New Delhi: Senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has triggered a sharp political backlash after claiming India suffered defeat on the first day of Operation Sindoor, the military response launched after the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a press conference in Pune, Chavan said the Indian Air Force remained grounded due to the risk of aircraft being shot down by Pakistan. He alleged Indian fighter jets were hit during a brief aerial engagement and said no aircraft took off from key air bases. His remarks questioned the official narrative presented by the government and the armed forces.
Chavan also raised concerns over the relevance of large ground forces in modern conflicts. He argued the operation involved aerial and missile warfare alone, with no reported movement of troops on the ground. He asked whether maintaining a standing army of over 12 lakh soldiers remained necessary in future wars.
The Bharatiya Janata Party reacted strongly, accusing Chavan of undermining the morale of the armed forces and echoing opposition leader Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the operation. Party leaders said such statements weakened India’s position on national security and demanded accountability.
The Indian military has rejected claims of aircraft losses. Officials said reports of fighter jets being shot down were incorrect and arose from remarks taken out of context. According to official statements, Operation Sindoor targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir. The armed forces said over 100 terrorists were killed using Rafale jets, SCALP missiles, and HAMMER precision weapons.
