Highlights:
- Former Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chauhan claims India lost on first day of Operation Sindur.
- Indian Air Force reportedly grounded due to risk of aircraft being destroyed by Pakistan.
- Questions raised over the necessity of large ground forces in future wars dominated by air and missile strikes.
In a recent statement, senior Indian Congress leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chauhan claimed that India was defeated on the very first day of its conflict with Pakistan earlier this year in May. Chauhan asserted that during the initial hours of Operation Sindur, India’s warplanes were destroyed in Pakistani attacks, raising concerns over India’s military readiness.
According to Indian news outlet NDTV, Chauhan made these remarks at a press conference in Pune on Wednesday, December 17. He stated that the Indian Air Force was essentially grounded due to the fear of aircraft being destroyed by Pakistani forces.
“অপারেশন সিঁদুরের প্রথম দিনেই আমরা পুরোপুরি পরাজিত হই। ৭ তারিখে যে আধা ঘণ্টার আকাশযুদ্ধ হয়েছিল, তাতে আমরা সম্পূর্ণভাবে হেরে গিয়েছি— মানুষ তা মানুক বা না মানুক। ভারতীয় বিমান ভূপাতিত হয়েছে। বিমান বাহিনী পুরোপুরি গ্রাউন্ডেড হয়ে পড়েছিল, একটি বিমানও উড়েনি। গোয়ালিয়র, বাথিন্ডা বা সিরসা থেকে যদি কোনও যুদ্ধবিমান উড়ত, তাহলে পাকিস্তানের হাতে ভূপাতিত হওয়ার সম্ভাবনা ছিল প্রবল। এ কারণেই ভারতীয় বিমান বাহিনীকে সম্পূর্ণভাবে মাটিতে বসিয়ে রাখা হয়েছিল।”
Translation:“On the first day of Operation Sindur, we were completely defeated. In the half-hour air battle on the 7th, we were fully beaten—whether people accept it or not. Indian aircraft were destroyed. The Air Force was completely grounded, no plane flew. From Gwalior, Bathinda, or Sirsa, if any fighter plane had taken off, there was a strong possibility of it being destroyed by Pakistan. That’s why the Air Force was kept entirely on the ground.”
Chauhan also questioned the necessity of maintaining a huge ground force in modern warfare, emphasizing the dominance of air and missile strikes:
“ভবিষ্যতের যুদ্ধ হবে মূলত আকাশে, তাই বিশাল স্থলবাহিনী রাখার প্রয়োজনীয়তা নিয়েও প্রশ্ন তোলা উচিত। সম্প্রতি অপারেশন সিঁদুরে আমরা দেখেছি, সেনাবাহিনী এক কিলোমিটারও অগ্রসর হয়নি। দুই-তিন দিনে যা ঘটেছে, তা ছিল পুরোপুরি আকাশযুদ্ধ ও ক্ষেপণাস্ত্র যুদ্ধ। ভবিষ্যতেও যুদ্ধ এভাবেই হবে। এমন পরিস্থিতিতে ১২ লাখ সেনার বিশাল বাহিনী রাখার আদৌ প্রয়োজন আছে কি না, নাকি তাদের অন্য কোনও কাজে লাগানো যায়— সে প্রশ্ন ওঠে।”
Translation:“Future wars will be primarily fought in the air, so we should question the need for a massive ground force. In the recent Operation Sindur, the army did not advance even a kilometer. What happened in two to three days was entirely air combat and missile warfare. Should we continue to maintain a 1.2 million-strong army, or can they be used for other purposes?”
Read More: Fire Breaks Out at Siddikbazar Area Lalbagh, Multiple Units Deployed
NDTV reported that during Operation Sindur, claims surfaced that Indian warplanes were destroyed by Pakistan, although they denied these numbers. The Indian government stated that the press reports misrepresented the context and purpose of the statements.
The conflict in question followed a deadly attack on April 22 in Pehalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people. They immediately blamed Pakistan, which Pakistan denied. Subsequently, India took retaliatory actions, including suspending the 65-year-old Indus Water Treaty, cancelling visas for Pakistani citizens, and closing the Wagah-Attari border.
On May 7, missiles struck six cities across Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, causing civilian casualties, including in a mosque. Pakistan reportedly retaliated, destroying six Indian warplanes, three of which were allegedly Rafale fighter jets. Theirs later missile attacks on Pakistani airbases led to further damage.
The conflict eventually ended after intensive diplomatic intervention by then-U.S. President Donald Trump, who confirmed that seven new Indian planes had been destroyed during the escalation. While Indian government acknowledged “some losses” in the conflict, it denied the claim of losing six warplanes and did not disclose exact numbers.
Source: Channel 24
