While New Delhi continues to make bold claims regarding the Pakistan-India war months after the May conflict, a politician from the neighbouring country has declared that his side completely lost the battle during the May conflict.

“Accept it or not, we were fully defeated in the half-hour aerial engagement that took place on May 7. On the first day (of Operation Sindoor), we were completely defeated,” Indian News Agency (ANI) quoted former Maharashtra chief minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan as saying in a recent statement.

The ex-CM further said that the Indian Air Force was completely grounded during the battle and not a single aircraft of their flew due to the fear of being shot down as a result of Pakistan’s robust aerial combat tactics.

“If any aircraft had taken off from Gwalior, Bathinda, or Sirsa, there was a high probability of being shot down by Pakistan, which is why the air force was fully grounded,” Chavan said.

Pakistan, under the leadership of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir, had given a befitting response to India in May.

In a major defensive success against the rival country, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) shot down seven Indian aircraft, including Rafales, and destroyed an S-400 defence system.

The four-day war between the two nuclear-armed nations was triggered by India’s unlawful missile strikes inside Pakistan, which resulted in the martyrdom of several civilians and security personnel.

Pakistan, in addition to downing multiple Indian fighter jets, then launched a retaliatory strike, targeting over 20 Indian military sites across multiple regions.

The hostilities ended on May 10 after the two countries agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire agreement.

Months after the conflict, a report submitted to the United States Congress acknowledged Pakistan’s military success over India.

The report, submitted by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, noted that Pakistan deployed advanced Chinese weaponry during the conflict to enhance its military edge over India.

The report mentioned the successful use of China’s modern weapons systems in active combat for the first time, including the HQ-9 air-defence system, PL-15 air-to-air missiles, and J-10C fighter aircraft.

CDF Munir, earlier this month, warned India of a more “severe response” if it resorts to any aggression against Pakistan in the future.

“India should not be in any delusion [as] Pakistan’s response [in case of any aggression] will be even more swift and intense,” he said.

Police in Australia said on Wednesday they had charged a man who allegedly opened fire on a Jewish event on Sydney’s Bondi Beach with 59 offences, including a terror charge.

The charges include 40 counts of causing grievous bodily harm to a person with intent to murder, 15 counts of murder, as well as public display of the symbol of a prohibited terrorist organisation.

Naveed Akram, 25, is one of the two men suspected of carrying out Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in three decades. He was shot by the police during the Bondi Beach massacre and remains in a Sydney hospital under heavy police guard.

“Police will allege in court the man engaged in conduct that caused death, serious injury and endangered life to advance a religious cause and cause fear in the community,” New South Wales state police said.

“Early indications point to a terrorist attack inspired by [Daesh], a listed terrorist organisation in Australia,” they said in a statement, using another name for the terrorist group.

Two homemade Daesh flags were found in a car registered to Naveed and parked near the beach.

The alleged father-and-son perpetrators opened fire on a Jewish Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s famed Bondi Beach on December 14, in an attack that shook the nation and intensified fears of rising antisemitism and violent extremism.

The 15 victims ranged from a rabbi who was a father of five, to a Holocaust survivor, to a 10-year-old girl named Matilda Britvan, according to interviews, officials and media reports. Two police officers remained in critical but stable condition in the hospital, New South Wales police said.

Naveed’s father, Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police at the scene, while his 24-year-old son, named in local media as Naveed, emerged from a coma on Wednesday after also being shot by police.

The men accused of carrying out Sunday’s attack had travelled to the southern Philippines, a region long plagued by militancy, weeks before the shooting that Australian police said appeared to be inspired by Daesh.

It may be noted that the Indian government officials on Tuesday confirmed that Sajid hailed was from Hyderabad, India, after days of uncertain reports regarding the identity of the alleged gunman, who is now dead.

The Indian authorities shared the details of Sajid after conducting a background verification.

As per details, Sajid was a resident of Tolichowki, Hyderabad, who moved to Australia in 1998 on a student visa and had returned to India only “two-three occasions” since relocating. He last visited India in 2022.

Meanwhile, Naveed, the second attacker, was born in Australia in 2001 and holds Australian citizenship.

• Ex-CM says India was completely defeated on first day of battle.
• IAF was completely grounded due to Pakistan’s dominance: Chavan.
• Chavan says there was high probability of IAF jets being shot down.

While New Delhi continues to make bold claims regarding the Pakistan-India war months after the May conflict, a politician from the neighbouring country has declared that his side completely lost the battle during the May conflict.

“Accept it or not, we were fully defeated in the half-hour aerial engagement that took place on May 7. On the first day (of Operation Sindoor), we were completely defeated,” Indian News Agency (ANI) quoted former Maharashtra chief minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan as saying in a recent statement.

The ex-CM further said that the Indian Air Force was completely grounded during the battle and not a single aircraft of their flew due to the fear of being shot down as a result of Pakistan’s robust aerial combat tactics. 

“If any aircraft had taken off from Gwalior, Bathinda, or Sirsa, there was a high probability of being shot down by Pakistan, which is why the air force was fully grounded,” Chavan said.

Pakistan, under the leadership of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir, had given a befitting response to India in May.

In a major defensive success against the rival country, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) shot down seven Indian aircraft, including Rafales, and destroyed an S-400 defence system.

The four-day war between the two nuclear-armed nations was triggered by India’s unlawful missile strikes inside Pakistan, which resulted in the martyrdom of several civilians and security personnel.

Pakistan, in addition to downing multiple Indian fighter jets, then launched a retaliatory strike, targeting over 20 Indian military sites across multiple regions.

The hostilities ended on May 10 after the two countries agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire agreement.

Months after the conflict, a report submitted to the United States Congress acknowledged Pakistan’s military success over India.

The report, submitted by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, noted that Pakistan deployed advanced Chinese weaponry during the conflict to enhance its military edge over India.

The report mentioned the successful use of China’s modern weapons systems in active combat for the first time, including the HQ-9 air-defence system, PL-15 air-to-air missiles, and J-10C fighter aircraft.

CDF Munir, earlier this month, warned India of a more “severe response” if it resorts to any aggression against Pakistan in the future.

“India should not be in any delusion [as] Pakistan’s response [in case of any aggression] will be even more swift and intense,” he said.