Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy admitted that Pakistan downed five Indian fighter jets, including Rafale aircraft, during the recent military confrontation between the two neighbouring countries.
Tensions escalated on May 7, when India launched missile strikes at what it described as “terrorist infrastructure” across the border. Pakistan responded with retaliatory measures, prompting a sharp military buildup on both sides of the frontier.
The confrontation lasted four days and involved the use of fighter jets, drones, missiles, and artillery — marking the worst military engagement between the two nations in decades before a ceasefire was declared.
Read more: PM confirms downing of sixth Indian jet, hails PAF’s combat excellence
Pakistan confirmed shooting down six Indian jets, including the much-hyped Rafale, but India has continued to deny the allegations despite international media reports supporting Pakistan’s claims. However, a senior BJP leader has now acknowledged the losses in the recent skirmish.
Speaking on a podcast, Swamy expressed strong criticism of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Pahalgam attack. He denounced the failure to apprehend the perpetrators as “a grave crime,” lamenting, “We should have avenged it, but we failed to do so.”
When asked how many Indian fighter jets were downed in the skirmishes, he said, “Pakistan shot down five of our aircraft using Chinese fighter jets. Their performance was commendable, whereas our French Rafale jets were underwhelming.”
He went on to describe the Rafales as “insufficient” for India’s defence needs.
Swamy, who served in the Rajya Sabha from 2016 to 2022, also levelled serious allegations regarding the controversial Rafale deal, claiming there was widespread corruption in the procurement process. “This will never be investigated as long as Modi is prime minister, because he won’t allow it,” he asserted.
In response to a question about Modi’s public rapport with former US President Donald Trump, he dismissed the relationship as superficial. He said, “Modi is a master manipulator, deceiving the public. But Indians living abroad know the truth — he has no real stature in USA. He is, in essence, a servant.”
Read more: Locations of downed Indian aircraft disclosed by security sources
Swamy also accused Modi of caving under international pressure during the crisis. “The United States asked for a ceasefire, and you submitted. Who authorised that decision? Was it the military? No. It was your fear of the United States, and especially Donald Trump. Modi’s cowardice has been exposed. We need a new course of action in the coming months,” he said.
When asked about the path forward, he was unequivocal. “Modi must step down. He has failed to uphold the founding principles of our republic so he has to go. It’s not just my opinion — many others agree, though they are afraid to say it publicly,” he added.
The clash erupted following a deadly attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, located in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which killed 26 tourists.
New Delhi blamed the incident on elements backed by Pakistan, though it offered no public evidence to support the claim. Islamabad strongly denied the accusation and called for an independent investigation.
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