Indian Embassy in Indonesia Clarifies Defence Attaché’s Remarks on Operation Sindoor
The Indian Embassy in Indonesia has issued a clarification addressing media reports surrounding comments made by Defence Attaché, Navy Captain Shiv Kumar, regarding Indian Air Force (IAF) losses during Operation Sindoor.
The embassy stated that the remarks were taken out of context and misrepresented in the media.
In a statement posted on X, the embassy emphasised that Captain Kumar’s comments, made during a recent seminar, were misunderstood.
“We have seen media reports regarding a presentation made by the Defence Attaché at a seminar. His remarks have been quoted out of context and the media reports are a misrepresentation of the intention and thrust of the presentation made by the speaker,” the statement read.
Presentation Highlighted India’s Civilian Leadership and Non-Escalatory Approach
The embassy further clarified that the presentation aimed to underline that the Indian Armed Forces function under civilian political leadership, unlike some neighbouring countries.
It also explained that the primary objective of Operation Sindoor was to target terrorist infrastructure and that India’s response was deliberately non-escalatory.
Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, involved strikes by the Indian military on terror-linked sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The strikes were in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack, and the military operations continued for four days before ending with an agreement to cease hostilities on May 10.
Defence Attaché’s Comments on IAF Losses Spark Controversy
During a seminar titled “Analysis of the Pakistan-India Air Battle and Indonesia’s Anticipatory Strategies from the Perspective of Air Power” at a university in Jakarta on June 10, Captain Shiv Kumar spoke candidly about the IAF’s challenges during Operation Sindoor.
He revealed that the IAF lost “some aircraft” during the operation due to restrictions imposed by political leadership.
“We did lose some aircraft and that happened only because of the constraint given by the political leadership to not attack the military establishment or their air defences,” Captain Kumar said.
He further explained that after the initial losses, the armed forces adjusted their tactics. “We went for the military installations… we first achieved suppression of enemy air defences and then… all our attacks could easily go through using BrahMos missiles,” he added.
Congress Accuses Government of Misleading the Nation
Captain Kumar’s remarks quickly drew criticism from the opposition Congress party, which accused the BJP-led government of misleading the public and concealing facts.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questioned, “Why is the PM refusing to preside over an all-party meeting and take the Opposition into confidence? Why has the demand for a special session of Parliament been rejected?”
Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera also took to X, calling the Defence Attaché’s comments a “direct indictment.” He alleged, “They know they’ve compromised national security, and they’re terrified of what the Congress Party will expose before the people of India.”
Previous Revelations on IAF Losses
The issue of IAF losses during Operation Sindoor had already surfaced when Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan acknowledged aircraft losses while speaking to Bloomberg TV on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
However, General Chauhan dismissed Pakistan’s claim of downing six Indian jets as “absolutely incorrect.”
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, citing these developments, had earlier accused the government of misleading the nation and demanded a special session of Parliament to discuss the matter.
Embassy Emphasises Non-Escalatory Intentions
Reiterating its stance, the Indian Embassy in Indonesia stressed that the presentation by Captain Kumar was intended to showcase India’s responsible military approach under civilian leadership.
“The objective of Operation Sindoor was to target terrorist infrastructure and the Indian response was non-escalatory,” the embassy stated.
The controversy emerged amid heightened political tensions, with opposition parties demanding greater transparency regarding the military operations and losses sustained.
Despite the embassy’s clarification, the matter has added fuel to the ongoing political debate around national security and government accountability following Operation Sindoor.
