A comment by India’s defence attache to Indonesia, Captain Shiv Kumar, explaining India’s strategy in the initial phase of Operation Sindoor has led to a huge political storm.
Captain Kumar was giving a presentation at a seminar in an Indonesian university when he said the operation faced “constraint” as the “political leadership” did not want the Indian Air Force (IAF) to attack Pakistani military installations and their air defence assets.
“India did lose some aircraft, but it was because of constraints given by the political leadership to not attack Pak military establishment or their air defences,” Captain Kumar said at the seminar in Indonesia on June 10.
Citing the officer’s comments, the opposition Congress party criticised the BJP-led government for “misleading” the country.
“First the Chief of Defence Staff makes important revelations in Singapore. Then a senior defence official follows up from Indonesia,” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in his post on X. “But why is the PM refusing to preside over an all-party meeting and take the Opposition into confidence? Why has the demand for a special session of Parliament been rejected?”
This was the first time a government functionary said the loss of aircraft was due to “constraint”.
