Indian official says political constraints led to jet losses

NEW DELHI – India’s political leadership did not permit strikes on Pakistani military bases at the start of hostilities between the two countries in May, allowing Islamabad to shoot down its fighter jets, according to a military official.

“I do agree we did lose some aircraft. That happened only because of the constraints given by the political leadership to not attack the military establishment or their air defence,” Mr Shiv Kumar, India’s military attache to Indonesia, said at a seminar on the India-Pakistan conflict at the Universitas Dirgantara Marsekal Suryadarma in Jakarta on June 10.

The worst clash between the nuclear-armed neighbours in half a century erupted on May 7, with both sides trading air, drone and missile strikes, as well as artillery and small-arms fire along their shared border.

It was triggered by an attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir on April 22 that killed 26 civilians in what India called an act of terrorism orchestrated by Pakistan. Islamabad has denied involvement.

Mr Kumar’s comments are the most direct explanation so far from an Indian official on why the country lost fighter jets during the conflict with Pakistan.

The assertion from a military official that a political directive at the start of the conflict could be responsible for the downing of the planes may embolden India’s opposition, which is scrutinising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government over the hostilities.

India’s Ministry of Defence and Ministry of External Affairs did not respond to e-mails seeking comments sent after office hours.

India’s Embassy in Indonesia said in a post on social media platform X that Mr Kumar’s comments at the seminar were “quoted out of context” and that he had wanted to convey that the “Indian Armed Forces serve under civilian political leadership”.

In an interview in May, the chief of defence staff