During the 93rd Air Force Day celebrations, India’s Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh reaffirmed that five Pakistani jets, including F-16 and JF-17 aircraft, were shot down during Operation Sindoor in May.  He countered claims made by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the UN, who had alleged Pakistani forces had downed seven Indian jets during that operation.

The IAF chief asserted that India had struck multiple airfields and installations in Pakistan, significantly damaging radars, hangars, runways, and command-and-control centres.  He also mentioned evidence of one long-range strike—over 300 km—targeting either an AEW&C or SIGINT aircraft, in addition to the downing of the five high-tech fighters.

In a sharp rebuttal, Singh mocked Pakistan’s counterclaims of shooting down 15 Indian jets, calling them “manohar kahaniyan” (fascinating tales).  He challenged Pakistan to show proof or images of Indian aircraft, as India had done with Pakistani bases