‘All our pilots are back home’:  DGAO dismisses all rumours, shares detailed videos of air operations

Director General of Air Operations (DGAO) Air Marshal AK Bharti said that all Indian pilots are back home, while replying to alleged claims of Pakistan capturing one of them. 

India has shot down several high-tech Pakistani jets as the Army thwarted Pakistan's military escalation following Operation Sindoor, the DGAO said on May 11 while addressing the media. 

“Have we achieved our objectives of decimating the terrorist camps, and the answer is a thumping Yes and the results are for the whole world to see...” he added. 

On being asked about how many Pakistani planes were downed, Air Marshal AK Bharti says, “Their planes were prevented from entering inside our border...Definitely, we have downed a few planes...Definitely, there are losses on their side which we have inflicted...”  

“We are in a combat situation, there will be losses... question should be, have we achieved our objective, to target terror camps... All our pilots are back home,” he added while replying to lose of assets. 

Air Marshal AK Bharti also showed detailed images and videos of the effects of India’s air operations at Pasrur Air Defence Radar, Chunian Air Defence Radar, Arifwala Air Defence Radar, Sargodha Airfield, Rahim Yar Khan Airfield, Chaklala Airfield (Nur Khan), Sukkur Airfield, Bholari Airfield and Jacobabad Airfield as part of the Operation Sindoor. 

Reports earlier suggested that India shot down a Pakistani F-16 and possibly two JF-17 fighter jets, in addition to intercepting other projectiles and missiles. Pakistan's Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft was also reportedly downed by Indian forces. However, the officer did not specify the types of aircraft destroyed.