India’s opposition leader has called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify US President Donald Trump’s claim that five fighter jets were downed during the recent conflict between Pakistan and India.
“Modi ji, what is the truth about the 5 [jets]? The country has the right to know!” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X, slamming the prime minister, who has been under severe criticism from the opposition after India’s failure in brief war with Pakistan.
A militant attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), triggered a military escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbours in April. Islamabad responded firmly to New Delhi’s unprovoked strikes, and a ceasefire was brokered days later following US intervention on May 10.
Pakistan has said it had downed six Indian planes in air-to-air combat. India’s highest-ranking general said in late May that India switched tactics after suffering losses in the air on the first day of hostilities and established an advantage before a ceasefire was announced three days later.
Trump, in his remarks during a dinner with some Republican US lawmakers at the White House, said: “In fact, planes were being shot out of the air. Five, five, four or five, but I think five jets were shot down actually.”
Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for the ceasefire between India and Pakistan that he announced on social media on May 10 after Washington held talks with both sides.
India has differed with Trump’s claims that it resulted from his intervention and his threats to sever trade talks. India’s position has been that New Delhi and Islamabad must resolve their problems directly and with no outside involvement.
India is an increasingly important US partner in Washington’s effort to counter China’s influence in Asia, while Pakistan is a US ally.
The April attack in IIOJK killed 26 men and sparked heavy fighting between the nuclear-armed Asian neighbours in the latest escalation of a decades-old rivalry. New Delhi blamed the attack on Pakistan, which Islamabad has vehemently denied responsibility while calling for a neutral investigation.
Rahul Gandhi seeks answers from Modi over Trump’s Pak-India jet remarks
