Operation Sindhu began after a security conference in Indonesia, where an Indonesian official first claimed that the Indian Air Force had lost six fighter jets due to communication problems with its AWACS1 system.
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Statement by an Indian Navy officer.
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At the same conference, Indian Navy officer Sivakumar responded to the Indonesian demand.
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He disagreed with the exact loss estimate of the Indonesian official.
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But Sivakumar admits that India lost several aircraft during Operation Sindh.
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He attributed the loss to “the military establishment and political leadership prohibiting attacks on their air defenses”.
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He explained that the original instructions were to target only Pakistani terrorist camps, and not their military installations or air defences.
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media commentary and debate.
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This particular line of Sivakumar’s statement was widely quoted by the media, creating quite a buzz.
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Many interpreted his statement to mean that India had suffered losses because the Irish Air Force was not given full freedom to launch operations against the Pakistani army from the outset.
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This provoked criticism from the Indian government, with some arguing that losses might have been less if the Irish Air Force had been allowed to strike both terrorist camps and Pakistani military targets from the outset.
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Government of India Clarification.
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The controversy escalated to such an extent that the Indian Embassy in Indonesia was forced to issue an official clarification.
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The government said the naval officer’s statement was “taken out of context” and media reports “misrepresented the intent and meaning expressed by the spokesperson.”
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In agreement with the government, the official stressed that India’s armed forces, unlike some of its neighbours, operate under civilian political leadership (an obvious reference to Pakistan, where the military often wields considerable power).
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The government insists this is a counter-terrorism operation and denies it was a direct result of the initial ban. The
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Questions and Comparisons:
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Despite the government’s clarification, the strategic decision to target only terrorist camps on May 7 continues to be questioned, especially since the Pakistani army often harbors these terrorists.
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The video contrasts the situation in India with Israel’s Operation Rising Line, where Israel had clear intentions and actions.4
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While critics have accused the government of not fully acknowledging the losses, the government maintains that it was a purely anti-terrorist operation and the losses were not due to that.
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Pakistan Information War and Losses:
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This video highlights the importance of information warfare, noting that although India achieved complete air superiority and destroyed Pakistani air bases in the later stages of Operation Sindh, the initial focus was on Indian losses….
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This indicates that Pakistan has never officially disclosed its losses or the damage to air bases and hangars allegedly destroyed by India. Even Pakistan, Iran, and Israel often do not openly acknowledge their actual military losses, citing moral concerns.
