[Text/Observer Network Liu Chenghui] Regarding the claim that multiple aircraft were shot down by Pakistan, the Indian authorities have remained silent to this day.

However, on May 9, CNN cited Indian officials as saying that India would release details of combat losses "at the appropriate time" after Pakistan claimed to have shot down Indian aircraft.

"Acknowledging losses and honoring those who sacrificed for the country is our tradition. We have no regrets. Operation 'Ruby' is still ongoing, and operational details will be released at the appropriate time," said an Indian official familiar with the matter.

Since the conflict erupted early on May 7, Pakistan has repeatedly claimed to have shot down five Indian military aircraft. So far, Indian officials have either denied that the aircraft were shot down or refused to comment.

In his speech on the evening of May 7, Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif said that the Pakistani military had inflicted a wound on the Indian military that time could not heal. He said, "Our planes stirred up storms in the sky, and the enemy cried out in agony. Those five aircraft, once the pride of the Indian military, are now reduced to ashes and debris."

The Pakistani military displayed and compared online images of aircraft debris with those of India's "Rafale" fighter jets, emphasizing the credibility of the downing results.

On the night of May 9, Director Ahmed Sherif Chaudhry of the Pakistani Armed Forces Public Relations Bureau (ISPR) held a press conference to reveal more details about the downing of Indian aircraft, including the exact location of the incident and the interception of the "Rafale" formation communication recordings.

According to the recording, the Indian commander asked where the aircraft designated as "Gojira 3" was. After a period of silence, another aircraft in the "Rafale" formation said their mission was proceeding smoothly but saw an explosion in the air.

Chaudhry also displayed and compared online images of aircraft debris with those of India's "Rafale" fighter jets, emphasizing the credibility of the downing results.

Despite the silence of Indian officials, more and more foreign media have disclosed relevant information.

Earlier, a French official confirmed to CNN that at least one "Rafale" fighter jet belonging to India was indeed shot down by Pakistan, and France is investigating whether more aircraft were hit.

Reuters also reported on May 9 citing two U.S. officials that during the brief "air battle" on July 7, at least two Indian military aircraft were successfully shot down by China-made Pakistani J-10 fighters. This "achievement" marked an important breakthrough for advanced Chinese fighter jets.

An anonymous U.S. official said that the United States was highly confident that the Chinese-made J-10 fighter jets used by Pakistan had launched air-to-air missiles at Indian aircraft, shooting down at least two Indian aircraft. Another official added that at least one of the downed aircraft was a French-made "Rafale" fighter jet.

The Washington Post quoted expert analysis as stating that the image shows the auxiliary fuel tank of India's Mirage 2000 fighter jet.

On May 9, The Washington Post analyzed a series of images and videos circulating online in its latest report, concluding that at least two Indian fighter jets were shot down on the morning of July 7, including a French-made "Rafale" fighter jet and a "Mirage 2000".

Arzan Tarapore, a research scholar at Stanford University specializing in Indian military strategy, said it was not surprising that India kept silent about the loss of aircraft.

He said, "The Indian government is usually very cautious about operational details during a crisis. If you admit to suffering significant losses, it becomes harder to control the development of the crisis."

Susant Singh, a lecturer at Yale University and a former Indian military official, believed that the silence of the Indian government allowed Pakistan to "claim victory," and "this may be a chance to ease tensions."

This article is an exclusive article of Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7502702723368780342/

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