Defence Secretary RK Singh has categorically denied reports that India lost Rafale fighter jets during Operation Sindoor, calling such claims "absolutely not correct" and affirming that suggestions of multiple Rafale losses are unfounded.

Singh emphasised that Indian armed forces operated with full freedom and no political constraints during the conflict, and he highlighted that Pakistan suffered far greater losses in both human and material terms, with over 100 terrorists eliminated in the four-day exchange following India's retaliatory strikes after the Pahalgam terror attack.

The controversy arose after a video surfaced showing India's defence attaché in Indonesia, Captain Shiv Kumar, suggesting that India lost some aircraft in the initial phase of Operation Sindoor due to operational constraints imposed by the political leadership, which initially restricted the Indian Air Force from targeting Pakistani military installations and air defences.

However, both the Defence Secretary and other senior officials have pushed back against these claims, insisting that the narrative of Rafale losses is inaccurate and politically motivated.

Additionally, Dassault Aviation CEO Éric Trappier, the manufacturer of the Rafale, has also dismissed Pakistan's claims of shooting down Indian Rafale jets as "absolutely incorrect," stating that there is no evidence to support such assertions and that the success of a mission is measured by achieving objectives, not by having zero losses.

Indian military briefings have confirmed that while losses are a part of any combat scenario, all Indian pilots returned home, and the primary objectives of Operation Sindoor were achieved, including the elimination of high-value terrorist targets.

Official Indian sources and the Rafale manufacturer have firmly rejected reports of Rafale losses during Operation Sindoor, labelling them as incorrect and emphasizing the operation's success and the disproportionate losses suffered by Pakistan.

Agencies