Indian Military Begins to Accept Its Losses in "Operation Sindoor" Against Pakistan

[Riaz Haq]

The Indian military leadership is finally beginning to slowly accept its losses in its unprovoked attack on Pakistan that it called "Operation Sindoor". It began with the May 31 Bloomberg interview of the Indian Chief of Defense Staff General Anil Chauhan in Singapore where he admitted losing Indian fighter aircraft to Pakistan in an aerial battle on May 7, 2025.  General Chauhan further revealed that the Indian Air Force was grounded for two days after this loss. 

General Chauhan was followed by Navy Captain Shiv Kumar, the Indian Defense Attache in Jakarta, Indonesia, who explained last month that the Indian Air Force losses occurred due to "constraint by (the Indian) political leadership" imposed on the Indian Air Force. He said the Indian forces had been directed not to target Pakistan’s military infrastructure or air defenses. “Only because of the constraint given by the political leadership to not attack the military establishment or their air defenses,” he said, explaining why the IAF suffered the loss of fighter jets. 

Yesterday, Lieutenant General Rahul Singh, India's Deputy Chief of the Army, blamed the losses on Chinese help for Pakistan. He said India faced three enemies: Pakistan, China and Turkey based on the equipment used by Pakistan in the latest round. By this logic, Pakistan faced four or more enemies: India and its arms suppliers France, Israel and Russia whose equipment was used by the Indian military in Operation Sindoor against Pakistan. 

General Singh said the Pakistanis were closely watching the Indian military's moves in real time. “When the DGMO-level talks were going on, Pakistan actually was mentioning that ‘we know that your such and such important vector is primed and ready for action. I would request you to perhaps pull it back’. So he was getting live inputs … from China,” he added. 

Using a homegrown datalink (Link-17) communication system, Pakistan has integrated its ground radars and satellite links with a variety of fighter jets and airborne early warning aircraft (Swedish Erieye AWACS) to achieve high level of  situational awareness in the battlefield, according to experts familiar with the technology developed and deployed by the Pakistan Air Force. This integration allows quick execution of a "kill chain" to target and destroy enemy assets, according to experts. This capability was demonstrated recently in the India-Pakistan aerial battle of May 7-8 that resulted in the downing of several Indian fighter jets, including the French-made Rafale.  

In an earlier statement, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar told Newsweek:  “I was in the room when the US vice president spoke to Prime Minister Modi on the night of May 9, warning that the Pakistanis would launch a very massive assault on India if we did not accept certain things". “That night, Pakistan did launch a large-scale attack,” Jaishankar said. India sought and accepted the ceasefire immediately after the "large-scale attack" launched by Pakistan. 

These statements by the Indian military brass lead to only one conclusion: Not only is there an implicit admission of India's failed "Operation Sindoor", but also a litany of lame excuses for the losses incurred by the Indian military. The fact is that the Indian leadership clearly underestimated Pakistan's capacity for a strong military and diplomatic response to the Indian provocation labeled "Operation Sindoor".  New Delhi was caught unprepared for it. 

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[Riaz Haq]

Jayant Bhandari
@JayantBhandari5
So India did lose five planes a few hours after it started a fight with Pakistan. The IAF was grounded for two days. What an embarrassment! A small nation of Ukraine is more competent. Indians have to stop self-delusions and start being realistic.

https://x.com/JayantBhandari5/status/1946757503368503620

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Pravin Sawhney
@PravinSawhney
Folks, get real about PAF's Electronic Warfare capabilities seen in the air battle of May 6/7 night #operationsindhoor
Now, the PAF set up its Centre of AI & Computing (CENTAIC) in August 2020 - of course, with PLA help. CENTAIC priority project was Cognitive EW (EW with AI capabilities). For five years (2020-2025) surely the PAF was working & training on advanced EW.
Now, Rafale Spectra EW suite does not have AI supported EW.
Why? Ask
@IAF_MCC
.
Of course, good EW is one of the many reasons for PAF performance.
So, stop building narratives & focus on war preparedness - since Operation Sindoor has not ended. It has merely been paused by Prime Minister Modi!

https://x.com/PravinSawhney/status/1946751422902706191

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Rabia Akhtar
@Rabs_AA
HAL delays. Engine failures. Budget shortfalls. Meanwhile, India faces a two-front challenge. The Indian Air Force is in no shape for sustained deterrence, let alone escalation.

Sumit Ganguly hits hard: India’s Air Force Is in Crisis

https://x.com/Rabs_AA/status/1946605804678676607

"More than two months after engaging in brief combat operations with Pakistan, the Indian Air Force (IAF) finds itself in crisis. There were evident shortcomings in its performance during the May conflict—especially compared with its role in India’s wars with Pakistan in 1947-48, 1965, 1971, and 1999. In this year’s skirmish, the IAF lost several combat aircraft, though the precise number remains contested.

The IAF has a sanctioned strength of 42 operational squadrons, but its actual capabilities have shrunk to 31 squadrons at best due to India’s slow defense acquisition process. Worse still, in recent months, at least three of the IAF’s British-French Jaguar fighter jets have crashed during training operations, including in a July 9 incident that killed two pilots. The Jaguars were inducted into the IAF in 1979, and India still relies on them due to cost considerations and other hurdles"

[Riaz Haq]

Arnaud Bertrand
@RnaudBertrand
It's done: China just launched the construction of the Yarlung Tsangpo dam project (https://scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3318875/chinas-li-qia...).

It'll be by far the world’s largest hydroelectric facility, generating 3 times more electricity than the Three Gorges dam, 300 billion kilowatt-hours.

This dam project alone could power almost a quarter (21.6%) of all US households, since the average U.S. household consumes about 10,500 kilowatthours (kWh) of electricity per year (https://eia.gov/energyexplained/use-of-energy/electricity-use-in-ho...) and there are 132 million households in the US (https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/TTLHH).

It could also power the entirety of France and Italy COMBINED, since the average electricity consumption in France is 2 223 kWh per person per year (https://particuliers.engie.fr/electricite/conseils-electricite/cons...(4)), the scale is almost too unfathomable to believe.

https://x.com/RnaudBertrand/status/1946854532043899326

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China’s Li Qiang announces launch of Tibet mega dam project that has worried India
Premier Li Qiang attends groundbreaking ceremony for Yarlung Tsangpo dam on Tibetan Plateau with projected 300 billion kWh annual capacity

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3318875/chinas-li...

Meredith Chen
Published: 10:41pm, 19 Jul 2025Updated: 10:47pm, 19 Jul 2025
Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Saturday announced the launch of a mega dam project on the Tibetan Plateau, in what is expected to be the world’s largest hydroelectric facility.

The massive project, located in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, has raised concerns about water supply and environmental impact downstream in India and Bangladesh.
Li attended the dam’s groundbreaking ceremony in Nyingchi, a southeastern city in the Tibet autonomous region, state news agency Xinhua reported on Saturday.




The Yarlung Tsangpo becomes the Brahmaputra River as it leaves Tibet and flows south into India’s Arunachal Pradesh and Assam states, and finally into Bangladesh.

Beijing first announced plans for the dam in 2020 under its five-year plan, as part of a broader strategy to exploit the hydropower potential of the Tibetan Plateau. The plan was approved last December.

The project is said to be the largest of its kind in the world, with an estimated annual capacity of 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity – three times that of the Three Gorges Dam.
However, it has raised concerns in India and Bangladesh about the impact on their water and food security. There are also worries about population displacement and major environmental disruption, as well as potential weaponisation of water by China, which could use the dam to cause floods or induce droughts.

China asserts that the project has undergone rigorous scientific evaluation and will not adversely affect the ecological environment, geological stability, or water resource rights of downstream countries. Beijing has also emphasised that it will not try to benefit at the “expense of its neighbours”.
Rather, the project could help in disaster prevention and mitigation efforts, and support climate change adaptation in downstream regions, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.

The dam has reportedly prompted India to speed up its own hydropower projects on the Brahmaputra in Arunachal Pradesh to assert water resource rights.

India maintains that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of its territory, while China claims it as part of southern Tibet and has objected to other Indian infrastructure projects there.

The mega project in Tibet will have five cascade hydropower stations, with a total investment estimated at around 1.2 trillion yuan (US$167 billion), the Xinhua report said.

[Riaz Haq]

Tejasswi Prakash
@Tiju0Prakash
We’re losing air superiority.

IAF now has just 29 squadrons, dangerously close to Pakistan’s 25, who already shot down 6 of our jets, including Rafales.
China? 66 squadrons & 1,200 jets.

After 10 years in power, Modi govt failed to modernize our air force, cancelled crucial deals, delayed Tejas production, and now we're staring at a security crisis.

Photo-ops don’t defend borders. Strategy does.

https://x.com/Tiju0Prakash/status/1948671157177331985

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Fighter jets: Flying towards scary parity with Pakistan

With the last MiG-21s getting phased out, IAF will have almost the same number of fighters as PAF

By Rudroneel Ghosh

A squadron typically has 18-20 fighter jets. In two months’ time, India will have 522 fighter jets. Pakistan has 450, and China, 1,200.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/fighter-jets-flying-towar...

As of October, India will have 29 fighter jet squadrons, while Pakistan will have 25, resulting in near-parity.This reduction in India's squadrons is due to the retirement of the MiG-21. In contrast, China's air force boasts 66 fighter squadrons.
India's Fighter Jet Situation:
Squadron Count: India's fighter jet squadron number will drop to 29.
Historical Context: The Indian Air Force (IAF) was established in 1932 and has operated around 90 squadrons, including 31 with fighter aircraft.
Aircraft Types: The IAF operates a variety of combat, patrol, and transport aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs.
Key Squadrons: Of the 29 squadrons, only 13 are equipped with the modern Su-30 MKI and 2 with the Rafale.
Retirements: The MiG-21 is set to retire in September, contributing to the reduction in squadron numbers.
Current Need: The IAF is assessed to need 42 squadrons to be at full strength.
Modernization Efforts: India is looking to acquire 2-3 squadrons of fifth-generation fighter jets from the US or Russia, and also plans to build 114 modern 4.5+ generation fighters under the "Make in India" initiative.
Pakistan's Fighter Jet Situation:
Squadron Count:
Pakistan currently has 25 fighter jet squadrons.
Key Aircraft:
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) relies on the JF-17 Thunder, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and J-10C, according to a YouTube video.
JF-17 Backbone:
The JF-17, co-developed with China, forms the numerical backbone of the PAF.
Modernization:
The PAF has been modernizing and adapting its fleet, including incorporating the J-10C from China.
Deterrence:
The PAF has been shaped into a force focused on deterrence and tactical flexibility, with a focus on agility and a networked doctrine.
China's Air Force:
Squadron Count:
China's air force has a significantly larger number of fighter squadrons, with 66.
Advanced Capabilities:
China is also reportedly working on sixth-generation fighter jets and may provide fifth-generation aircraft to Pakistan.

[Riaz Haq]

Alan Warnes
@warnesyworld
Obviously a man who understands what happened on May 6/7 between the #IndianAirForce and #PakistanAirForce. Even if it won't go down well with many of his compatriots.
@PravinSawhney

https://x.com/warnesyworld/status/1949196288739905649

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Pravin Sawhney
@PravinSawhney
CDS Anil Chauhan has said that #OperationSindoor is still on.
This has been said to give escape route to the government to not discuss the air battle on May 7/8 night with the opposition in the Parliament.
Without this, rest is of little consequence because both sides have understood their operational gaps & will fill them swiftly with appropriate weapons acquisition.
The air battle is a different ballgame for four reasons:
1. It is about building a digital ecosystem to support air power to operate at beyond visual ranges. Putting this hardware & software is time consuming.
2. It is about pilot training to optimally operate a complex digital system which takes years of training, dedicated & focus
3. It is about advanced Electronic Warfare. This is what no nation shares with another.
4. Between India & Pakistan, the air war will largely determine the campaign outcome.
Moreover, no sensible nation uses its air power against a peer military competitor on non military targets deep within enemy territory. Worse, to believe that after such act the enemy, when informed, will not retaliate is to live in a fantasy world.
I have great difficulty in understanding India's political & military leadership!

https://x.com/PravinSawhney/status/1948932600266883538