SOURCE: AFI
In a surprising revelation, a senior Pakistan Air Force (PAF) official, Air Vice Marshal Shahzad Chaudhry, has admitted that the PAF’s claim of shooting down two Indian Air Force (IAF) jets during the 2019 aerial skirmish following the Balakot airstrike may not be entirely accurate. The admission casts doubt on Pakistan’s long-standing narrative that had claimed two IAF jet, a MiG-21 piloted by Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, was shot down, while the second, a Su-30MKI fell down in Indian side as previously claimed.
The 2019 clash occurred in the wake of India’s airstrike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist training camp in Balakot, Pakistan, in retaliation for the Pulwama attack that killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel. On February 27, 2019, the PAF launched a counteroffensive, leading to a dogfight over the Line of Control (LoC). Pakistan claimed it shot down two IAF jets, one of which, the MiG-21, fell in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), with its pilot, Abhinandan, captured and later released. The second jet, claimed to be a Su-30MKI, was said to have crashed on the Indian side. India, however, consistently denied the loss of a Su-30MKI, asserting that only the MiG-21 was downed.
The Air Vice Marshal’s statement, made during a media discussion (details of which surfaced through social media), marks a significant departure from Pakistan’s official stance. He reportedly acknowledged that while the MiG-21 was indeed shot down, evidence supporting the claim of downing a Su-30MKI is inconclusive. “The second jet may have been damaged but likely returned to Indian territory,” he is quoted as saying, hinting at the possibility that Pakistan’s claim of a second kill was exaggerated.
This admission challenges the PAF’s narrative, which had been used to project a decisive victory over the IAF. Pakistan’s military and media outlets had widely publicized the alleged downing of two jets, with then-Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor presenting debris, including parts claimed to be from the Su-30MKI, as evidence. India, on the other hand, provided radar and electronic signature data to refute Pakistan’s claims, asserting that all its Su-30MKIs returned safely.
Military analysts suggest this admission could be a step toward correcting the historical record, albeit indirectly. “Pakistan’s initial claims were driven by the need to project strength domestically and internationally,” said a South Asian defense expert. “Admitting the truth, even partially, indicates internal acknowledgment of the discrepancies in their narrative.”
The 2019 incident remains a contentious chapter in India-Pakistan relations. India has maintained that its Balakot airstrike successfully neutralized a significant number of JeM terrorists, a claim Pakistan has denied, asserting that the strike caused minimal damage. Additionally, India has alleged that a PAF F-16 was shot down by Wing Commander Abhinandan before his MiG-21 was hit, a claim supported by radar imagery and debris analysis but rejected by Pakistan.
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