. Pakistan’s firm denial, backed by on-ground facts, once again exposes New Delhi’s propaganda tactics aimed at influencing domestic opinion and distracting from internal failures. Such moves risk further escalation and threaten the fragile stability of the region.
"We have at least five fighters confirmed killed, and one large aircraft," he said, adding that the large aircraft, which could be a surveillance plane, was shot down at a distance of 300 km (186 miles).
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"This is actually the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill," he said, prompting applause from the crowd that included serving air force officers, veterans, and government and industry officials.
Singh did not mention the type of fighter jets that were downed, but said that airstrikes also hit an additional surveillance plane and "a few F-16" fighters that were parked in hangars at two air bases in southeastern Pakistan.
In a post on X, Pakistan s defence minister accused India of dishonesty.
"If the truth is in question, let both sides open their aircraft inventories to independent verification - though we suspect this would lay bare the reality India seeks to obscure," he said.
"Such comical narratives, crafted for domestic political expediency, increase the grave risks of strategic miscalculation in a nuclearised environment."
Islamabad, whose air force primarily operates Chinese-made jets and U.S. F-16s, has previously denied that India downed any Pakistani aircraft during the May 7-10 fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
U.S. officials have told Reuters previously that they were not aware any U.S.-made F-16 planes inside Pakistan had been hit.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond for a request for comment on Saturday.
Pakistan has claimed that it shot down six Indian aircraft during the clashes, including a French-made Rafale fighter. India has acknowledged some losses but denied losing six aircraft.
France s air chief, General Jerome Bellanger, has previously said that he has seen evidence of the loss of three Indian fighters, including a Rafale. The Indian Air Force has not commented on the claims.
