PAF downs Indian jets, sparks political storm in India
The downing of Indian jets by the PAF has raised questions about India's military strategy and preparedness, with the opposition calling for greater transparency and accountability from the government, as the incident has sparked a renewed debate about the India-Pakistan conflict.
The Pakistani Air Force (PAF) successfully downed Indian fighter jets during a conflict in May, with Indian naval officer Captain Shiv Kumar attributing the losses to "constraints" placed on Indian forces by the government, sparking a political storm in India.
The conflict between India and Pakistan began on May 7, when India launched missile strikes targeting nine sites in six cities in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Pakistan responded by downing six Indian jets, including at least three Rafale fighters, according to Islamabad. The exchange of tit-for-tat missile strikes and drone attacks continued until a ceasefire was announced on May 10.
Captain Kumar's remarks have sparked a political storm in India, with the opposition Congress party calling them an "indictment" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. The Indian government has responded to Kumar's comments by stating that they were "quoted out of context" and that the media reports were a "mis-representation" of the presentation made by the speaker.
The opposition Congress party has called for a review of India's defence preparedness and has demanded a special session of parliament to discuss the issue, as the Indian government faces criticism over its handling of the conflict with Pakistan.