India Silently Admits Pakistan Killed 3 Rafale Pilots
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
India has quietly acknowledged the deaths of several military personnel, including three Rafale fighter jet pilots, after denying any casualties during the recent conflict with Pakistan.
The Indian government’s move, reportedly made under mounting internal and military pressure, has brought to light the scale of losses previously kept under wraps.
According to multiple security sources and media reports, India suffered heavy casualties during Operation Sindoor, particularly along the Line of Control (LoC), with over 250 fatalities reported among its armed forces.
The announcement of posthumous awards for more than 100 personnel, including four Indian Air Force pilots (three of whom flew Rafale jets), five S-400 air defence system operators, and several key base staff, marks the first public acknowledgment of these losses.
The casualties include nine personnel from the Udhampur Airbase, two from the Rajouri aviation base, and four from the Uri supply depot.
Families of the deceased have reportedly been instructed not to share photos or tributes on social media, as authorities continue efforts to limit public attention to the scale of the losses.
Critics and opposition leaders in India have questioned the government’s earlier denials, asking why posthumous honors are being awarded if there were no casualties.
The Indian government had previously dismissed reports of significant losses at key installations such as Pathankot and Udhampur.
The conflict, which began in early May 2025, saw Pakistan launch Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos in response to Indian strikes, targeting multiple Indian military sites.
According to Pakistani sources, six Indian Air Force jets—including three Rafales—were downed, and dozens of drones destroyed. The hostilities ended after 87 hours with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire on May 10, 2025.
Reference Link:- https://propakistani.pk/2025/07/07/india-silently-admits-pakistan-killed-3-rafale-pilots/
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
