Asif Rejects IAF Chief’s Claims on Operation Sindoor as False

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Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif dismisses Indian Air Force chief’s claims of downing Pakistani jets during Operation Sindoor as “implausible” and politically motivated.

On August 9, 2025, Pakistan’s Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif firmly rejected assertions by Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who claimed India shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and one large aircraft during Operation Sindoor in May. Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Asif called the claims “implausible” and “ill-timed,” accusing India of using its military leadership to mask political failures, as reported by The News. He emphasized that no Pakistani aircraft were hit, while Pakistan’s forces neutralized six Indian jets, including Rafales, and disabled several Indian airbases during the clashes.

Asif highlighted that India remained silent on these claims for three months, while Pakistan promptly provided detailed technical briefings to international media post-conflict. According to Pakistan Today, he cited independent observers, including foreign intelligence and senior Indian politicians, who acknowledged India’s losses, such as Rafale jets, during the May 7-10 skirmishes. Asif challenged India to open its aircraft inventories for independent verification, stating, “The truth would lay bare the reality India seeks to obscure,” as quoted by The Express Tribune. He also noted that Indian forces suffered heavier losses along the Line of Control (LoC).

The minister’s rebuttal followed Singh’s speech at the Air Chief Marshal LM Katre Memorial Lecture in Bengaluru, where he credited India’s S-400 missile system for the alleged kills, including a 300-kilometer surface-to-air strike, per Financial Express. Asif dismissed these as “comical narratives” crafted for domestic political gain, warning that such falsehoods risk dangerous miscalculations in a nuclearized region, according to Geo News. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve, citing Operation Bunyanum Marsoos as proof of its swift response to sovereignty violations.

The conflict, sparked by a deadly April 22 attack in Pahalgam, saw both nations engage in intense cross-border strikes. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and India’s foreign secretary confirmed a ceasefire on May 10, mediated by the United States, as noted by The Express Tribune. Asif’s remarks underscore Pakistan’s stance that India’s claims are baseless and aimed at deflecting from its own military setbacks.