The Indian Embassy in Indonesia issued a clarification on Sunday, addressing reports concerning comments made by its Defence Attaché, Navy Captain Shiv Kumar, regarding Indian Air Force losses during Operation Sindoor

The Indian Embassy in Indonesia issued a clarification on Sunday, addressing reports concerning comments made by its Defence Attaché, Navy Captain Shiv Kumar, regarding Indian Air Force losses during Operation Sindoor

The Indian Embassy in Indonesia issued a clarification on Sunday, addressing reports concerning comments made by its Defence Attaché, Navy Captain Shiv Kumar, regarding Indian Air Force losses during Operation Sindoor. The embassy stated that the captain’s remarks had been taken out of context and misrepresented by the media.

In a statement posted on X, the embassy emphasised that the presentation delivered by Captain Kumar at a recent seminar was misunderstood. “We have seen media reports regarding a presentation made by the Defence Attaché at a seminar. His remarks have been quoted out of context and the media reports are a misrepresentation of the intention and thrust of the presentation made by the speaker,” the embassy said.


The statement further clarified that the presentation highlighted the principle that the Indian Armed Forces operate under civilian political leadership, unlike some other countries in the region. It also explained that the objective of Operation Sindoor was to target terrorist infrastructure, and that India’s response was deliberately non-escalatory.

IAF lost ‘some aircraft’ during Operation Sindoor: Indian Navy Captain Shiv Kumar

During a presentation on 10 June, India’s Defence Attaché to Indonesia, Captain Shiv Kumar of the Indian Navy, disclosed that the Indian Air Force (IAF) lost “some aircraft” during Operation Sindoor, the May 7 strikes targeting terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). He claimed that these losses occurred because the political leadership had instructed the armed forces not to target Pakistani military infrastructure or air defences in the initial strike.

“Only because of the constraint given by the political leadership to not attack the military establishment or their air defences,” Captain Kumar said, clarifying why the IAF suffered fighter jet losses.

He further stated that following these losses, the Indian armed forces adjusted their tactics. “We went for the military installations... we first achieved suppression of enemy air defences and then... all our attacks could easily go through using BrahMos missiles,” he added.

The Defence Attaché’s candid remarks sparked criticism from the opposition Congress party, which accused the BJP-led government of misleading the nation. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questioned, “Why is the PM refusing to preside over an all-party meeting and take the Opposition into confidence? Why has the demand for a special session of Parliament been rejected?”

Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera also took to X, calling the defence attaché’s comments a “direct indictment.” He asserted, “They know they’ve compromised national security, and they’re terrified of what the Congress Party will expose before the people of India.”

Captain Kumar’s statements came during a seminar titled ‘Analysis of the Pakistan-India Air Battle and Indonesia’s Anticipatory Strategies from the Perspective of Air Power'.

Agencies