'Even Pakistan hasn't...': Ex-Foreign Secretary counters Kerala Congress MP's 'We lost 3 Rafales' claim
During the Parliament debate on Operation Sindoor, George told the Lok Sabha that India lost multiple jets in the recent India-Pakistan conflict.
- Jul 29, 2025,
- Updated Jul 29, 2025 12:26 PM IST
Former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal on Tuesday countered Kerala Congress MP K Francis George over the latter's claims of jet losses that India allegedly faced during Operation Sindoor. Sibal questioned that if the Congress MP is so confident of his claims, why doesn't he present satellite imagery to corroborate them?
During the Parliament debate on Operation Sindoor, George told the Lok Sabha that India lost multiple jets in the recent India-Pakistan conflict.
"Preposterous. Why doesn’t he show that satellite imagery? Not available through commercial satellite imagery. Even Pakistan hasn’t produced it. Aren’t these MPs embarrassed when they make such statements?" Sibal wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
What exactly did K Francis George say?
"Truth has a way of surfacing. While the official narrative denied aircraft losses, satellite imagery, international intelligence leaks, and even our own defence attaches' seminar notes revealed the truth," George said during the debate on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha.
He also went on to give the count of the jets that India "lost" during the precision strikes against Pakistan. According to George, India lost three Rafales, one Sukhoi 30 MKI, and one MiG-29.
Furthermore, he proposed that the Centre must set up a defence transparency charter mandating "truthful public briefings" within 48 hours in case of any military operation.
"When government denials are contradicted by foreign media and allied nations, we do not appear strong. We appear dishonest. This erodes credibility and gives space to hostile disinformation both abroad and within. So, I would propose a defence transparency charter mandating truthful public briefings within 48 hours of battlefield developments."
Rajnath Singh's to-the-point counter
Addressing the Opposition's questions on aircraft losses, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that such questions do "not adequately represent our national sentiments."
He further reiterated the government's position and said that none of the Indian soldiers were harmed in Operation Sindoor.
Singh also mentioned that Operation Sindoor was a joint military strike that targeted 9 terrorist sites and that the armed forces studied all aspects of the mission to ensure maximum damage to terrorists while avoiding any harm to civilians.
He added that the operation's objective was not to seize territory but to strike at terrorism, while adding that no civilians were targeted and no Indian strategic assets were damaged.
Former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal on Tuesday countered Kerala Congress MP K Francis George over the latter's claims of jet losses that India allegedly faced during Operation Sindoor. Sibal questioned that if the Congress MP is so confident of his claims, why doesn't he present satellite imagery to corroborate them?
During the Parliament debate on Operation Sindoor, George told the Lok Sabha that India lost multiple jets in the recent India-Pakistan conflict.
"Preposterous. Why doesn’t he show that satellite imagery? Not available through commercial satellite imagery. Even Pakistan hasn’t produced it. Aren’t these MPs embarrassed when they make such statements?" Sibal wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
What exactly did K Francis George say?
"Truth has a way of surfacing. While the official narrative denied aircraft losses, satellite imagery, international intelligence leaks, and even our own defence attaches' seminar notes revealed the truth," George said during the debate on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha.
He also went on to give the count of the jets that India "lost" during the precision strikes against Pakistan. According to George, India lost three Rafales, one Sukhoi 30 MKI, and one MiG-29.
Furthermore, he proposed that the Centre must set up a defence transparency charter mandating "truthful public briefings" within 48 hours in case of any military operation.
"When government denials are contradicted by foreign media and allied nations, we do not appear strong. We appear dishonest. This erodes credibility and gives space to hostile disinformation both abroad and within. So, I would propose a defence transparency charter mandating truthful public briefings within 48 hours of battlefield developments."
Rajnath Singh's to-the-point counter
Addressing the Opposition's questions on aircraft losses, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that such questions do "not adequately represent our national sentiments."
He further reiterated the government's position and said that none of the Indian soldiers were harmed in Operation Sindoor.
Singh also mentioned that Operation Sindoor was a joint military strike that targeted 9 terrorist sites and that the armed forces studied all aspects of the mission to ensure maximum damage to terrorists while avoiding any harm to civilians.
He added that the operation's objective was not to seize territory but to strike at terrorism, while adding that no civilians were targeted and no Indian strategic assets were damaged.