U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that five fighter jets were shot down during the brief but intense India-Pakistan conflict in May, following heightened tensions after an April militant attack in Kashmir. The comment, made during a private dinner with Republican lawmakers at the White House, has reignited debate over the scale of aerial losses during the standoff between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
“In fact, planes were being shot out of the air. Five, five, four or five, but I think five jets were shot down actually,” Trump said, without clarifying which country’s aircraft were involved or providing further evidence. Pakistan had claimed on the first day of conflict that Indian Fighter Jets are shot down including Three Rafales, One Sukui and one MIG fighter jets. Pakistan have also provided electronic signatures of a fighter jet shot down.
The remarks align with Pakistan’s earlier claims that its air force had downed five Indian fighter jets during the conflict, including three of India’s newly inducted French-built Rafale jets. The Indian government, while acknowledging the loss of aircraft on the first day of hostilities, did not confirm the number claimed by Pakistan and maintained that its forces had downed “a few” Pakistani planes in return — a claim that Indian never gave a proof of.
Pakistan’s Use of JF-17, J-10C, and Chinese Missiles
Military analysts note that the May conflict marked one of the most sophisticated uses of air power by Pakistan in recent years. Pakistan reportedly employed a combination of its indigenous JF-17 Thunder jets and newly acquired J-10C multirole fighters — both of which played a central role in offensive and defensive operations during the skirmish.
Crucially, sources suggest that the PL-15 air-to-air missile, supplied by China and integrated into both the J-10C and upgraded JF-17 Block III platforms, gave the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) a critical edge. The PL-15, with its beyond-visual-range (BVR) capabilities and radar-guided targeting, reportedly allowed Pakistani pilots to engage Indian aircraft from extended distances, catching them off guard in the initial exchange.
Pakistani military sources claimed that all five jets were downed in air-to-air combat over contested airspace, including near the Line of Control (LoC). Indian defense officials initially downplayed these reports but later admitted to re-evaluating tactics after suffering “unexpected setbacks” on the first day of hostilities.
India’s Response and Tactical Shift
India, for its part, did not publicly acknowledge the loss of five aircraft but confirmed operational shifts in response to early aerial losses. In late May, India’s top military commander stated that the Indian Air Force (IAF) adopted new engagement rules and deployed countermeasures to “establish an air superiority advantage” before a ceasefire took effect.
India claimed it had struck multiple Pakistani military sites in response to the April militant attack in Kashmir and that its own air defense systems had taken down several incoming Pakistani aircraft during retaliatory strikes. However, no official evidence was released to support those claims.
Ceasefire and Trump’s Involvement
Trump has repeatedly taken credit for brokering the ceasefire, which was announced on social media by the White House on May 10. According to him, Washington facilitated urgent backchannel talks with both New Delhi and Islamabad to avoid further escalation.
“Things were going really bad, very fast,” Trump said. “But we got them to stop. A lot of lives were saved.”
India, however, has consistently rejected the idea that the ceasefire came as a result of American mediation. New Delhi has reiterated that India and Pakistan must resolve issues bilaterally, without third-party interference — a position it has long held, including during earlier U.S. offers to mediate.
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Strategic Implications
Trump’s remarks — vague but suggestive — have stirred diplomatic circles, especially as India and the United States continue to deepen strategic cooperation aimed at countering China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific. At the same time, Pakistan remains a key player in regional stability and a traditional U.S. partner in counterterrorism efforts.
The conflicting narratives from both India and Pakistan leave the full extent of the aerial battle shrouded in uncertainty. However, the use of advanced platforms like the JF-17, J-10C, and PL-15 by Pakistan, alongside India’s Rafales and Su-30MKIs, signals a new era in South Asia’s air combat landscape — one marked by cutting-edge technology, rapid escalation potential, and the ever-present risk of wider conflict.
As of now, no independent verification has been provided to confirm the exact number of aircraft downed during the May conflict. Both nations have remained tight-lipped about operational details, and neither side has released combat footage or radar logs that could clarify the situation.
Still, Trump’s comments have once again drawn global attention to one of the world’s most volatile flashpoints — and to Washington’s often contested role in calming the fires.