NEW DELHI/KARACHI – June 30:
The Indian National Congress has sharply criticized the Modi government, accusing it of misleading the nation about Indian Air Force (IAF) losses during Operation Sindoor, a cross-border military operation against Pakistan in May 2025. The opposition party is demanding transparency and accountability from the BJP-led administration over what it terms a “politically constrained” military campaign.
The backlash was triggered by remarks made by India’s defence attaché to Indonesia, Captain (Indian Navy) Shiv Kumar, who reportedly acknowledged during a Jakarta seminar that India lost fighter jets during the operation — losses that, according to him, occurred due to “constraints given by the political leadership.”
Congress Demands Special Session
Reacting strongly, Congress leaders including Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera have demanded a special session of Parliament and an all-party meeting, questioning why the Modi government has withheld key information about the conflict.
“The Modi government has misled the nation from the start,” said Pawan Khera, head of the Congress media department. “It failed to disclose the aircraft losses during Operation Sindoor and continues to hide behind vague statements.”
Khera cited past remarks by Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti, who said during a briefing: “We are in a combat situation and losses are part of combat,” hinting at casualties without specifying them.
Congress also highlighted that it was Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan who made the first official admission of attrition during a Bloomberg interview at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, but no detailed statement followed.
The Jakarta Remarks and Diplomatic Fallout
The controversy erupted after Capt Kumar’s remarks at a June 10 seminar in Universitas Dirgantara Marsekal Suryadarma, titled “Analysis of the Pakistan–India Air Battle and Indonesia’s Anticipatory Strategies from the Perspective of Air Power.”
While discussing India’s May 7 air raids targeting what New Delhi calls “terror-linked infrastructure” in Pakistan, Capt Kumar stated:
“I may not agree… that we lost so many aircraft, but I do agree we did lose some aircraft.”
He reportedly attributed the losses to political directives that limited operational parameters.
Indian Embassy Calls Remarks ‘Misrepresented’
In response, the Indian Embassy in Indonesia issued a statement rejecting the interpretation of Capt Kumar’s comments, saying:
“The defence attache’s remarks were quoted out of context and misrepresent the intent and thrust of his presentation.”
The embassy emphasized that the Indian military operates under full civilian control and that Operation Sindoor was deliberately non-escalatory, targeting militant infrastructure.
Mounting Questions for Modi, Rajnath, Jaishankar
The Congress party has intensified its pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, demanding they address the alleged cover-up.
“Why is the Prime Minister refusing to convene an all-party meeting?” Congress posted on X (formerly Twitter). “What are Modi, Rajnath, and Jaishankar hiding from the people?”
The party contends that silence from the top brass, combined with inconsistencies in official messaging, raises troubling questions about the politicization of military operations, operational readiness, and civil-military accountability in wartime decision-making.
Political Implications
This latest episode adds to growing scrutiny of the Modi government’s handling of national security and foreign policy, especially as tensions with Pakistan remain volatile following Operation Sindoor.
Observers say the controversy could reshape the domestic political narrative, as Congress seeks to portray the BJP as manipulating military outcomes for political gain, while the government is likely to double down on national security rhetoric and secrecy.
The calls for a parliamentary inquiry and official disclosures could escalate if more defence insiders or international observers validate the aircraft loss reports, or if Pakistan releases additional intelligence on the May operation.