Jakarta/New Delhi: The Indian Embassy in Indonesia issued a clarification on Sunday in response to media reports surrounding comments made by Defence Attaché Captain Shiv Kumar during a recent seminar. The embassy emphasized that the remarks regarding Indian Air Force (IAF) losses during Operation Sindoor were "taken out of context" and had been "misrepresented" in the media.
In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), the embassy noted that Captain Kumar’s presentation aimed to highlight the Indian Armed Forces' adherence to civilian political leadership—a contrast to the governance structure in some neighboring countries. It further explained that Operation Sindoor was a calibrated response, specifically designed to strike terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and "Pakistan-occupied Kashmir", while avoiding escalation.
"The presentation conveyed that Indian forces operate under civilian oversight and that the objective of Operation Sindoor was limited to neutralizing terror hubs. It was clearly stated that the response was non-escalatory," the embassy said.
Captain Kumar, during his presentation on June 10, mentioned that the IAF had lost “some aircraft” during the operation, attributing the losses to restrictions imposed by the political leadership, which had directed forces not to target Pakistani military assets or air defence systems during the initial strike.
"Due to the constraints laid down by political leadership, we did not target their military installations or air defences initially, which led to our losses," Kumar had stated. He went on to explain that tactics were subsequently revised to focus on suppressing enemy air defences, allowing later operations—featuring BrahMos missiles—to proceed more effectively.
The defence attaché's comments have sparked political backlash in India. The Congress party accused the BJP-led central government of misguiding the public and compromising national security.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questioned the government's reluctance to hold an all-party meeting or convene a special Parliament session to discuss the matter. Meanwhile, party spokesperson Pawan Khera called Captain Kumar’s comments a “direct indictment” of the government.
“They’re afraid of what the Congress might expose. National security has been compromised, and the truth is surfacing,” Khera stated on X.
The controversy continues to fuel debate over transparency and accountability in India’s national security decisions.
