US President Donald Trump has claimed that “five jets were shot down” during Operation Sindoor, the recent military confrontation between India and Pakistan following the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Speaking at a private dinner with Republican lawmakers at the White House on Friday, Trump did not specify which side’s aircraft were downed.
“In fact, planes were being shot out of the air. Five, five, four or five, but I think five jets were shot down actually,” the US President said, referring to the intense exchange between the nuclear-armed nations.
ट्रंप ने कहा- भारत-पाकिस्तान के बीच युद्ध में 5 जेट गिराए गए.
इसके साथ ही 24वीं बार कहा कि मैंने व्यापार की धमकी देकर भारत-पाकिस्तान की वॉर रुकवा दी.
ट्रंप लगातार ये बात दोहरा रहे हैं और नरेंद्र मोदी खामोश हैं.
नरेंद्र मोदी ने व्यापार के लिए देश के सम्मान से समझौता क्यों किया? pic.twitter.com/P2AXX1RizT
— Congress (@INCIndia) July 19, 2025
Trump also reiterated that the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, announced on May 10, came after US diplomatic intervention. He claimed Washington used ongoing trade talks as leverage to de-escalate the situation. “You guys want to make a trade deal. We’re not making a trade deal if you’re going to be throwing around weapons, and maybe nuclear weapons,” he said.
India has consistently pushed back against this version of events, stating that the crisis was resolved bilaterally and that there was no threat from the US to suspend trade negotiations.
Operation Sindoor and Conflicting Claims on Air Engagement
The comments from Trump have brought renewed attention to Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people, including tourists. The operation, which began on the night of May 7, involved coordinated strikes by the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy over a 72-hour period targeting what India described as “terrorist infrastructure and military assets” in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
ALSO READ: Trump asked Zelenskyy if Ukraine could hit Moscow in private call: Report
Pakistan has claimed it downed several Indian jets during the exchange, including three Rafale fighters, and alleged that Indian pilots had been captured. However, Islamabad has not presented any evidence to support these assertions.
India has maintained that no Rafale aircraft were lost and denied any pilots were captured. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan acknowledged aircraft losses on the Indian side but rejected Pakistan’s claim that six jets were downed.
“What is important is that, not the jet being down, but why they were being down,” General Chauhan told Bloomberg TV in May. He further highlighted India’s successful precision strikes on targets deep within Pakistani territory, stating, “We were able to do precision strikes on heavily air-defended airfields of Pakistan deep 300 kilometres inside, with the precision of a metre.”
Air Marshal AK Bharti had confirmed on May 11 that all Indian pilots had returned safely.
On June 15, Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, also refuted Pakistan’s claims, calling them “factually incorrect.” Speaking to Challenges magazine, Trappier said, “What Pakistan is claiming about downing three Rafales is simply not true. When the complete details are known, the reality may surprise many.”
