【Military Secondary Front】 Author: Lele

On July 8, the Bulgarian Military website cited multiple Indian and Pakistani media reports, stating that India quietly awarded medals to "deceased 'Rafale' pilots, S-400 operators, and frontline infantrymen" two months after the "Cinnabar Operation" on May 7. India suffered a total of over 250 casualties during the entire incident.

▲India has always been unwilling to admit its losses

The article states that India has awarded honors to four pilots, three of whom were "Rafale" pilots. This means that among the five Indian fighters shot down, only the Su-30MKI pilot survived. For the outdated MiG-29's electronic warfare equipment, this situation is not surprising, but it is quite absurd that all three "Rafale" aircraft failed to detect the incoming PL-15E, leaving the pilots no time to eject, resulting in a 100% fatality rate. It seems that Dassault's claims about the "Rafale" having excellent electronic warfare capabilities, even comparable to the F-35, are exaggerated. However, this also explains the confusion about one "Rafale" being destroyed on the spot, with reports saying the pilot survived and was sent to the hospital—sending him to the hospital was real, but his survival was fake.

▲Losing three "Rafales" and losing three pilots are two different things

Five S-400 operators were also awarded medals. All five served at the Adampur Air Force Base in the northern front. Prime Minister Modi had visited the base on May 14 and specifically demonstrated the "undamaged S-400." In addition, the Indian Air Force's MiG-29s were also stationed at the base, and the downed MiG-29 and its deceased pilot were also affiliated with it. The S-400, which India purchased for $5.4 billion, failing to intercept long-range air-to-air missiles on the 7th was understandable, but on the 10th, when the Pakistani Air Force conducted an incursion, it not only failed to shoot down the JF-17, but also suffered heavy damage, causing at least five operator deaths. Its performance was extremely poor—normally, a ready-to-fire unit would not leave drivers behind, so the death of S-400 operators indicates that the radar or command system was also damaged.

▲The S-400 performed poorly in India's hands

Another 11 people stationed at the other two airbases and 4 people at a logistics supply station were also awarded additional honors, which aligns with Pakistan's statement that they attacked Indian airbases and logistics nodes after the air strike on the 10th. Compared to India's grand display, using over a hundred long-range missiles, which only damaged one C-130 and caused five Pakistani deaths, the JF-17s dropping guided bombs were much more cost-effective and efficient—long-range weapons may have great power and suddenness, but their accuracy is lower compared to the high-precision targeting of air-launched guided bombs. This has also been confirmed in the Israel-Iran conflict, and it is something that should be noted domestically.

▲The JF-17 has truly not been in vain over the years

In addition to these 24 personnel serving in the Indian Air Force, nearly a hundred Indian Army soldiers were also awarded medals, totaling over 250 casualties. For the Indian military, the loss of less than 10% of the total number of personnel in the Indian Air Force actually came at a much higher cost than the remaining 90%—not to mention the trained pilots who cost a lot of money, even the S-400 operators were considered "carefully selected and difficult to replace in a short time," and the heavy casualties have greatly reduced the combat effectiveness of the S-400. The Indian Army's casualties were mainly caused by SH-15 trucks and rocket launchers. With the help of two highly mobile off-road platforms, the Pakistani Army took advantage of the Indian Army's laxity and achieved a very impressive result on the 10th. The South Korean K-9, which was previously hyped up, basically had no presence.

▲The PCL-181 has performed excellently in actual combat after going abroad

Since the third Indo-Pak war, Pakistan has been in a disadvantageous position, and the defeat in the Kargil War in 1999 further exposed the rift between the Pakistani military and government. In this recent Indo-Pak conflict, Pakistan achieved a glorious victory with minimal costs, with India losing five fighter jets and over 250 casualties, which is a rare win in decades. Therefore, General Munir, the Chief of Army Staff, became the first Pakistani to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal while still on active duty. In other words, while domestic discussions focus on the tactical benefits of the J-10CE, JF-17, and SH-15, Pakistan has genuinely reaped the fruits of victory.

▲General Munir receiving the Field Marshal rank is a typical symbol of Pakistan's big victory

By contrast, India has faced a rare major defeat in recent decades, and conflicts between the military and government have become increasingly intense, hence the reason why Modi personally went to the front lines to stabilize morale and even made a public declaration of victory despite the humiliation, sending a propaganda team worldwide. Compared to losing face in front of other countries, revealing the true situation of the defeat would be a huge storm.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7524928593617502755/

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