Article: Why New Delhi still hiding truth about air losses?
Sudais Ahmad
Despite the belated admissions by India’s top military commander, General Anil Chauhan, and BJP stalwart Subramanian Swamy, the Indian government continues to avoid open, honest disclosure regarding its recent losses in aerial combat with Pakistan.
The Indian Air Force suffered a major setback during the May 2025 conflict, with Pakistan shooting down multiple fighter jets, including the highly touted French-made Rafales. Yet, there has been no official accounting in the Indian Parliament, no inquiry, and no national debate. Why is the world’s so-called largest democracy so afraid of truth?
Observers find it both baffling and telling that while Indian generals and politicians now reluctantly concede some level of damage—acknowledging tactical mistakes and vaguely referencing “losses”—the Modi government continues its denial campaign in full swing. This silence is not due to any military necessity; the combat phase has ended. Rather, it is a calculated political move to protect the carefully manufactured image of India as a rising global power.
Open acknowledgment of these losses would not only expose the vulnerabilities of India’s over-hyped military but also puncture the propaganda-driven narrative the BJP thrives on.
The reality is that New Delhi fears the collapse of its illusion far more than the consequences of truth. The moment India admits the actual number and models of downed jets—especially the loss of Rafales that Modi proudly showcased as a symbol of India’s air dominance—the myth of Indian invincibility would crumble. Worse still, the international community would see through the bluster, and India’s self-proclaimed status as a regional ‘don’ would be exposed as hollow. That’s why the Indian Parliament remains silent, and why Indian media continues to either deny or downplay the debacle.
Until India finds the moral courage to speak the truth, it will remain hostage to its own manufactured delusions. The world is watching, and so is Pakistan—with evidence, wreckage, and credibility.
