Senior leader of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Subramanian Swamy, has admitted that Pakistan shot down five Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets during May clashes between the two countries – a claim Indian authorities had so far remained reluctant to verify. 

 

As tensions ran high between the nuclear-armed neighbours, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on the night of May 6-7 shot down five IAF fighter jets, including three French-made 4.5 generation Rafales. The reports, despite being confirmed by foreign observers, had not yet been confirmed or denied by Indian authorities.

 

Speaking at a press conference, Indian Air Marshal AK Bharti had said that “losses were a part of combat” and had not provided any details of the losses faced by India. “[I] would not like to comment as we are still in air combat situation. It will be [an] advantage for the adversary. We have achieved our objectives. All our pilots are back home,” he had said.

 

“Pakistan downed five of our planes,” Swamy, however, confirmed during a podcast with YouTube channel Press Talks on Friday.

 

When asked if China had played a role in downing the jets, Swamy said that it was indeed the case as the jets used by PAF were “Chinese-made”. He, however, dismissed claims that China was directly involved in a clash with India.

 

“The Chinese planes were good… [French-made] Rafale is not up to the mark as per India’s needs,” he said and went on to allege corruption in the procurement process of the jets.

 

Swamy also claimed that a probe into said corruption won’t be held for as long as Narendra Modi was the country’s premier. With Modi in power, no discussions or investigations will be conducted into the downing of the jets either, he said.