India has formally refuted reports concerning a presentation made by its Defence Attaché in Indonesia, which allegedly claimed that the Indian Air Force lost fighter jets during Operation Sindoor.

According to statements from the Indian Embassy in Indonesia, the remarks made by Captain Shiv Kumar were "taken out of context" and "misrepresenting the intention and thrust" of the presentation.

The Embassy clarified that the presentation was aimed at highlighting the Indian Armed Forces' subordination to civilian political leadership, in contrast to some neighbouring countries, and to explain that the objective of Operation Sindoor was to target terrorist infrastructure with a non-escalatory response.

The controversy began after India's Defence Attaché to Indonesia, Captain Shiv Kumar, reportedly acknowledged at a seminar that the IAF had lost "some aircraft" while targeting terror-linked sites in Pakistan on May 7, 2025.

These remarks were quickly seized upon by local and international media, leading to widespread speculation and criticism.

The Indian Embassy in Indonesia issued a statement clarifying that Captain Kumar's remarks were "taken out of context" and that the media reports were a "misrepresentation of the intention and thrust of the presentation."

The Embassy emphasised that the core message of the presentation was to highlight that the Indian Armed Forces operate under civilian political leadership, unlike some neighbouring countries. It also reiterated that the objective of Operation Sindoor was strictly to target terrorist infrastructure, and that India's military response was deliberately non-escalatory.

During the seminar, Captain Kumar explained that the losses occurred due to political constraints—specifically, directives from the Indian government not to attack Pakistani military establishments or air defences in the initial phase of the operation.

He stated, "I may not agree that India lost so many aircraft, but I do agree that we did lose some aircraft. And that happened only because of the constraint given by the political leadership to not attack the military establishment, or their air defences."

After these initial setbacks, the Indian forces reportedly adjusted their tactics, successfully suppressing enemy air defences and conducting further strikes with greater success.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan had previously acknowledged that the armed forces suffered some losses in the early stages of Operation Sindoor but strongly rejected exaggerated claims from Pakistan, such as the downing of six Indian jets, including three Rafales, calling such assertions "absolutely incorrect".

India acknowledges the loss of some aircraft during Operation Sindoor due to operational constraints imposed by political leadership, but strongly refutes exaggerated media reports and misrepresentations regarding the scale of these losses.

The official position remains that the operation was focused on counter-terrorism objectives and was conducted with restraint to avoid escalation.

Based On ANI Report